Failing CSP - A Great Learning Experience

A week before I went to Marshall Islands for a tour-of-duty (TDY) job, I took a week-training on Industrial Security at Bayview Hotel Manila.

On the last day we took an exam to qualify as a Certified Security Professional. The following weekend, we did a security survey and presented it as part of the requirements to be certified by PSIS.

The Philippine Society for Industrial Security (PSIS) used to be the Philippine chapter of ASIS (American Society for Industrial Security) but after years of its reliance, with the extensive growth of locals adhering to security profession and company security needs, PSIS became an independent Institution for security professionals who want to improve their knowledge and skills on vital security concepts but still following the American standards.

The exam is composed of 220 questions, 20 each from 11 security concepts with a passing score of 165 plus the security survey presentation by individuals. Unfortunately, I failed the written exam but my presentation is one of the best score but wasn’t enough to carry my written one. It wasn’t hard for me to accept my failure because my work is primarily on a single concept which is computer security but nonetheless, I learned a lot from this training.

Out of 40 only 15 passed and most of my batchmates already took their retake but I was in Singapore at that time. I’ll be taking mine this August and I hope to pass it this time. I took this training in preparation for CISSP which is my ultimate goal this year and that is different story…

I highly recommend this training for you who are in the security profession or would want to venture in security business. Very interesting topics, expert resource speakers and good food…

Microsoft Certified Master - A Mesmerizing Title

Just checked my hotmail account and found this email from Microsoft newsletter. A new title, Microsoft Certified Master. The name itself is one of the best Microsoft has ever come up with or even against other organizations who are also providing certifications but sad to say, it's very expensive.

Pricing Structure

Nonrefundable program application fee: US$125
Program fee: US$18,500
Non-lab exam retakes: US$250
Lab exam retakes: US$1,500

Note

The program fee includes the price of first attempts at all required tests, including the final lab exam.

How can I pay for an $18,500 worth of training, how about my airfare, how about my allowances? The total amount is about a million pesos, a brand new car for me already. I think this is way too much for a certification...

I am a Microsoft product user, administrator and an engineer and I have taken most of their certifications so I would love to have it also under my name. But pardon me if I keep on questioning it, but really, I 'm having a hard time find the reason behind it...

If there's somebody wanna try this, please enlighten me or us and don't forget to share your experience in attending this...

Check this link and tell me if my IE is just corrupted.

Becoming a CCNA - Keep Moving Forward

The Robinson's family motto "Keep Moving Forward" is the simplest phrase to whatever motivation you would want to ask from inventors and scientists. I've been waiting for its DVD release at my favorite store Astroplus and after watching it with my wife and 2-year old princess at home, it made me grin because Cornelius’ mindset echoed in my being, to keep moving forward…

The day I woke up late in the morning, drove my wife to office, attended my daughter’s school parents’ orientation, the 40th year wedding anniversary of my parents, at exactly 1 PM, there I was in a small room taking my first Cisco venture, CCNA edition 2. And after six years of yearning, finally, it became official.

It’s a big accomplishment for me but it’s also a great challenge. I’ve always wanted to concentrate in Network Administration but my career took me to not so distant field, its twin brother, Systems Administration. Because of the nature of my company, though my job requires me to do almost everything, I don’t have permission to manage our routers and switches, I can only check if the port is up from the Intranet page, but that’s the realism I’ve long accepted…

However, after this year’s hardware refresh, the “Super Admin” team just left me two unused 4600 routers and a lot of 2950 switches and who could ask for more. That’s all I need. With your acquired knowledge but could not apply it because of a limited permission or no application at all sometimes hold you to not believing in yourself, in your skills and capabilities but you don’t have to. Someday, it will come to you, the responsibility will be yours and who do you have to ask when nobody else has the knowledge, it’s all you.

The Information Technology field is not just what you see in the server room or in the computer your working on or any computer equipment you’re ask to operate or seen in your workplace. It’s full of theories, full of techniques, has different approaches and all you have to do is to gather as many information as you can, store it, upgrade it and sooner or later you will apply it.

I’m having a successful career because my wife helps me a lot in managing my time. I’m proud of her getting her MCP with a perfect score. She’s on her way for her MCTS…

And hopefully, our second baby princess, next year…

Becoming an MCTS - KB24 / KG5 Work Ethic

Have you ever been called an addict?

