Security Written 4.0 Study Materials
One of the biggest struggles I've had in Cisco Certification has been with finding materials for the Security track. When I studied for my CCSP, the only study materials available at the time were very outdated books which were not relevant and the Rough Cuts version of the ASA Firewall book. That was it.
When I first started to study for the Security Written exam, I found the same lack of materials. It was very discouraging. However, now that I've found some study buddies at work, I'm taking another crack at it.
Here are the materials I'm using:
IP Expert's Video on Demand CCIE Security Written
INE's All Access Pass
Safari Books Online Library Subscription
Designing Network Security (Second Edition)
Cisco ISE for BYOD and Secure Unified Access
All-in-One CCIE Security 350-018 Written Study Guide
CCIE Security Secrets to Acing the Exam and Successful (sic) Finding and Landing Your Next CCIE Security Certified Job
Safari Books Online List:
VIDEOS
Cisco TrustSec LiveLessons
Cisco ASA 5500-X Series Next-Generation Firewalls LiveLessons
IPv6 Fundamentals LiveLessons
Cisco BYOD Networking LiveLessons
CCIE Security v4.0 LiveLessons
BOOKS
CCIE Security v4.0 Quick Reference, Third Edition
IPv6 Fundamentals
Securing Cisco IP Telephony Networks
Email Security with Cisco IronPort
Cisco Firewalls
PKI Uncovered: Certificate-Based Security Solutions
AAA Identity Management Security
Controller-Based Wireless LAN Fundamentals
IPv6 Security
IPSec Virtual Private Network Fundamentals
Intrusion Prevention Fundamentals
Cisco Network Security Troubleshooting
Penetration Testing and Network Defense
IPSec VPN Design
Cisco Wireless LAN Security
Troubleshooting Virtual Private Networks
Network Security Architectures
[Note: Designing Network Security (Second Edition) also exists on Safari, I just happen to have a hard copy.]
Okay, so don't faint. It is a very intense and overwhelming list of materials. The list of books comes from the Recommended Reading book list from the Cisco site. I was surprised to see so many of those materials on Safari. And the amount of videos was also encouraging.
A long time ago, I preferred to use a hard cover book in my hands to study. But opportunity created a new habit - video learning. Now I prefer a video to reading. I have found that the more senses you use while you study, the easier it is to retain the material (YMMV). When you use a video, you are hearing and seeing the material - and if you use your desk to take notes, you can reinforce the material - adding a bit of a boost to retention. Another trick I have found is that if you watch the video...while taking notes...and then review your notes the next day and organize them, it helps you retain even more of the material.
Another item that I have learned from my many certs is : don't over study. You do not have to force yourself to read every book on that list cover to cover. Review what you already know. With many years as a Network Engineer it would be foolish to waste hours on VLANs. If you're studying for this exam, you're probably not new to the material. Glide through/review what you know and focus your efforts on things you don't find familiar. It's rare to be in a job where you are doing all the tasks covered by the blueprint. Perhaps you work mainly on firewalls and don't have a lot of IPS experience/exposure. Or maybe you're not as familiar with the details of AAA (you just use it and it works). Be choosy with your time and reading. The reason I say this is that you can see that this is a large reading list. When you finish reading, you want the material you started with to still be fresh in your mind. If it takes you a year to complete all the reading, you will have forgotten quite a bit of it. Plus, reading through material you already know is drudgery. You want to make this an exciting adventure of learning and exploring.
Also beware that many of the books on the recommended list are outdated. And some just have incorrect information. As I pour through these materials, I will be writing about them specifically. What may be review for me might be new for you. I will be using the blueprint as a guide for my studies. If an outdated book has a chapter that doesn't relate to the topics in the blueprint - it's going to get skipped. If a topic in the blueprint is review for me, I will casually read that section. You may want to adjust for your own experiences and path.
Good luck and enjoy learning!