156-315.81.20 syllabus - Certified Security Expert ? R81.20 (CCSE) Updated: 2024

The new approach, dubbed the Valued Partner Program, was rolled out earlier this month at the company's annual partner conference in New Orleans. It consists of a four-tier model that qualifies partners based on previous sales, product knowledge and commitment to training for its enterprise security products. The program also includes a new approach to certification, requiring partners to achieve separate certifications for the three key areas of security"perimeter, internal and Web.

The changes will help Redwood City, Calif.-based Check Point designate those channel partners who stand out from the rest, said President Jerry Ungerman. "This is something we're taking very seriously"a chance for us to indicate the level of commitment and success that each of our partners brings to the table," he said. "One of the most important things for partners is that we're going to take an active role in promoting the program to customers so they know what designations mean."

The four categories will be Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Solution providers in the Platinum category will be invited by the company to participate, while VARs in the other three categories will be determined by sales volume and certifications.

Jeff Bennett, CEO of SiegeWorks, Dublin, Calif., said the channel changes are good news. Under Check Point's old channel hierarchy, it was difficult for customers to differentiate which partners fell into certain classifications, Bennett said.

"This should help partners with one particular skill set make more money off of that skill set," he said. "Over the long run, I bet it will raise the bar for everybody."

Brent Conran is a vice president of Information Technology, the general manager of IT’s Infrastructure and Information Security (I2) organization, and the Chief Information Security Officer for Intel Corporation. Long a champion of cyber security, his in-depth knowledge of both technology and business helps him drive and manage organization-wide infrastructure and information security programs aligned with business strategies. Brent engages and educates stakeholders, finding ways to invest in our IT compute capabilities and mitigate and reduce risk while balancing security and business needs.

Brent is both responsible for safeguarding Intel’s corporate assets, intellectual property, and computer systems, and for the availability and evolution of Intel’s robust, enterprise infrastructure. Brent leads a large, global organization of employees enabling Intel’s workforce to connect, collaborate, and compute in modernized and increasingly more secure ways.

Conran brings a unique combination of pragmatism and practicality based on years of experience in business, government, and financial services. He works closely with Intel employees and executives, government agencies and local, state, and federal law enforcement to ensure optimum security. Prior to Intel, Conran served as Chief Security Officer at McAfee. Before joining McAfee, Conran held dual responsibilities as both the Chief Information Officer and the Chief Information Security Officer for the US House of Representatives, where he managed the IT operations necessary to facilitate a robust computing environment for the Members of Congress. He served as Security Architect for Merrill Lynch Private Client Group, was a security architect for the Pinnacle Alliance at J.P. Morgan, worked as a white hat hacker with CSC Hack Pack, and was instrumental in evolving the SEA Sparrow Missile WAN for NATO.

Conran holds a bachelor’s degree from Towson University and has earned numerous certifications in the security industry, including Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA), Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), and Checkpoint Certified Security Expert (CCSE). Conran received the Uptime Institute Green Enterprise IT award for IT Innovation and is consistently ranked as one of Security 500’s Top Security Professionals in Information Technology.

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