Early 2008 I did the unthinkable; I guess I’m not quiet thru with Microsoft just yet and took the 2008 Technology Specialist exam. It’s an upgrade of my MCSE where you’ll take a single exam but gets three more titles. Again, another unthinkable happen, I got a perfect score for all three sets.

A week before I left for a tour of duty in an island in the Pacific, a staff sent me a text message asking me of whom will I leave my job to. And then he followed it up with another text saying “He should be a server addict like you.” And I smiled and responded “Well, there’re just two people in the office who’re crazy enough to mess up the servers, so I’m leaving it to you!” He’s reply was WAAHEHE. It means a loud laugh followed by a bit of seriousness…

I am now being labeled by my staff as a “Server Addict” I don’t know where they get the idea, perhaps they’ve seen me work on the server room more often than my predecessors but I’ve been the same person since they’ve known me only got a little more workloads. As Peter Parker’s Uncle Ben would say “With great power, comes great responsibilities.”

So what do you do with it? How do you escape from being wedged with your job? We’ll, let’s put it this way; a farmer would toil twice a year in plowing and planting but come harvest time, his family, his extended families and all who’ve work with him reap the fruits of their labor. Same with us, Specialist in our field, you provide a standard for your self and keep it like a habit. You don’t need to tell others of what you can do rather show them your diligence and your thirst for learning.

This is contrary to other’s principle but for me, staying for an extra 10 minutes of your time everyday, making sure you’re leaving your office like you’re leaving your home is the way it should be. I consider it the closest thing to a KB24 or a KG5 work ethic… But seriously, I stayed more minutes than that and sometimes an hour.

Now I’m an addict? I guess!?!

Becoming an MCSE+Security – A Realization

When I got my MCSE, I realized that I also got my specialization in Security certificate because of an effective planning. I am reaping the benefits of my excel sheet in an incredible phase.

This title is a combination of five (5) core exams and three (3) electives and perhaps, I’ll no longer pursue getting my MCSE + Messaging title though I’m just a single exam (70-285) behind because I’m caught up with a lot of work in the office. Having recently promoted to a senior position has been a great challenge for me to provide a more productive year in terms of services and innovations in my section.

And so far, I think we did a great job already for just a couple of months, having accomplished many successful projects in making a secured and reliable Information Systems Center. And having three security titles already, I saw another opportunity where I might be successful in my future endeavors. To try to concentrate on Information Systems Security as much as possible and perhaps someday be a fully qualified Security Professional.

This I think is a great challenge for me… And hopefully, someday, a reality.

Becoming an MCSE - King of Clay

I was once a Systems Engineer with my fourth job and it was a dream-come-true for me to fully print it in my business card as my job title that I can proudly announce to Microsoft, “Hey, I haven’t passed any of your exams but I got the title!"

Sorry for my words, I’m just being arrogant and funny because I never really enjoyed it. Most of the times, my servers would crash and I’ll be wasting my time in the server room during nights and weekends. Only escorting our vendor technician from Fujitsu do the troubleshooting because our servers are purchased with a contract that the vendor has the responsibility for it. Now, where did this brilliant idea came from? I’m sure it came from a business minded person and not from an IT Engineer but anyway it turns out to be a learning experience for me because I got to ask a lot of questions regarding servers and switches and I eventually managed the system by myself…

For me, conquering MCSA is like surviving a crowd who could not understand my language nor can speak my second language English. But with MCSE, it’s like we’re cruising the highway of Canada from Ottawa to Toronto where you can take a nap on the backseat and when you woke up you can still see trees, plants and flowers and sometimes a barn all throughout your journey. It’s like answering a test paper which you’ve previously answered correctly for the nth time…

Most of the exams in MCSE are almost similar as in my experience with regards to the questions asked. It was a title I can call a “Maintained Classic Sets of Exams” with a few hundred-dollar fee once you got your MCSA because the foundation is still 290 and 291 and the rest are just reconnaissance of what you’ve learned from these two. Conquering MCSE 2003 is an achievement for me that no other in my colleagues in my company has ever achieved during that time. I’m humbled with this achievement because it took me 4 failures, two failed 290s and two more 291 failures, weeks of sleepless nights and two years of studying.

