Passed the R71 CCSA this week

[bmeeks]

I passed the new R71 CCSA exam this week on my first attempt. My test had 110 questions with a 2-hour time limit. I took the base R71 exam and not the upgrade. This is my first CCSA cert.

The exam was challenging, but I did not find it unreasonable in terms of the kinds of questions asked. Granted there were maybe 8 or 9 questions that I would personally judge as testing you about minutia, but overall I have to say the exam seemed a fair instrument for assessing someone's Check Point and firewall skills. I've never taken any of the previous Check Point exams, so I really can't measure it against some of the complaints I've seen posted here relative to those earlier exams. My opinion is based on just the new R71 exam.

I have worked with Check Point products (R65, R70 and R71) for a little over two years. I had a formal NGX R65 class two years ago. I purchased and studied the R70 CCSA course materials and used the R70 and R71 practice exams posted on the Check Point web site to prep for the R71 CCSA test.

[PhoneBoy]

FWIW I personally reviewed a bunch of the CCSA R71 questions--rewrote a few also :) Did the same with the CCSE R71 exam. I learned a few things about the product I didn't know when reviewing these questions, I will say that :)

[ironrose]

Passed mine late December, only squeezed through but found the Checkpoint website questions handy, also attended the R71 course a few weeks before and spent a bit of time covering R70 questions which to be honest didn't help a great deal but got me in the exam mode.
Sitting on the R71 CCSE course now which is a lot more theory based but I can see the exam isn't going to be easy !!

[securitynewbie]

Congrats, on passing the exam! I was looking to take the R70 exam, but have now been thinking I should take the R71 exam. I too have the same resources to study from. Do you have any advice? In looking over the study material from checkpoint it looks like R71 does not cover software blades or IPS. Is this correct? Can someone confirm this?

Thanks in advance,

sn

[ShadowPeak.com]

Congrats, on passing the exam! I was looking to take the R70 exam, but have now been thinking I should take the R71 exam. I too have the same resources to study from. Do you have any advice? In looking over the study material from checkpoint it looks like R71 does not cover software blades or IPS. Is this correct? Can someone confirm this?

Thanks in advance,

sn

That is correct. Here is a quick list of differences between the CCSA R70 and CCSA R71 classes I put together for our customers:

- CCSA R70 suggested class length was 5 days, CCSA R71 suggested class length is 4 days
- All embedded IPS coverage which was in CCSA R70 has been moved to CCSE R71 class
- CCSA R70 chapter on Blade licensing was removed
- CCSA R71 Deployment Platforms chapter was shortened vs. CCSA R70
- CCSA R70 had a SmartUpdate lab where HFA_40 for R65 was installed, this was removed for CCSA R71 (SmartUpdate lecture material remains)

[securitynewbie]

ShadowPeak, thanks for the confirmation! That definitely helps with my decision to pursue the R71 exam.

[sir_warheart]

Hi, I passed the R71 CCSA this week. I took the official four day course two months ago, studied the materials provided on the course + CBT Nuggets (for R65) and R71 CCSE upgrade materials. The test had 110 questions. Good luck for you all!

And remember to check the practise exams on Checkpoint's webpage (CCSA R70/R71 and CCSE R71).

[pnorman821]

Hi,

Does anybody have experience of doing the R70 exam and the R71 exam? I failed the CCSA R70 exam last year with 66% and wanted to know if the R71 exam was any easier?

Thanks
Paul Norman CCNA, CISSP

[pello]

Hello,

Passed the R71 exam yesterday.
I found the questions well written compared to the R65 exam and questions with non-sense response are not present anymore.
Some questions are straigh-throught and some not.

110 questions for 150 minutes (120 + 30 for non-native english speakers).

I really advice you to prepare with the checkpoint ccsa r70/71 practice exam on their self-study website.

Cheers

[htnahsin]

hi all,
I am planning to give my certification but i need your help in deciding.I have given my certi in R65.I have decided to upgrade and go for a certification in R70/71.I am really not sure which one i should give.Please guys help me with this.And also how do i start off.Your suggestions will help me decide.....


thanks a ton