CCSA NGX Feedback

[ddarby1]

Hi Folks,

Passed CCSA NGX last week so just thought I'd pass on some feedback which might be helpful to others taking the exam:

Boson NGX Tests: Agree with previous posts - the quality is far too poor for a retail product. Lots of glaring errors. However, I 've had a few updates and they are improving. I found that the best use of them for me was working through the questions in study mode with the Checkpoint Smart Clients, behind checking the answers, etc.

Used the Syngress NGX book, worked through it back-to-back and thought it was quite a good introduction to the product.

However.... I found the test pretty difficult. From experience, I'd say that by far the best thing I could've done was to focus on Check Point's published exam objectives as they were all there on the exam, in force.

[jsond]

Congragulations on passing! I agree the boson updates are helping but still too many errors for my liking but the last 2 updates have been nice. I knew the risks of paying for a 1st release but there is not too many tests specific for the ngx out there. I have read the exam objectives but had a few questions if you don't mind:

Was there anything on SecuRemote or SecureClient?

I have studied site to site VPN's but not remote access and do not see anything about it on the official objectives or their courseware contents.

Anything on VoIP?

I see it listed in one place but not another. The only thing I have studied on it is the SmartDefense category but not VoIP in depth.

LDAP?

I know its listed but both of my books (Syngress configuring NGX and CCSA exam cram) do not have much info on it. I have been searching checkpoint's web site but have not found too much info on it specific to the CCSA/NGX.

Thanks for your help and congrats again on passing.

[ddarby1]

Regarding your questions, there wasn't anything on VOIP, and it's not on the published CCSA objectives, but is for CCSE.

Quite a few questions on LDAP and SmartDefense. I've no doubt that its worth learning both of these topics well, perhaps integrating with a test AD domain controller, etc.

Other than that, no real surprises I suppose; system backup, GUI Client questions, NAT, some VPN related. I can't honestly remember about SecuRemote / Client - there might have been one or two general questions.

I also expect CCSE to have more emphasis on Secure Client, Policy Server, along with much more VPN stuff.

Otherwise there was a couple of authentication questions.

For anyone else viewing this thread, head over to the CCSA Exam Objectives, all of which was covered in my exam:

http://www.checkpoint.com/services/e...s/156-215.html

Finally, for more information, bits missing from the various books we all know, try downloading the official CheckPoint pdf's (requires an ordinary usercenter account).

You can find things like QoS, which isn't covered in any study guides I know of, but is on the CCSE objectives list.

http://www.checkpoint.com/support/te.../docs_r60.html

[jsond]

Thanks for the reply!

One last question if you have time. What resources did you use for LDAP? Syngress NGX book is great, but not much on LDAP. Searched checkpoint's web site and did not find much. Did a google search but hard to find info on LDAP relating to checkpoint specifically. Thanks again!

[ddarby1]

As for LDAP, it's usually briefly covered in the Authentication sections of various books, e.g. Sybex CCSA; Chapter 6, Essential Check Point Firewall-1 NG; Chapter 8, Syngress NGX; Chaper 9 (very little in that one).

Another resource worth checking is the CheckPoint_R60_SmartCenter_User_Guide.pdf