Why So Difficult To Certify

[bnosie]

Why does Check Point make it so difficult to get certified?  And by that, I mean getting study materials.  Oficial study materials are impossible to get without taking a $5000 course.  Palo Alto gives their cert guides away for free.  It's almost as if they want people to get certified.

I cannot afford to spend 5 grand on a course.  So between Vladimir Yakovlev's Check Point Firewall Administration R81.10+ (great book), building the lab, and the practice exam on Pearson Vue, I was able to pass the CCSA. 

But there is much more material listed on the CCSE objectives than that book covers.  

Throughout my career, I've found self study and labs, along with real world experience, to be the best way for me to get certified.  I've found little value in the 3 - 5 day courses companies have.

Check Point, if you want people to get certified, make your training materials more accessible.

[Lesley]

Maybe here is something more for you? Atleast more affordable.

https://www.udemy.com/courses/search/?src=ukw&q=ccse

I have no experience with this website or the content. 

Or maybe you have some unspend IGS / CLC points somewhere:

https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk181540

[the_rock]

This can also be useful

aNDY

https://www.checkpoint.com/elearning/

[bnosie]

Thanks for those.  My company has a business Udemy account, but for some reason, none of those CCSE courses are available there.

I've been trying for 8 months to get some of the credits to take the course, it can be difficult here for some reason.  So I'm just trying to get the cert done on my own.

[the_rock]

Its certainly different with every fw vendor, thats true. CP youtube channel is very useful and link @Lesley gave is great too.

Andy

[the_rock]

I think below may also help you.

Andy

https://www.checkpoint.com/mind/self-study-resources/

[bnosie]

Thanks for all of those, certainly some good information there.

[the_rock]

No problem, I think they are useful, for sure.

Andy

[Chris_Atkinson]

Courseware e-Kits are available from your VAR of choice at a lower cost than stated above.

SKU:  CPTS-DOC-CCSE-R81.20-EKIT

[bnosie]

That is great, I didn't know those existed.  I've sent a request up the chain for that.

[_Val_]

Several statements in your post are incorrect. An official course does not cost anyone $5K, and the official courseware can be purchased separately, for a much lower price as well.

PAN does not provide courses for free. Their learning credits are usually included in the price of their products. Similarly, you can get Check Point learning credits and use them for courses and certification.

I can see that you are working for a partner of Check Point. Check if your company accumulated those credits already.

[bnosie]

You are correct, the 3 day CCSA course it $3250 and the CCSE course is $3250.  I apologize for being pedantic.  My point was that as a person who wants to certify, with a lot of red tape and hurdles at his company to get official training, I simply cannot afford on my own to pay for the official courses.

For Palo Alto, I was referring to their study guides, the PCNSE is over 200 pages specifically for the cert, available for anyone to download for free.  And Palo Alto certainly does offer free courses, although your company needs to be a partner.  Through Beacon, many courses are available, with a whole track for PCNSE.

I've been trying for 8 months to use our company credits, so far to no avail.  So I am just trying to do it on my own.  The ekits mentioned above look very promising, and I have requested that.  If I cannot get it through my company, then I will likely purchase it on my own.

I apologize if I sound argumentative, I am just frustrated at my company, where I support many customers with Check Point devices, and our partner status is tied to having certified professionals, but getting the required training to get certified is becoming very frustrating.  Coupled with the fact that you cannot just buy a CCSE book, like you can for everything Cisco, I just feel that Check Point could do a little better in trying to further their certified user base.

I for one prefer to study and learn on my own.  I have a great home lab, and use it extensively for learning and testing.  I would just like something to guide my studies.

[G_W_Albrecht]

As a partner, you have a lot for free: https://usercenter.checkpoint.com/usercenter/portal/media-type/html/role/usercenterUser/page/default...

[the_rock]

I remember you ging below link while back, really useful too.

Andy

https://usercenter.checkpoint.com/ucapps/partner-dashboard#/certifications