It took me seven exams to finish this title from 2005 to 2007 and during that time and perhaps until 2008, it’s one of the best selling title you could ever want if your applying for a high paying job. You’ve got to take 1 Core OS, 4 Core Win2k3 Server, 1 Core Design and an Elective. Microsoft has a perhaps lowered its standard by not having the new generation a title worth conquering by not making a 2008 MCSE in stead a Technology Specialist and an IT Professional set of labels. Anyway, I’m glad to have come to that summit in my pursuit for titles that I did not quit even if I’m at my lowest point. I rallied back, as Rafael Nadal did against the world number 1 Federer.

With this culmination of my quest for a four letters’ acronym beside my name, it’s about time to move further. To embark on another challenge that has been waiting for me in front of my monitor. To keep the spirit of change that lives in me.

And perhaps, it’s a hint that I have take another course to overcome which I’m sure will be co$$$$tly…

Becoming an MCSA+Messaging+Security – An “EXCEL”lent Plan

I used to keep a database of all of my collections such as movies, baseballs, coins & bills, Sports Illustrated magazines, patches, Marvel and MacFarlane toys in Access file but I wasn’t able to update my records because I tinker a lot on the look of the forms and edited the table fields as often as I open my file.

One day my wife ask me to send her a computation of my budget for our incoming travels and gave it to her from an Excel file and after that I began to add sheets after sheets on that same file. Eventually, I began to enjoy making an organized budget plans as well as many stuffs that I want to manage in a simpler way than my previous record thus created my Certification Plan sheet which until now I haven’t edited much except with God’s abundant grace, adding a “Passed” remarks on the column that says “Status”.

In doing so, I listed all the appropriate exam numbers and titles and projected a date of taking it so that I’ll know the number of weeks that I need to prepare. This has help me a lot in achieving my specializations both in Messaging and Security where I took two well planned subjects (70-284 & 70-299) as to my preparation, not only for MCSA but for my MCSE as well. Having passed my CompTIA Security+ has helped me also in getting my Security specialization because it’s being recognized by Microsoft as an elective from another organization.

Messaging requires three (3) core exams and one (1) elective while Security requires three (3) core exams and two (2) electives. Messaging deals with Implementing and Managing Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 as 70-284 implies. As 70-299 advocates, Implementing and Administering Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Network and Security+ deals with most computing security concepts, a Systems Administrator is being equipped with the skills and knowledge of a bona fide specialist. In addition, it’s a step closer to becoming a certified Systems Engineer.

I read or heard a famous quote before but can’t remember where that states “A wise person is better than an intelligent one” and truthful to its meaning and I believe that an EXLELlent plan is a wise decision.

Becoming an MCSA - Alert Numbers 290 and 291

Have you ever doubted your credibility in your career?

Well, in the past I did, not because of my skills but the other factors that will make you a good team member and perhaps of a leader one day. Most of the time I’m late to office by living far and no car of my own and most of the critical problems do happen early morning before business hours. And the challenges are on these times that made me change my attitude towards work, but sadly, I was unsuccessful, for few years…

My second job was an IT Specialist, which is a great title but the work is more on Network and Systems Administration working on NT4 Servers and Stations. I’m the second in command following our Operations Managers (also the Company’s VP for Operations). He’s famous in the company and his call sign was “Rockjock” a guy in his early 40s who comes to work at 2pm and leaves at around 10pm and still online at 3am when he’s home. He always carries a shoulder bag with many folders and his laptop and I said to myself, this is a cool guy, he’s what I’m gonna be, but pathetically, I botched, for few years…

With my dilemma, I cope up by working hard even after office hours so the following morning, I can afford to be a little tardy. Working hard has a setback, you’ll easily get to sleep at night or at days when you’ve nothing to do. To others, it’s a good thing but if you have a family, you should always provide them your extra time. That’s why we work until lights out, not just to give them comfort but you yourself must be part and share their laughter and moments that can never be replayed. It’s an advice that I’m enjoying that I did, and you should too. Even now, my wife would reprimand me to work faster on things she asks me to do in the house but I was never really a panic guy. Maybe because I didn’t develop or known the spirit of urgency that there’s no time to be terrified that I can do the job in the nick of time. As I always promise my wife, but miserably, it was a disastrous, for few years now…

I am full of composure until Microsoft developed the 290 and 291 exams for MCSA. It was undeniably the hardest 90 items that I could not conquer that I failed both my first 290 as well as my first 291 exams. It’s hilarious that I also failed both my second tries of 290 and 291. Twice the failure of each is four times you’ll have to spend time to go back to the drawing board and review your resources. I think I flunked the simulations because I never really studied my materials thoroughly because in my mind, it’s the exact thing I’ve doing in my present job. I’ve been handling Win2K and Win2K3 servers for almost six years now and seen many problems in that span of time that I or my team has solved with regards to this type of platform.

