The first 10 chapters of this book cover the technologies, protocols, design concepts, and considerations required to be prepared to pass the Implementing Secure Solutions with Virtual Private Networks (SVPN 300-730) exam. While these chapters supply the detailed information, most people need more preparation than simply reading the first 10 chapters of this book and going right into the exam. A large part of the exam will have you identify problems with configurations as well as interpret output from commands. The best way to learn these concepts is to practice with the technology using a lab environment. An alternative approach is watching videos of configuration so you can link the concepts we covered with examples of how they are used during a real deployment. To be clear, the SVPN is not memorization-based exam. It is an applied concept exam meaning you need to understand the content covered and apply that knowledge against situations you will encounter on the exam.
This chapter details a set of tools and a study plan to help you complete your preparation for the exam. We highly encourage you to also include spending time practicing the configuration concepts with Cisco VPN technology as part of your study plan if such technology is available to you. Alternatively, you can leverage technology simulators such as Cisco Modeling Labs or watch others configure VPN technologies by searching YouTube. For example, searching YouTube for “configure DMVPN on cisco router” will bring up multiple videos that can help you better understand the DMVPN concepts covered in this book.
This short chapter has three main sections. The first section helps you get ready to take the exam, and the second section lists the exam preparation tools useful at this point in the study process. The third section provides a suggested study plan you can use now that you have completed all the earlier chapters in this book.
The first thing to focus on when preparing for any exam, including the SVPN exam, is developing a study plan. Your study plan should also include developing a strategy regarding how to approach the type of questions seen on the exam. We covered the format of the SVPN exam in Chapter 1, including the possible question types. Be familiar with how the exam will look, and make sure to check the official SVPN website to see if any changes have occurred before going into the exam.
Here are some important tips and best practices we use that you should keep in mind to ensure that you are ready for the SVPN 300-730 exam:
• Build and use a study tracker: Consider using the exam objectives to build a study tracker for yourself. Such a tracker can help ensure that you have not missed anything and that you are confident for your exam. As a matter of fact, this book offers a sample study planner as a website supplement.
• Think about your time budget for questions on the exam: When you do the math, you will see that, on average, you have one minute per question. While this does not sound like a lot of time, keep in mind that many of the questions will be very straightforward, and you will take 15 to 30 seconds on those. This leaves you extra time for other questions on the exam.
• Watch the clock: Check in on the time remaining periodically as you are taking the exam. You might even find that you can slow down pretty dramatically if you have built up a nice block of extra time.
• Get some earplugs: The testing center might provide earplugs, but get some just in case and bring them along. There might be other test takers in the center with you, and you do not want to be distracted by their screams. I personally have no issue blocking out the sounds around me, so I never worry about this, but I know it is an issue for some. You will also want to check if earplugs are permitted at the testing center if you plan to use them.
• Plan your travel time: Give yourself extra time to find the center and get checked in. Be sure to arrive early. As you test more at a particular center, you can certainly start cutting it closer time-wise.
• Get rest: Most students report that getting plenty of rest the night before the exam boosts their success. All-night cram sessions are not typically successful.
• Bring in valuables but get ready to lock them up: The testing center will take your phone, your smartwatch, your wallet, and other such items and will provide a secure place for them.
• Take notes: You will be given note-taking implements and should not be afraid to use them. I always jot down any questions I struggle with on the exam. I then memorize them at the end of the test by reading my notes over and over again. I always make sure I have a pen and paper in the car, and I write down the issues in my car just after the exam. When I get home—with a pass or fail—I research those items!
• Mix up your review: Hearing the same concept a different way will help ensure you fully understand it. We recommend using a blend of reading, lab and online research on all key learning objectives. If you want to master DMVPN, use the YouTube suggestion previously provided, read about it in this book and perform a configuration or review a sample configuration to see the topic different ways.
• Practice testing stamina: One factor we find that is hard to judge is the impact the exam will have on you while you are taking the test. The best way to prepare for exam stress is to simulate what you will have to endure. This can be done by blocking out the same time you are expected to take the exam and working through practice questions. We recommend considering working twice as long as the exam to properly prepare your mind and body for the stress this exam may require of you.
• Read lots of practice questions: Part of passing any exam is being able to comprehend what is being asked of you. Different certification programs will have their own approach to asking questions.
This section lists some information about the available tools and how to access them. We can’t stress enough how important it is for you to know the concepts we have covered, including how they apply to VPN technology versus purely memorizing statements. Take advantage of these tools and pay attention to the practice questions offered at the end of each chapter.
Register this book to get access to the Pearson IT Certification test engine (software that displays and grades a set of exam-realistic, multiple-choice questions). Using the Pearson Cert Practice Test Engine, you can either study by going through the questions in Study mode or take a simulated (timed) SVPN 300-730 exam.
The Pearson Test Prep practice test software comes with two full practice exams. These practice tests are available to you either online or as an offline Windows application. To access the practice exams that were developed with this book, please see the instructions in the card inserted in the sleeve in the back of the book. This card includes a unique access code that enables you to activate your exams in the Pearson Test Prep software.
The online version of this software can be used on any device with a browser and connectivity to the Internet, including desktop machines, tablets, and smartphones. To start using your practice exams online, simply follow these steps:
Step 1. Go to http://www.PearsonTestPrep.com.
Step 2. Select Pearson IT Certification as your product group.
Step 3. Enter your email and password for your account. If you don’t have an account on PearsonITCertification.com or CiscoPress.com, you need to establish one by going to PearsonITCertification.com/join.
Step 4. In the My Products tab, click the Activate New Product button.
Step 5. Enter the access code printed on the insert card in the back of your book to activate your product. The product is then listed in your My Products page.
Step 6. Click the Exams button to launch the exam settings screen and start the exam.
