NSE8 - Certificate validity "extension"

[hklb]

Hi,

As Fortinet Training team is not able to send an email to all NSE8 people (I asked them to do it, but they don't care..) and just messed up the communication about the NSE validity extension for NSE8, here is a useful information (I received this email after complaining about my NSE8 was only extended of 1,5 years, and not 2 years) :

I manage the NSE assessment and certification program and your email was brought to my attention to help clarify our recertification policy.

Back in March 2020, our response to test center closures was to provide additional time for Candidates to retest so as to avoid Certification expirations during the period that candidates could not recertify. Since NSE 4 - NSE 7 certifications require only passing written exams, the new expiry date of a renewed Certification is based on the date that the re-certification exam is passed, so the ‘extension’ was a straightforward application. Although our intention was to provide more time to retest, for these certifications, it was in effect an extension to the validity period of the Certification.

The NSE 8 was different. The validity period for this Certification is fixed at two years so that it remains in synch with the original Certification achievement date. NSE 8 candidates could also take advantage of the extra 6 months available to retest without expiring the NSE 8, but the new expiration date would continue to be based on the two year validity cycle and not on the re-test date, as has always been the policy. 

In hindsight, the message that NSE certification expirations would be extended 6 months needed some further elaboration for the special case of NSE 8. The unprecedented interruption and our message had created some initial confusion, and may have also left an impression of a shorter retesting cycle. However, please rest assured that the two year validity period has not been shortened, but rather the retesting period was extended beyond what it otherwise would have been. The calculation of sequential two year validity periods remains unchanged regardless of when the re-certification test is completed, provided it is passed before the expiration (in normal circumstances).

Although the current NSE 8 recertification policy remains in effect, we continually review our program requirements and policies. Your certification does not require renewal until June 2023 by which time there may be changes. If the recertification renewal policy remains unchanged, we can provide you with a voucher to retest your next NSE 8 examination.

We regret the confusion this has caused and trust that this clarification has been helpful.

Warm regards,

So in short, there is no 6 months extension on NSE8 certification as on other NSE certification (but they communicated in April that all NSE certification was extended...), it's just a grace period to give you enough time to renew the exam.

So an advice : Do not hesitate to send an email to training@fortinet.com to ask for free voucher for your next renewal, or to have the 6 months extension on your NSE8... Maybe it will work...

Regards

Lucas

[xsilver_FTNT]

Hi,

and thanks for interesting story about that "covid" extension.

Just to make it a bit more cloudy :D right column on NSE8 page states:

https://training.fortinet.com/local/staticpage/view.php?page=nse_8

- NSE8 is valid for 3! years, not 2

- Successful NSE8 renews all lower levels regardless or their expired state (for how long is unclear, but I guess for original validity period of those lower levels which is 2 years AFAIK)

But that's current statement. Older certificates might have different validity periods. Some were not even expiring back in old days, where expiration started from NSE4 level up. But nowadays it seems that even NSE2 and NSE3 does expire after 2 years.

[hklb]

Hi Tom,

Thanks for the update. It's a really great news that NSE8 is valid for 3 years now ! I think they finally going in the right direction :)

I confirm it is valid for 3 years, and also the lower certification are valid for 3 years (the date is aligned with the NSE8 date).

Lucas

[xsilver_FTNT]

Wow, thanks, even lower NSEs valid for 3Y .. that sounds great and reasonable.