Re: Certification ?

["Don Parker" <dparker () rigelksecurity com>]

On Jun 18, "Paul D. Robertson" <paul () compuwar net> wrote:

While they're all not created equal, there's lots of memorization, even
for "practical" tests.

--> Well I took and passed the GCIA and I can pretty much assure you there was no rote 
memorization involved at all. Not unless you consider memorizing the fundamentals of 
TCP/IP rote memorization that is :-)


I know lots of people with GIAC and CISSP certifications who I don't
consider to be anything but junior folks.  

--> Of course having either of the aforemetioned does not make you senior in the least. 
It does however demonstrate in the GIAC case such as the intermediate ones that you know 
what you are doing. The GSEC itself is not overly technical. 

Now, I've helped to create a purposefully junior certification, and I
_know_ the process isn't easy- but from what I've seen of every
certification process I've looked at in the last decade, only the original
CCIE looked hard- I'm not sure how it is since they've split it up though.

--> All I can say is I hear this from a lot of people who have not done some of the 
difficult certs such as the GIAC ones or ones such as the CCNP and above.

I still think we're mostly in a "if you need the cert, it's because you
haven't done the deeds" mode- and as much as the certification folks try
to address that, we're at a point where it just doesn't seem to be well
addressed.

--> In a perfect world as I mentioned certs would not be required but a simple technical 
interview would suffice. That is however not the case in many instances. Most HR people 
are clueless when it comes to IT/IS. Hence they ask for certs as a delimeter. I do not 
want to wax poetic on this anymore to be honest as the opinions are as varied as they 
are forceful. Simply consider this my .02 worth, and offence intended to anyone.

Cheers!

Don

-------------------------------------------
Don Parker, GCIA
Intrusion Detection Specialist
Rigel Kent Security & Advisory Services Inc
www.rigelksecurity.com
ph :613.233.HACK
fax:613.233.1788
toll: 1-877-777-H8CK
--------------------------------------------


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