CCSP Cisco Secure PIX Firewall Advanced Exam Certification Guide (CCSP Self-Study)

The stated target audience of this book is the individual pursuing the CSPFA exam. Beyond the CSPFA exam, it is one of the CCSP Self-Study series titles suggested, by Cisco, to propel a person toward full CCSP certification. The text hits the bull's eye and fulfills its promise of test preparation. It addresses each topic of the exam at an in-depth level in a manner designed to empower the reader on exam day. Although it is a test preparation guide, the text also performs well as a practical guide. The authors provide several practical examples and even a sample firewall configuration for study and use. The reader will need at least a basic understanding of network routing concepts with a rudimentary network security knowledge base to fully utilize the text. The reader, who is seriously pursing a successful passing mark on the CSPFA exam, will find this book to be an invaluable resource.As the authors, Greg Bastien and Christian Degu, build upon each paragraph and chapter, the configuration examples prove to be accurate and relevant. The illustrations enhance the learning experience, by conceptually cementing the topic through visual examples, where appropriate. As with any technical publication, a few examples may be worded incorrectly or even misapplied. However, even the typographical and editing mistakes will provide the reader with an opportunity to deepen knowledge, especially when the corrections necessary to give relevance are considered.The Exam Certification Guide Companion CD-ROM includes the Exam Gear test, an electronic text of the book, and Internet links pulled directly from the text. Through the use of two separate modes for exam preparation, the Exam Gear test will prove to be very helpful to the reader. The PDF version of the book is convenient for study via workstation or PDA. Whether in written or electronic format, the authors perform wonderfully in their treatment of the subject. The reader should be on the look-out for other texts written by either author for both practical application and certification test study.This title should be used to further the pursuit of the CCSP certification. The text plus exam preparation software will be most helpful in preparation for test day. Furthermore, this text has proven to aid in the field implementation of Cisco PIX units. A total of five successful PIX unit installations have been aided with the knowledge gleaned from the authors. The illustrations and practical applications are equally valuable both in the configuration of production Cisco PIX units and test preparation.To either novice or expert, the printed text and companion CD will prove to be indispensable in CSPFA exam preparation and in practical implementation scenarios. The authors work is highly readable with an easy flowing writing style. The attention to technical detail is exacting with the written and electronic test review aids instructionally relevant. This title is strongly recommended for CSP

This book covers the Cisco PIX firewall in pretty good detail. It does have a few errors but certainly no more than any other technical books I have used to prepare for Cisco and other Industry Certifications. The Authors present difficult and technical material in a way that makes it less boring than most books of this type. It provides the reader with enough knowledge to become proficient with the first PIX install. It will not make one an overnight expert. Some topics namely VPN and AAA take a lot of experience to configure properly and quickly. It does cover the PIX in most of the scenarios I have encountered in over 2 years of deploying them.

This book is concise and well written and focuses on what you need to know, I enjoyed reading it and it also filled in a few gaps missing in my understanding of the pix, the pix is not an easy box to configure there are many other devices like Netscreen that are far easier but this book really shows you how to configure the pix as easily as possible, I was really impressed with the examples as well, its an [inexpensive] book with loads of quality examples, recommended if you want to quickly up your knowledge of pix in few days, well written and really disagree with some of the other reviewers, for the price, can't complain.

I've been reading through all the comments about this book, but they all seem to have forgotten that this is a book that focuses on the exam 9E-111, and specially on the new features of the PIX firewall. So if anyone wants to learn more in detail I recomend any of the thick manuals that there are currently available. This book is only intended ,as the author said, to be a document for a fast review before taking the exam, because it touches the topics one by one. The errors are not that important if it's taken into account that this musn't be the only source for anyone to prepare the certification.

A review of CCSP Cisco Secure PIX Firewall Advanced by Greg Bastien and Christian Abera DeguReviewed by Steven FergusonThe Cisco Press title CCSP Cisco Secure PIX Firewall Advanced (ISBN 1-58720-067-8) is the one of two currently released titles in the CCSP series being release by Cisco Press. The book provides a detailed look into what many consider the best firewall in today's marketplace, the Cisco PIX. Bastien and Degu have written the book in such a way that anyone from beginner to expert can get a lot out of it. The title would lead you to believe that this book is designed only to help you pass the CCSP Cisco Secure PIX Firewall Advanced Exam; however the book is appropriate as a reference guide as well. The authors cover many of the new topics introduced in PIX OS 6.2 that even seasoned professionals may not be aware of. Bastien and Degu provide very detailed walkthroughs of even the most advanced topics. In particular, the coverage of Virtual Private Networks was superb. You will not find as much detail or in depth diagrams for PIX VPN support in any other book written for the PIX firewall. For those that are pursuing certification, there are excellent practice questions at the end of each chapter that effectively test your understanding of the topics covered. The CD that accompanies the book also provides a very helpful practice exam as well as an electronic version of the book, which makes a great searchable reference. There are many examples throughout the book that really help those that do not have a PIX to practice on. Even with these wonderful examples I would still recommend that everyone who is serious about learning the PIX get some hands on experience. There are also case studies that can be used to test your understanding and ability to effectively configure a PIX firewall. Overall, I give the book the book a 5 out of 5. There were a minimal amount of technical errors and I believe the authors have developed the best text available on the Cisco PIX firewall. Even though a good understanding of IP and basic security principles would aid in the understanding of this book I would recommend the title to all levels of Security Professionals. If you are seeking certification or just looking for an excellent reference manual for the PIX, this is the best book available.