I recently attended SANS training at Hilton Double Tree Hotel in Crystal City. It was my third training with the SANS Institute and in my experience training with this company is the best option available. It was a week long training for me and it was worth it. SANS offers endless training opportunities and there is a case to be made for all IT employees to take some of their training.
SANS offers the associated GIAC exam within the next 4 months. However, it’s really all about the journey, not the destination!
Founded in 1989, the SANS Institute is a private U.S. company that specializes in information security and cybersecurity training. SANS is the most trusted and by far the largest source for information security training and security certification in the world. It also develops, maintains, and makes available at no cost, the largest collection of research documents about various aspects of information security, and it operates the Internet’s early warning system – the Internet Storm Center.
SANS offers immersion-style, hands-on security training courses taught by real-world practitioners. The SEC575 class ran from 9AM to 5PM for six days. The time spent in the class was lectures with lab exercises. The class material is divided into six major subject areas, with each area subdivided into half-dozen or so learning modules. There are six course books, one for each day, and you get them all in a nice SANS bag at registration. A laptop is required for this class.
The classroom was specious and equipped with all the necessary technology. A break was given every 90 minutes or so, and snacks were served in a common area at the back of the room. Coffee, tea and other beverages were offered all day long.
This course was taught at the DoubleTree by Hilton Washington DC-Crystal City. From our classroom through the hall we had access to the balcony, where we can enjoy the DC view from 15th floor.
The hotel offers unparalleled panoramic views that include the Washington Monument. The round extension of the building is the revolving Skydome lounge. One of my birthdays was celebrated there. Great view of DC from there!
Overall, my experience with SEC575 was very valuable and I’m thrilled I got the chance to take the course. I walked away with a lot of new skills and am able to provide a lot of value to my organization as a result.
