Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals

Rating:
Summary: Cheese
Review: I rarely come back to a book I have reviewed to again make comment but in this case I'll make an exception. "I didn't take the Security+ test, but I can tell this book would be woefully useless for it. Avoid this item!" writes a reviewer from Provo Utah (where?). How on earth could this reviewer come to this conclusion. Osmosis? A mind-meld with with the question setters? A week in a box with David Blane. Based on this reviewer and his review I can tell that Provo Utah is awash with alien abductees. Well can't I? Another reviewer complains references to viruses and exploits etc being out of date. Get a life, time, tide and technology waits for no man. The top selling Firewall from Check Point has gone through three changes since this book was published. Are you looking for a supplement to be mailed to you every week? No, spoon feeding is what is wanted by some it appears. " Material is repeated verbatum several times over and the labs are the same in several chapters". I'm not surprised that they have to repeat things, from the reviews printed here it will take a lifetime for the publishers to get some of the concepts in this book through to some buyers/reviewers. On second thoughts don't buy this book as it seems to bring on uncontrollable bouts of fevered gibberish in some parts of the population. A clear attempt to dump on a good product, don't be had!

Rating:
Summary: Horrible and Inadequete Reviewers
Review: I rarely come back to a book I have reviewed to again make comment but in this case I'll make an exception. "I didn't take the Security+ test, but I can tell this book would be woefully useless for it. Avoid this item!" writes a reviewer from Provo Utah (where?). How on earth could this reviewer come to this conclusion. Osmosis? A mind-meld with with the question setters? A week in a box with David Blane. Based on this reviewer and his review I can tell that Provo Utah is awash with alien abductees. Well can't I? Another reviewer complains references to viruses and exploits etc being out of date. Get a life, time, tide and technology waits for no man. The top selling Firewall from Check Point has gone through three changes since this book was published. Are you looking for a supplement to be mailed to you every week? No, spoon feeding is what is wanted by some it appears. " Material is repeated verbatum several times over and the labs are the same in several chapters". I'm not surprised that they have to repeat things, from the reviews printed here it will take a lifetime for the publishers to get some of the concepts in this book through to some buyers/reviewers. On second thoughts don't buy this book as it seems to bring on uncontrollable bouts of fevered gibberish in some parts of the population. A clear attempt to dump on a good product, don't be had!

Rating:
Summary: Horrible and Inadequete Reviewers
Review: I rarely come back to a book I have reviewed to again make comment but in this case I'll make an exception. "I didn't take the Security+ test, but I can tell this book would be woefully useless for it. Avoid this item!" writes a reviewer from Provo Utah (where?). How on earth could this reviewer come to this conclusion. Osmosis? A mind-meld with with the question setters? A week in a box with David Blane. Based on this reviewer and his review I can tell that Provo Utah is awash with alien abductees. Well can't I? Another reviewer complains references to viruses and exploits etc being out of date. Get a life, time, tide and technology waits for no man. The top selling Firewall from Check Point has gone through three changes since this book was published. Are you looking for a supplement to be mailed to you every week? No, spoon feeding is what is wanted by some it appears. " Material is repeated verbatum several times over and the labs are the same in several chapters". I'm not surprised that they have to repeat things, from the reviews printed here it will take a lifetime for the publishers to get some of the concepts in this book through to some buyers/reviewers. On second thoughts don't buy this book as it seems to bring on uncontrollable bouts of fevered gibberish in some parts of the population. A clear attempt to dump on a good product, don't be had!

Rating:
Summary: Failed the S+ Exam
Review: I studied the text - all 17 chapters and the Appendix, then I took every one of The included study CD-based CertBlaster "Subject matter drills", then all 4 of the exams (passing every one on the first pass, and coming very close to perfection on the 2nd pass on any given test.)

I took AND FAILED the S+ exam today. ANY SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE STUDY TOOLS, THE TEXT BOOK, AND THE PRACTICE TEST WITH THE REAL TEST WERE RARE!!!! I basically wasted a week and several hundred dollars.

BTW. The Comptia S+ Exam was probably one of the worst knowledge measurement tools (e.g. exam) that I have EVER taken - and I have taken a huge number of them....
Just FYI
Will Harper, MCSE (NT 3,51/NT 4/W2K/XP), MCT, CCNA, A+, N+, CTT+ (and a bunch of other certs) AAS(IT/Networking), BSEE(computers), MBA.

Rating:
Summary: Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamentals
Review: I thought this book went over every basic and advanced features of security. There was alot of usefull hands on labs and review questions. Defintly prepares you for the CompTIA Security+ Exam.

Rating:
Summary: Broad coverage of material but just not that good
Review: I'm using this book for a class. We're up to chapter 6 now, and while I'm learning a lot of basic concepts, I've stumbled several times on the writing. It's terribly unclear in places, and clarity is essential in some of these places -- to be short, it's poorly written.

The scope of the book is so wide that it necessarily is shallow. The illustrations are a bit silly and are not a great improvement to clarifying the concept. I am reminded of manuals that go into overwhelming detail as to what mouse-clicks or menu items to select, but don't explain why you want to do this to begin with.

I haven't taken any certification exams as yet, but I would only recommend this book as a brief introduction to subjects that are covered more thoroughly and competently in other books.

Rating:
Summary: Bad organization, mistakes and lack of details
Review: I've used Course books since my first A+ and N+. and CCNA exams and they have never missed a beat. They can be a bit dry at times but that is the house style. They have always contained information that mapped to the objectives. This book is no exception. However the book like the exam requires careful study. If you don't bother and don't put the hours in then you will not get the results. This book will get you there but as always you should NEVER rely on one source for your study material. Some people expect the world on a plate and complain like heck when they don't get it, or write trashing and ill thought out reviews which are indeed - incomplete and poorly written! 5 Stars.*****And still they don't stop 21st November 2003 See the "spoiler review" above which says nothing, you actually have to READ the book to get something out of it!*****

Rating:
Summary: Be careful of damaging reviews that say nothing!
Review: I've used Course books since my first A+ and N+. and CCNA exams and they have never missed a beat. They can be a bit dry at times but that is the house style. They have always contained information that mapped to the objectives. This book is no exception. However the book like the exam requires careful study. If you don't bother and don't put the hours in then you will not get the results. This book will get you there but as always you should NEVER rely on one source for your study material. Some people expect the world on a plate and complain like heck when they don't get it, or write trashing and ill thought out reviews which are indeed - incomplete and poorly written! 5 Stars.*****And still they don't stop 21st November 2003 See the "spoiler review" above which says nothing, you actually have to READ the book to get something out of it!*****

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book for exam, decent lab manual (seperate)
Review: The book covers the exam blueprint, as well as outline basic security practices. I've heard a lot people state that this test is very basic. It is basic, however the information covered is quite broad. The book does a good job of explaining technologies and inner workings of security. I also used the accompaning lab manual, which was a little too easy, but a nice compliment to the book. Highly recommend if your getting into security or wish to take the Security+ exam.

Rating:
Summary: Security+ Guide to Network Security Fundamenatls
Review: There is no mention of DAC, MAC access controls. All viruses and exploits that are mentioned are way out of date and not categorized properly. PKI and IDS are are not explained clearly at all. I was very unimpressed with the depth in which the topics were covered.