It took me a year to get over these humps to be an MCSA and took them both three weeks apart and definitely, it’s worth the failures and happily, I passed both, for few years now…

Becoming an MCP - The Foundation

It is a dream of mine that someday I’ll be adding a certificate to my resume befitting my status as an IT professional. It never came early in my career until three years ago while I’m already been in the industry for several years.

I’m a Computer Engineering graduate but sadly, we don’t have a licensure exam similar to those of other Engineering courses like ECE, EE, ME, ChE, IE and others. The reason for this is that many said that my course is a fast moving industry that in few months, the existing technology will no longer exist or becomes obsolete. Indeed, it’s partly true but in my humble opinion, the foundation will always be the basis of new technologies so therefore having an exam is an absolute effort that will manifest the credibility of a Computer Engineering graduate adding both the foundations and the contemporary ideals on that exam.

In its absence, we cannot consider ourselves as Engineers though some carry it to their business cards but not me, I am not resolute that I am worthy to be called one until I got the exams which companies and organizations build up to make a IT standard test to label me such a title.

For three years I became obsessed taking these exams to be known to the world that in my little effort and some overtime pay, I am indeed a master of my craft and consequently a slave of these organizations for paying them in dollars. But what I have become after these strenuous and painstaking exams is something I cannot toss away because my name is no longer plane and simple, beside it or below it are titles which I’m proud to say that yes I can prove to you that I can do the job with my years of experience plus this.

My very first achievement is passing my Windows XP Professional exam in October 2005 which gave me the title of MCP. By this time, I’m already a SNA with 8 years of experience in the IT industry. Many perceived that passing and getting the title is by merely reading thru books and reviewers, yes it’s 99 percent true but the remaining 1 percent is experience and that 1 part is the most important one…

Many managers are being blinded by acquiring personnel with this and that in their names but when it comes to providing support and expertise, those who are in the business without a title are still the best thinkers and support you could ever find. So when getting a person for a higher position in the IT industry, always keep in mind to get that person within your organization not just to build harmony in that section but to promote wise decision-making to your staff and build respect and confidence in you as a leader.

If you’ve been exposed to XP for quiet a bit, there’s no way you’ll fail this exam. It covers your daily administration job on workstations such as 2000 and XP. If you’re just a user, spend more time on administering the OS such as permissions, updates, apps deployment and installations. When I first start reviewing my materials, I learned a lot of new thing re XP so I became more productive because of these stuff that XP can do that was waiting for me to explore and implement in my job.

There’s always a shortcut to passing it by getting the latest or second best reviewers you can find but always keep in mind that learning is a process and whatever you get from it, keep it and ponder from it, never neglect the importance of sharing it with your clients and colleagues.

And when you’re decided and ready, then do a Google search or Yahoo search for testing centers near you, schedule the day and time and pay it. And pray! You’ll pass!

Passing CompTIA Network+ "A Prelude To CCNA"

If you are a network administrator or engineer, you might find it easy to pass Network+ but mind you guys, in my case, this one is a tough one. I’ve been in this field but it gave me a scare of not passing it.

When I took it 2006, I’m almost sure I failed it because the answers were so close to be the right one. It’s an option of what’s the best one among four answers and the two or three answers could also be correct. If you are not really ready to take this exam, have more time to study because my fault is I took it just a week after I passed my A+ 220-202. Good thing I know some of the answers practically.

During the MCSA years, you can incorporate Network+ with A+ as an elective as well as other corporations such as Novell, Cisco and HP to name a few. Though I got my elective by passing CompTIA Security+ first, I never hesitated to take this exam because personally, I want to measure my networking skills and knowledge and also I’m not ready yet to take the CCNA at that time.

It became my personal prerequisite to be able to pass CCNA which I did few years later.

Passing CompTIA Security+ "The Core Exam"

I took an online training for Security+ and fortunately a voucher was given up by a colleague because he has to move to another post. So as soon as an offer was put out for exam takers, I seized it right away…

This exam is a standard requirement for companies who require a good knowledge on security which I think is “a must” not just for security practitioners but for all IT professionals. It’s given a great value that Microsoft adapted it as an Elective for MCSA and MCSE certifications.

