This weblog was co-authored by Brent Hill, Examination Protections & Safety Operations Supervisor, and Brent Morris, Safety Investigations & Enforcements Program Supervisor.
The idea of certification is constructed on belief and integrity. When somebody is licensed by a corporation, that group is guaranteeing that the certification holder met the necessities to earn that certification and that the method of incomes it was truthful, and importantly, safe. Right here at Cisco, the Examination Safety Program protects our certifications’ integrity and maintains the respect and belief with which they’re regarded. Our function is to be energetic all through the whole thing of the certification course of, constructing safety into every part we do to repeatedly preserve the integrity and status of Cisco exams. In brief, we’re the staff that operates behind the scenes, policing the behaviors and actions that may jeopardize the worth of the certifications individuals work so arduous to earn.
Meet the Cisco Examination Safety staff
For a little bit of context, the Examination Safety Program was formalized in 2001, and is managed and based mostly in america. Our staff consists of Brent Hill, Examination Protections & Safety Operations Supervisor, and Brent Morris, the Safety Investigations & Enforcements Program Supervisor. Proper now, we have now safety and enforcement oversight of 100+ exams, eight CCIE labs, 2700 Pearson Vue testing facilities, and all on-line examination supply.
Earlier than we get too far into this, we wish to level you within the course of a latest interview we did for the Cisco Studying Community Podcast. We talked at size in regards to the subject of examination safety. If you would like extra details about my background, our perspective on all of this, and a bit extra context in regards to the staff (together with a deeper dive into how we created the Examination Safety Program), test it out on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
Let’s step into this dialogue with a watch towards the massive image. On the podcast, we undergo among the challenges we face and the beliefs that drive us. One of many factors that function each a great to attempt for and a problem we face is how we preserve worth. Clearly, worth might be calculated in numerous methods; there’s financial worth, in fact, however there’s additionally worth in figuring out the fabric you’re studying is important and updated, there’s worth in figuring out the examination you’re taking is an correct benchmark of expertise, and there’s worth within the certification itself. Defending these values doesn’t simply occur on the finish of Cisco’s examination course of or within the testing middle—it guides every part we do. And that features what we’re doing internally and externally.
Behind the scenes of certification examination safety
You need to by no means really feel like a Cisco examination or certification lacks worth. Our inside work additionally permits us to collaborate with groups in Cisco to ensure the safety measures we’ve devised are integral components of their design course of, baked into the best way that they’re pondering and working. It additionally permits them to be proactive after they see an issue with their content material and assist us in figuring out options. Our means to collaborate permits us to work much more successfully throughout a big group.
Externally, we’re all the time in search of methods to guard the integrity of our exams and our certifications. One of many huge issues we search for within the wild is what we name ‘Examination Mind Dumps.’ Primarily, a mind dump is when somebody who has taken the examination remembers the specifics of an issue or part after which disseminates it on-line, both on the market or free. (We speak about it a bit extra at size on the podcast.) What’s extra, is that that is lined particularly by the Cisco Candidate NDA, so these individuals know what they’re doing.
We shield you all through the examination course of
Clearly, having an examination downside or part out on the earth threatens the integrity of the examination. Candidates can use that info to cheat. When somebody earns their certification by dishonest, that devalues everybody’s certification and calls into query the belief that Cisco has constructed, so we’re all the time looking out for this type of dissemination.
In order that type of works as a superb instance of the pondering that goes into what we do. We’re all the time looking out for mind dumps, collusion, fraud, proxy testing, false rating reviews, and many others., as a result of every of these issues cuts into the validity of a Cisco examination. Once we discover them, we have now to take motion. As a result of as soon as one thing is on the web, it’s out of our arms. There are different issues right here as properly. We’re not simply altering the examination, we’re additionally invalidating certifications for individuals who accessed the fabric and giving them lifetime bans. It’s extreme.
Our intent can also be to guard candidates who don’t know higher. Cisco certification exams are arduous, and there are legit examine assets on the market. However the final factor we wish to see is a candidate to offer their cash to somebody who can jeopardize their certification or mislead them.
The choices are there. However bear in mind: There isn’t a simple, quick path to passing a Cisco certification examination. So, while you come throughout the promise of a simple, too-good-to-be-true path to getting licensed, you need to really feel alarmed.
report a Cisco examination violation
It’s not arduous to determine if the fabric you’re seeing is authentic or not, we wish to enable you and we’re right here for that. Sending an e-mail to security-tipline@cisco.com is one of the simplest ways to determine if what you’re or contemplating shopping for goes legit. And we’re glad to direct you to different choices, we’re in your aspect throughout this course of, which is the purpose of examination safety. We’ve got a zero-tolerance coverage for dishonest, and we have now developed totally different strategies for catching cheaters, it’s simply not value doing at any degree.
There are a variety of obligations that we ask candidates to tackle, that are detailed on each the Candidate Rights and Duties doc we’ve created and the Examination Coverage web page. When candidates come to earn a certification, they develop into a part of our group and conform to a code of conduct that we use to keep up the safety of our exams and shield their worth for everybody.
Total, we’re right here to work with our group to guard their certifications and arduous work. We encourage questions and ideas as a result of we wish to assist. Be happy to achieve out to us and have that dialogue, tell us if in case you have issues, or see one thing you assume we must always have a look at.
Thanks for taking the time to learn and be taught a bit extra about Examination Safety. Attain out within the remark part with questions and let’s begin a dialogue. We’d love to listen to about your Cisco examination experiences and the way we are able to finest assist your certification journey.
Questions? Have to report an examination coverage violation? Ship us an e mail.
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The Brents (Brent Hill and Brent Morris)
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“ Shield the Integrity of Your Cisco Certification“
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