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| Devinator 2004-01-10, 12:56 am |
| I finally passed all 5. I took all 5 of the new exams (I'm a glutton for punishment) including the IDS 4.0 beta (the hardest of the group due to a HUGE amount of detailed content). Took me about 10 weeks of actual study time over the course of about 4 months. I failed VPN and IDS on the first try and passed them on the second try. I WAY over-prepare for these exams and even still I failed 2 of them.
My advice for people just starting out-
Get the following gear:
3005 VPN concentrator
3002 VPN client
VPN client software
2600 series router with 12.x FW/IPSec code
FrankenPIX & FrankenIDS with the latest code
The courseware from cisco costs $275 each so avoid it where possible. I only used it for the IDS exam and couldn't have passed without it. Syngress books are good and Cisco Users Manuals are the BEST. Those PDF eBooks they have are your best friend.
Now I just hope they send me that NSA/CNSS INFOSEC certificate! ;-) | |
| wirelessboy 2004-01-10, 12:44 pm |
| Hi Devin
Congrats and all the best for CCIE Security and CWNE
Wirelessboy | |
| Devinator 2004-01-10, 8:02 pm |
| One of the constituents of this forum emailed me about a Cisco beta exam retake policy today. I passed the CSIDS 4.0 beta on my 2nd attempt. According to this policy, it won't count toward certification. This policy is found here:
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/learning.../>
ms_list.html
I intend to contact Cisco regarding this policy for the following reasons:
1. Prometric.com let me reschedule the beta exam without notification of the beta retake policy.
2. There's no notification of the beta retake policy in the pre-test notes before the test begins.
3. There's no notification of the beta retake policy on the CSIDS beta exam page found at:
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/10...ms/643-531.html
4. Notification of the beta retake policy is not found in the
CISCO CAREER CERTIFICATIONS AND CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT
which is the ONLY required reading
5. There's a note at the top of this page that negates the note found further down the page about the retake policy
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/learning.../>
ms_list.html
There should be an asterisk or note number in the top-of-page note referring to the more detailed explanation below. This webpage is buried 2 levels deeper than the main page where people read info on the exam, and there's no compelling reason to go to this page
in the first place.
6. I got a score report saying that I had passed, with no mechanism for letting me know that it doesn't count toward certification.
7. Cisco's Certification Tracking system has nothing about Cisco's beta retake policy.
This exam in particular was not handled in the normal beta exam fashion - notification through US Mail 8-12 weeks after the exam. It gave me a score report immediately following the exam stating that I passed.
8. The 9E0-131 (CSIDS 3.x) is no longer available, so I was required to take the beta exam. The existing retake policy doesn't allow me to complete my CCSP certification if I fail the beta exam on the first try. This is an unacceptable practice because it disallows continuance of
a certification track until the final exam is released - which could be weeks or months away.
These may sound like so much whining, but finding out about this policy after having squeaked by -- a pass is a pass ;0) -- on the hardest exam I think I've ever attempted, just gives me heartburn in general. I'm sure it wasn't Cisco's intention to make this policy so obscure, but they've apparently succeeded in doing so thus far. I just wanted you guys/gals to be aware of this in case you run into the same situation with this exam. I've taken long lists of Cisco exams in the past and have never run into this situation before. Maybe it's just been my good fortune thus far. ;-) | |
| KillerKhan 2004-01-10, 8:08 pm |
| Dude, how is the world did you pass this test? I've been working with Cisco IDS for a while and I still failed this test. I got 502 score, failed very bad. What did you use? Which cisco pdf files? links to those files would be nice. Also any further tips would be great as well. Thanks,
KK
p.s. I hope u win your case against cisco on this one. It might give me a chance to retake the beta again :-) | |
| Devinator 2004-01-10, 8:13 pm |
| I've attached a .gif that's a screenshot of my docs folder...didn't know any other way to do it quickly. 