Before my current employer, I’ve worked with a local VeriSign partner for a year and it was a great experience for me. VeriSign is one of the leading brands in digital security. I was about to go to San Francisco for training when the 9/11 chaos happen. All flights were cancelled and consequently my training as a Professional Service Engineer for VeriSign products. I got my trainings locally with fellow engineers who were in the company several months before me.

I was the one responsible for maintaining the Production Servers as well as the installation of test certificates to companies and government agencies. During that time, not too many were aware of its importance or they find it expensive but today almost every site has a secure seal which indicates that the processes and transactions within it are secured.

9/11 became the instigator that we all must adhere to security practices at all times. CompTIA Security+ is a Core Exam which we all can learn a lot. Look for it at CompTIA website and you’ll understand why…

Passing CompTIA A+ "The Essential"

CompTIA called it “A certification that validates the latest skills needed by today’s computer support professionals.” It was created in 1993 and was updated in 2003 which is what I have and sad to say, I’m kinda obsolete with the release of a new generation of exams in 2006.

When you want to be certain that you can support your customers’ knowledgably, though you know already you are capable of doing so… try adding more credentials to your resume by passing this exam. In 2003 series, A+ includes two exams, the Core Hardware and the Operating Systems Technologies or simply 220-201 and 220-202. The 201 and 202 now becomes A+ Essentials or 220-601. In the 2006 series, I can still use my certification to become an A+ IT Technician by passing one more exam the 220-602. I might take it this year if I got the cash and time. In addition to the IT Technician (220-601), two more titles are released, the Remote Support Technician (220-603) and the Depot Technician (220-604).

Now I’m a bit skeptic, do I really need to take them all? I guess what CompTIA is trying to say is that now you have a selection to choose that distinguishes your field of work or what skill you want to be familiarized with…

I think I might take the 603 this year because most of my work now is through remote configurations and desktop support. For whatever reasons you have, it’s always practical to venture with A+ as it is an IT prerequisite for many organizations that I know…

AREN COMPUTER - The Batch 68 Drama

While in my senior year in college, we were visited by a group called as the Philippine Institute of Computer Engineers (PHICEs), they are former CoE graduates from different universities headed by then president, Erwin Mendoza and presented the mission, vision and officers of the said assembly.

So in that same year, our class became a member of PHICEs as well as most students from different schools. I remember to have gone to Adamson University for an event, though I’m not sure if it’s an IT Conference or an Officer’s Election Day but I saw a lot of participants coming from other schools.

But what I remember is that Erwin has a computer training school in Morayta called AREN and I was part of batch 68 as well as few of my classmates. It was a very informative training that we attended from 6-9pm once a week and lasted for a couple of months. There were about 20 to 25 of us in that batch from more than 5 different schools. I can only recall students from universities from Bulacan and Pangasinan, SLU - Baguio, St. Francis - Paranaque, TIP, Adamson, Mapua and us from PLM.

Before the presentation of certificates, they handed several awards that a student has outshined the rest during the training and I was excited because I have this feeling that I'm gonna get one. So they call for the Best in Operating System, the Best in Software and the Best in Hardware and other awards were given but my name was never called. And then the last award came, Best in Troubleshooting, which I was hoping that they give me at least that one because I know that I should have received either of the previous ones. I was on my way to stand up when another name was called and I was a bit mad and sad though I kept quiet on my seat...

I saw the graduation ceremony as unentertaining, a bit raucous. Then the instructors were making a rude analysis of calling someone from the class specifically from our school as unworthy and should not be part of the graduation. I was on the assumption that they’re talking about me but in my mind I was asking “How could it be me, when I have nothing to do with any of those things.”

They were telling stories that really made me mad and I stood up and gathered my classmates to walkout because of these baloney accusations. I was angry already and we were heading out of the door when Erwin shouted “And the Most Outstanding Trainee of batch 68 is none other than...” and the he called my name and at that moment they were all clapping and the instructors were pulling us back to the room and Erwin’s brother (forgot his name) brought me to the front where Erwin and the rest are waiting to hand me over a trophy and to congratulate me and they were all laughing…

I was in shocked and could not believe what has just happened. It was one crazy night and a memorable one especially for me. Being M.O.T. is having surpassed everyone in the class on most subjects that were discussed during training.


The year was 1997 and after a decade I’m glad to have shared it with you…