CCSP Certification and the CCSP IPS Exam

The network security market is currently in a position where the demand for qualified engineers vastly outweighs the supply. For this reason, many engineers consider migrating from routing or networking over to network security. The CCSP certification offers an opportunity to display proficiency in the security area. Passing the CCSP IPS exam is one of the requirements for attaining CCSP certification.

Remember that network security is simply security applied to networks. This sounds like an obvious concept, but it is actually a very important one if you are pursuing your security certification. You must be very familiar with networking before you can begin to apply the security concepts. For example, the skills required to complete the CCNA will give you a solid foundation that you can expand into the network security field.

Note

The CCSP IPS exam is a computer-based exam with multiple-choice questions. The exam can be taken at any Thomson Prometric testing center (http://www.prometric.com/Default.htm) or Pearson VUE testing site (http://www.vue.com). You should check with Thomson Prometric or Pearson VUE for the exact length of the exam. The exam is constantly under review, so be sure to check the latest updates from Cisco at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/learning/le3/le2/le37/le54/learning_certification_type_home.html.

Tracking CCSP Status

You can track your certification progress by checking https://www.certmanager.net/~cisco_s/login.html. You will need to create an account the first time you log in to the site.

Cisco Security Specialists in the Real World

Cisco has one of the most recognized names on the Internet. Typically, you cannot go into a data center or server room without seeing some Cisco equipment. Cisco-certified security specialists are able to bring quite a bit of knowledge to the table because of their deep understanding of the relationship between networking and network security. This is why Cisco certifications carry such clout. Cisco certifications demonstrate to potential employers and contract holders a certain professionalism and the dedication required to complete a goal. Face it, if these certifications were easy to acquire, everyone would have them.

Cisco IPS Course

The Cisco IPS official training course provides an explanation of the Cisco intrusion prevention solution through classroom instruction and lab exercises. Since it is based on the Cisco IPS course, this book provides a detailed reference to help you prepare for the exam. You can learn more about the course at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/learning/index.html.