Hope this helps. The testking was worthless except for the simulator portion. The boson 9e0-131 didn't help much either. | |
| Devinator 2004-01-10, 8:14 pm |
| The .gif I attached to that last post was clipped really bad. email me at devinator[AT]bellsouth.net if you need the .gif file. | |
| KillerKhan 2004-01-10, 8:27 pm |
| How did you get a hold of the official courseware? I wanted to buy just the courseware and they would not let me, I have to take a class to get the courseware. Anyway to buy the courseware without taking the class?
KK | |
| Devinator 2004-01-10, 8:36 pm |
| Only a Cisco Education Partner or Sponsored Organization can order official courseware. Luckily my company is the latter so I can order it directly from Cisco - for a HEFTY fee of $275. | |
| KillerKhan 2004-01-10, 8:38 pm |
| I sent an e-mail to your addy, did you get it?
KK | |
| Devinator 2004-01-10, 9:04 pm |
| Your email system rejected my replies. | |
| KillerKhan 2004-01-10, 9:13 pm |
| check your pm I just sent you my other e-mail there
KK | |
| bcturner 2004-01-27, 9:07 pm |
| Devinator,
Were you ever able to get anything out of Cisco in regards to the retake policy for the Beta exams? I just checked CCO and found the 643-531 exam isn't supposed to come out of Beta until May of 2004!!! I'm scheduled to take this baby on Monday and want to know for sure if I fail I can take it again without problems. I definitly don't want to wait until May... Thanks and congrats on passing your CCSP! | |
| Devinator 2004-01-28, 9:39 am |
| Just got word back last night via the certification support website. They're giving me credit. I have to fax a cover letter, with my complaints, and my score sheets. I hope they follow through. | |
| s2kfan 2004-02-01, 3:48 pm |
| Please let me know what the final result is. | |
| Shinji57 2004-02-02, 1:41 pm |
| Congrats !!!! | |
| bcturner 2004-02-02, 5:44 pm |
| I failed today with a 714. Quite a test indeed! Had a whole bunch of questions on the architecture of the sensors and IDS MC. Made me think I needed to be a server admin instead of a routerhead. I'm going to try it again next Tuesday.
I've posted a complaint on CCO's certification page about this Beta test taking almost a whole year to come out of Beta. Still haven't heard anything. | |
| Devinator 2004-02-02, 5:49 pm |
| Sorry to hear that amigo. I checked the cert website, and they have updated my score and certifications. Guess Cisco followed through.
You're right, the CSIDS is a seriously difficult exam...definitely the hardest of the 5.
Devinator | |
| s2kfan 2004-02-03, 1:31 am |
| quote:
Originally posted by bcturner
I failed today with a 714. Quite a test indeed! Had a whole bunch of questions on the architecture of the sensors and IDS MC. Made me think I needed to be a server admin instead of a routerhead. I'm going to try it again next Tuesday.
I've posted a complaint on CCO's certification page about this Beta test taking almost a whole year to come out of Beta. Still haven't heard anything.
I have already complained about it and they were suppose to have the new final exam this month, but the I noticed they pushed the registration date back. If you don't get an answer, please let me know I can investigate being that I am internal. | |
| bcturner 2004-02-04, 2:04 pm |
| I finally got a reply from Cisco. If you need to retake the 643-531 Beta exam you need to use promo code CSIDSR. They advised to give this out to anybody who needs to reschedule/retake the exam. | |
| Consolid8 2004-02-05, 12:00 pm |
| Well done!
I have one left, doing the 642-541 soon.
I have the CNSS-NSA letter but never got a certificate.
Cheers! | |
| lcwittebol 2004-02-25, 10:55 am |
| sorry to but in but you mention the frankenIDS do you know of a URL for the ISO image for use with Solaris 8, I have full access to CCO but so far have drawn a blank....any other takers on this?
regards
Lloyd | |
| Devinator 2004-02-25, 11:07 am |
| the .iso image is only available through purchase from a Cisco sales rep - not for download on the CCO. | |
| hendnet 2004-03-03, 1:40 pm |
| Hi people,
I from brazil. i really need this testking,
I passed all 4 tests.
Anyone can help me
Tks |
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