Security+ - Book reviews?

Author

Book reviews?

coyo5050

2003-08-18, 6:41 pm

I know a lot has been said about Tcat's PDF and the Sybex book, but was wondering if anyone has read any of the other books out there and might care to give their opinions? More specifically on these books below:

Security+ Certification All-in-One Exam Guide, Publisher: McGraw-Hill Osborne Media

Security+ Prep Guide, Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Security+ Certification Training Kit, Publisher: Microsoft Press

Security+ Training Guide, Publisher: Que

I personally can only really afford maybe 2 books so I have to make it all count. I've used the All-in-One stuff for Net+ and A+, Que for 70-270 and the MS stuff for the rest of the MCSA (were excellent for that, corse you'd think they should be, being their own tests)

Any other books I didnt mention that people like, please state why you liked them, if it was your main resource, if you took the test and how you did on it!

Thanks!

RussS

2003-08-18, 8:32 pm

I read both Syngress Security+ by Robert Shimonski and the passport series by Trevor Kay and consider them lacking compared to the Sybex book and Tcat & Helens full pdf.

You say that you can only afford 2 books - I would suggest that with the price of the exam and the number of us who failed it first time around that you should either wait until you can afford other resources or perhaps consider the cost of a re-sit.

My recommendation is the pdf - the sybex book and CBT Nuggets.

I had a look at the Microsoft book and discarded it due to being severely lacking against the Comptia objectives ... however due to Comptias not sticking to their objectives and the fact that the questions are rather ummmm nebulous it may actually be worthwhile looking at.

coyo5050

2003-08-18, 10:07 pm

Tcat & Helen's full PDF looks intriguing, but the big drawback for my studying is that it is a PDF and not a book, requiring me to print it all out. The print version's on amazon seem to be published dec 2002. Positive to a PDF of course is that it is bound to be the most up to date. Speaking of date is why I asked about the 4 books I mentioned. All of those are the most recently published, June, March for most. All-in-one has been very respected for other CompTIA exams (A+) and the security+ version is the most popular selling of all the security+ books according to amazon. Perhaps the newer books have had a better chance to account for the "oddities" of this new test? Btw, Sybex is being panned pretty bad in most reviews I've seen.

RussS: I know you must like what you recommend, but I have this worry in the back of my mind that those resources must have let you down in some way since you didn't do as well on the test as you expected? Very valid point about the test costing more that another book or two, but I think If I can find the right 1-2 books I shouldn't have to worry about passing, lol

What are you doing to re-prepare for your eventual re-test?

RussS

2003-08-18, 11:17 pm

I first tested using the Syngress and passport series - plus the Learnkey CBTs.
My recommendations are more to do with content than what I like - a quick check of the boards will confirm the various publications shortcomings. I do agree with you about AIO, but my experience has only been with Mike Meyers and not with any other authors.

The reason I missed on the test is more that I refuse to compromise facts and correctness with inComptias version rather than not knowing the subject matter. I was scoring over 90% on every Sec+ practice exam around and a CISSP friend put me through a few practicals and theory sessions - he feels I could do the CISSP exam easily, but alas like everything else that involes $$$ I don't have to spare right now. After you have sat the exam you will certainly have a better idea of the crappy questions. See - Here for a few other comments.

When I get around to sitting the exam it will be a review of the Sybex book & Tcats pdf after viewing CBT nuggets once more. I do find it kind of funny as I have been contracting doing security reviews for a while now and have a few very happy clients who were shocked at how open their networks were and how easily their systems could be accessed remotely.

spradeep1979

2003-08-20, 5:29 pm

Are the Sybex and CBT nuggets uptodate, I am just curious to know? Any comments on Security+ All-in-One?

coyo5050

2003-08-20, 6:42 pm

Well I purchased Security+ Prep Guide, Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, to start with. I'll be picking up another one soon after that. Not many book reviews seem to be available. Maybe by the time I read thru that one, more reviews will be available for the others? Either way I'll report back on my opinions on anything I end up getting and my eventual test results. I figure a month from now...

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