Behind the Scenes of Cisco Examination Safety

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 honest, 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 thing we do to repeatedly preserve the integrity and fame of Cisco exams. Briefly, we’re the crew that operates behind the scenes, policing the behaviors and actions that may jeopardize the worth of the certifications individuals work so onerous to earn.

Meet the Cisco Examination Safety crew 

For a little bit of context, the Examination Safety Program was formalized in 2001, and is managed and based mostly in the USA. Our crew 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 route of a latest interview we did for the Cisco Studying Community Podcast. We talked at size concerning the subject of examination safety. In order for you extra details about my background, our perspective on all of this, and a bit extra context concerning the crew (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 large image. On the podcast, we undergo a few of the challenges we face and the beliefs that drive us. One of many factors that function each an excellent to attempt for and a problem we face is how we preserve worth. Clearly, worth might be calculated in several methods; there’s financial worth, after all, however there’s additionally worth in realizing the fabric you’re studying is significant and updated, there’s worth in realizing 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 heart—it guides every thing we do. And that features what we’re doing internally and externally.

Behind the scenes of certification examination safety

It is best 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 verify the safety measures we’ve devised are integral components of their design course of, baked into the way in which that they’re considering 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 capacity to collaborate permits us to work way more successfully throughout a big group.

Externally, we’re at all times 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 this planet threatens the integrity of the examination. Candidates can use that data to cheat. When somebody earns their certification by means of dishonest, that devalues everybody’s certification and calls into query the belief that Cisco has constructed, so we’re at all times looking out for this form of dissemination.

In order that form of works as a very good instance of the considering that goes into what we do. We’re at all times looking out for mind dumps, collusion, fraud, proxy testing, false rating reviews, and so forth., 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 fingers. There are different concerns right here as effectively. 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 be to guard candidates who don’t know higher. Cisco certification exams are onerous, and there are legit examine sources on the market. However the final factor we wish to see is a candidate to present their cash to somebody who can jeopardize their certification or mislead them.

The choices are there. However keep in mind:  There isn’t a simple, brief path to passing a Cisco certification examination. So, whenever you come throughout the promise of a simple, too-good-to-be-true path to getting licensed, it is best to really feel alarmed.

The way to report a Cisco examination violation

It’s not onerous to determine if the fabric you’re seeing is reputable or not, we wish to show you how to and we’re right here for that. Sending an e-mail to [email protected] is one of the best ways to determine if what you’re taking a look at or contemplating shopping for goes legit. And we’re joyful to direct you to different choices, we’re in your facet throughout this course of, which is the purpose of examination safety. We now have a zero-tolerance coverage for dishonest, and we have now developed completely different strategies for catching cheaters, it’s simply not value doing at any degree.

There are numerous duties 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 turn into a part of our neighborhood and comply with a code of conduct that we use to keep up the safety of our exams and shield their worth for everybody.

General, we’re right here to work with our neighborhood to guard their certifications and onerous work. We encourage questions and ideas as a result of we wish to assist. Be at liberty to succeed in out to us and have that dialogue, tell us when you have considerations, or see one thing you assume we should always take 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 will greatest assist your certification journey.

Questions? Must report an examination coverage violation? Ship us an e-mail.

Greatest,

The Brents (Brent Hill and Brent Morris)

Pay attention on the Cisco Studying Community Podcast

“The way to Shield the Integrity of Your Cisco Certification“

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