If you wish to study offline, you can download and install the Windows version of the Pearson Test Prep software. You can find a download link for this software on the book’s companion website, or you can just enter this link in your browser:
http://www.pearsonitcertification.com/content/downloads/pcpt/engine.zip
To access the book’s companion website and the software, simply follow these steps:
Step 1. Register your book by going to PearsonITCertification.com/register and entering the ISBN 9780136660606.
Step 2. Respond to the challenge questions.
Step 3. Go to your account page and select the Registered Products tab.
Step 4. Click on the Access Bonus Content link under the product listing.
Step 5. Click the Install Pearson Test Prep Desktop Version link in the Practice Exams section of the page to download the software.
Step 6. When the software finishes downloading, unzip all the files onto your computer.
Step 7. Double-click the application file to start the installation and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the registration.
Step 8. When the installation is complete, launch the application and click the Activate Exam button on the My Products tab.
Step 9. Click the Activate a Product button in the Activate Product Wizard.
Step 10. Enter the unique access code from the card in the sleeve in the back of your book, and click the Activate button.
Step 11. Click Next, and then click the Finish button to download the exam data to your application.
Step 12. You can now start using the practice exams by selecting the product and clicking the Open Exam button to open the exam settings screen.
Note that the offline and online versions sync together, so saved exams and grade results recorded on one version will be available to you in the other version as well.
When you are in the exam settings screen, you can choose to take exams in one of three modes:
• Study mode
• Practice Exam mode
• Flash Card mode
Study mode enables you to fully customize an exam and review answers as you are taking the exam. This is typically the mode you use first to assess your knowledge and identify information gaps. Practice Exam mode locks certain customization options in order to present a realistic exam experience. Use this mode when you are preparing to test your exam readiness. Flash Card mode strips out the answers and presents you with only the question stem. This mode is great for late-stage preparation, when you really want to challenge yourself to provide answers without the benefit of seeing multiple-choice options. This mode does not provide the detailed score reports that the other two modes provide, so it is not the best mode for helping you identify knowledge gaps.
In addition to these three modes, you will be able to select the source of your questions. You can choose to take exams that cover all of the chapters, or you can narrow your selection to just a single chapter or the chapters that make up specific parts in the book. All chapters are selected by default. If you want to narrow your focus to individual chapters, simply deselect all the chapters and then select only those on which you wish to focus in the Objectives area.
You can also select the exam banks on which to focus. Each exam bank comes complete with a full exam of questions that cover topics in every chapter. You can have the test engine serve up exams from all four banks or just from one individual bank by selecting the desired banks in the exam bank area.
There are several other customizations you can make to your exam from the exam settings screen, such as the time allowed for taking the exam, the number of questions served up, whether to randomize questions and answers, whether to show the number of correct answers for multiple-answer questions, and whether to serve up only specific types of questions. You can also create custom test banks by selecting only questions that you have marked or questions on which you have added notes.
If you are using the online version of the Pearson Test Prep software, you should always have access to the latest version of the software as well as the exam data. If you are using the Windows desktop version, every time you launch the software, it will check to see if there are any updates to your exam data and automatically download any changes made since the last time you used the software. This requires that you be connected to the Internet at the time you launch the software.
Sometimes, due to a number of factors, the exam data might not fully download when you activate your exam. If you find that figures or exhibits are missing, you might need to manually update your exams.
To update a particular exam you have already activated and downloaded, simply select the Tools tab and click the Update Products button. Again, this is only an issue with the desktop Windows application.
If you wish to check for updates to the Windows desktop version of the Pearson Test Prep exam engine software, simply select the Tools tab and click the Update Application button. Doing so allows you to ensure that you are running the latest version of the software engine.
In addition to the free practice exams provided on the website, you can purchase additional exams with expanded functionality directly from Pearson IT Certification. The Premium Edition of this title contains an additional two full practice exams and an eBook (in both PDF and ePub format). In addition, the Premium Edition title has remediation for each question to the specific part of the eBook that relates to that question.
Because you have purchased the print version of this title, you can purchase the Premium Edition at a deep discount. There is a coupon code in the book sleeve that contains a one-time-use code and instructions for where you can purchase the Premium Edition.
To view the premium edition product page, go to www.informit.com/title/9780136660606.
Chapters 1 through 10 each have several features in the “Exam Preparation Tasks” section at the end of the chapter. You might have already worked through these in each chapter. It can also be useful to use these tools again as you make your final preparations for the exam.
This section lists a suggested study plan from the point at which you finish reading through Chapter 10, until you take the SVPN 300-730 exam. You can ignore this plan, use it as is, or take suggestions from it. We have built these questions based on the requirements found with the SVPN exam. If you struggle with answering our test questions, you will likely struggle taking the real SVPN exam.
Our recommended study plan regarding a final review before taking the SVPN exam involves two steps:
Step 1. Review key topics and “Do I Know This Already?” (DIKTA?) questions: You can use the table that lists the key topics in each chapter or just flip the pages, looking for key topics. Also, reviewing the DIKTA? questions from the beginning of the chapter can be helpful for review.
Step 2. Use the Pearson Cert Practice Test engine to practice: The Pearson Cert Practice Test engine allows you to study using a bank of unique exam-realistic questions available only with this book.
The tools and suggestions listed in this chapter have been designed with one goal in mind: to help you develop the skills required to pass the SVPN 300-730 exam. This book has been developed from the beginning to not just tell you the facts but to also help you learn how to apply the facts. We also included additional content based on what we felt is important to know about VPN technology. No matter what your experience level leading up to when you take the exam, it is our hope that the broad range of preparation tools, and even the structure of the book, will help you pass the exam with ease. We hope you do well on the exam.