NSE 8 - Current status

[localhost]

While reading the NSE8 Exam description (http://www.fortinet.com/sites/default/files/NSE8_Certification_ExamDescription.pdf), some questions popped up.

Apparently the tested topics and firmware versions can change any time without notice.

Is there already a NSE8 update planned this year? If the topics and firmware versions would change, would these changes have a different exam number? So that you can choose to take the old or new exam?

It seems that the written exam can already be scheduled at pearson vue. Is the practical exam already out of beta?

How would a remotely scheduled session look like?

[jerry3105 · Accepted solution]

Hi Holy,

I think you may find the following Exam Description useful: https://www.fortinet.com/content/dam/fortinet/assets/training/NSE8_Certification_ExamDescription.pdf

There is also a FAQ that might be of help:

https://www.fortinet.com/content/dam/fortinet/assets/training/NSE8_Certification_ExamFAQ.pdf

Both resources taken from: https://www.fortinet.com/support-and-training/training/network-security-expert-program/nse-8.html

Best Regards

[sotir1984]

Also i find the training videos very bad for FortiMail and FortiWeb. Unless you have worked with the device and read the admin guides, you can only hear of device capabilities, but no way you will be able to configure the devices in real life.

Cisco has 100 times better training materials. Fortinet should contact CBT Nuggets guys.

[hklb]

Anton.T wrote:

Holy wrote:

Guys did any of you heard about www.nse8.com/ seems like they are offering nse8 Training Bootcamp for Exam preparation. 

Did someone already attended this training? how was it?

Thanks

Hey,

I actually contacted PrepForce asking about NSE8 training (www.nse8.com) and ended up registering myself to this training. They seem to have very advanced bootcamp and lab scenarios that try to mimic real exam as much as possible. As the practical exam seems to be very hard, I decided to invest into preparation.

Cannot say much more about this, but after I finish training, I can let you know more.

The practical was not so difficult... theory was more difficult

You can build your own lab and you will learn more than in this course (IMHO)

[Holy]

Say it again :)

when did you do your exam? Theory more difficult as 2 Days practical exam? theory is nothing compared to the practical exam. Never heard from other NSE8 attenders that Practical Exam was easy.

and my own exeprience was that Practical exam was way harder then theory.

so a little bit weired to hear that from you. 

Dunno maybe Fortinet Changed a lot on the exam and it´s is much easier now.

hklb wrote:

Anton.T wrote:

Holy wrote:

Guys did any of you heard about www.nse8.com/ seems like they are offering nse8 Training Bootcamp for Exam preparation. 

Did someone already attended this training? how was it?

Thanks

Hey,

I actually contacted PrepForce asking about NSE8 training (www.nse8.com) and ended up registering myself to this training. They seem to have very advanced bootcamp and lab scenarios that try to mimic real exam as much as possible. As the practical exam seems to be very hard, I decided to invest into preparation.

Cannot say much more about this, but after I finish training, I can let you know more.

The practical was not so difficult... theory was more difficult

You can build your own lab and you will learn more than in this course (IMHO)

[hklb]

Holy wrote:

Say it again :)

when did you do your exam? Theory more difficult as 2 Days practical exam? theory is nothing compared to the practical exam. Never heard from other NSE8 attenders that Practical Exam was easy.

and my own exeprience was that Practical exam was way harder then theory.

so a little bit weired to hear that from you. 

Dunno maybe Fortinet Changed a lot on the exam and it´s is much easier now.

hklb wrote:

Anton.T wrote:

Holy wrote:

Guys did any of you heard about www.nse8.com/ seems like they are offering nse8 Training Bootcamp for Exam preparation. 

Did someone already attended this training? how was it?

Thanks

Hey,

I actually contacted PrepForce asking about NSE8 training (www.nse8.com) and ended up registering myself to this training. They seem to have very advanced bootcamp and lab scenarios that try to mimic real exam as much as possible. As the practical exam seems to be very hard, I decided to invest into preparation.

Cannot say much more about this, but after I finish training, I can let you know more.

The practical was not so difficult... theory was more difficult

You can build your own lab and you will learn more than in this course (IMHO)

For me, 70% of questions in theory exam was only the things you never see in real life, or the things you see once per 2 years but you always search in the KB because is useless to know

Yes, practical exam is 2 days of lab. But personnaly, I work 5 days per week (and often more than 8 hours) and this exam is what you do in your job. So, for me, it was easier because it was like my daily job. To be honest, I was a little disapointed when I finished this exam. I heard it was like CCIE, but it's really not the case.

But, as I said, it's my opinion :)

I passed it begining of June. I heard there is three exam, maybe I had the easier one (But I gladly try the others, if Fortinet read my post..but of course, my certification stays valid if I fail.. :) )..

[Holy]

Well i´ve done the first Exam in Europe in August 2016, dont really know wheter they have lowered the dificulty level or not.

For me and other on the Exam it was pretty tough. I cant compare it with CCIE cause i didnt attend it.

But for the the theoretical exam was much easier than practical.

What about others NSE8 ? What was your experience?

[sotir1984]

Does anyone know how deeply the rest of the devices are used in the practical exam?

I see most of the topics are based on FortiGate, but i want to know FortiWeb,ADC,Mail,Voice,Analyzer, Manager to what extent are used?

[AtiT]

Hello sotir1984,

I agree with you that Cisco has better materials but also Cisco has more certified engineers "on paper only"  with no experience.

The NSE 8 focus is on your experience and ability to learn things quickly - and understand them. After you have years of experience with some product you can call you an expert. Also the focus is on the orientation how you are able to work with the admin guides and cookbooks. I mean that you really need a deep understanding of FortiGate. Once you have read the admin guides and cookbooks for FortiGate, you will know how Fortinet is working with the products, you should be able to configure other devices.

Admin guides and cookbooks are very recommended!

I also recommend to run all the devices in virtualization just to touch the device and went through the GUI / CLI and check the capabilities. Try to configure as much more as you can from the admin guide. This means - experience.

If you read the Certification Exam FAQ you can see: Yes, all the Fortinet official documentation (handbooks and admin guides mainly) is available locally for your reference.

So it is very recommended to read all the materials for all products and be familiar about the product capabilities and configuration steps.

Create your own virtual lab and learn the products.

Everything you need is available for free. It is about you how you will use the materials and learn for the exam.

Do not be like some Cisco "experts" who has CCNP certification but are not able to do anything - I have seen a lot of them.

If you fail the exam do not be sad. Learn from your mistakes and pass it next time.

[boneyard]

@Anton.T

can you share something about that bootcamp? was it worth it?

in general i would expect you can also do your own labs and everything, but a well ran bootcamp saves a lot of work in setting things up and thinking about which scenario's. the question is if this is a well ran bootcamp.

[Holy]

NSE 8 Bootcamp has 48 Task and a realy good and complex LAB Environment that is build to make sure all the Topics that are needed for NSE8 Practical Exam are covered.

This is a great opportunity to have some advanced hand on for 5 Days from 8:00 - 18:00.

They also have like 600 Pages of Walkthrough Guide for the tasks, that can be used to practice on your own before the exam.

Here you can find the example of Walkthrough Guide http://www.nse8.com/prepforce8/ 

The Trainers are NSE8 too. So they know what they are doing and how to prepare Students for the Exam.