The CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+) All-in-One Certification Guide is here. And New Horizons couldn't be more proud of Technical Instructor Nick Lane's authorship of the book. Leading up to its release date, the guide was #1 in new releases on Amazon in computer networking. An incredible feat by no means of the imagination, Nick shares the story of how the book came to fruition and his feelings along the process. Plus, find out more about the book content from the author himself and if this or other forms of security learning are right for you.
How It Happened
In 2017 publisher McGraw-Hill reached out to Lane to do a PowerPoint project for Cloud+. After showcasing his ability to take an existing book's content and accurately translate the message and information into slide format, he expressed interest in writing a book of his own. "I've always wanted to be a writer," Nick states.
They saw my blogs on CompTIA. They saw my LinkedIn bio. They saw my instructor background, certifications, and all the awards I got and they thought, alright, we've got a book for you.
Initially Nick was very excited, but also overwhelmed. He shares, "At first you're like oh wow, I can't wait to get started. This is going to be a fantastic thing to do. But then reality sits in. And you're staring at that first blank line of the page and I had to figure out how to write 19 chapters and 800+ pages." After getting started, the process got very comfortable for the seasoned instructor and the book writing nerves were gone.
Being a New Horizons Technical Instructor helped Nick with the writing of the book in a big way. As he puts it, "a big part of writing is reading. So while I was writing this book, I was spending a lot of time doing research. Research in security. Research on current trends in security and IT. So I spent a lot of time prepping, in addition to writing the book. So my security courses got a lot better as a result of this research." Not to mention, sharing that he literally wrote the book on advanced security lets students feel more confident that they are in a classroom with an instructor that knows what he's doing and knows what he's talking about.
About the Book
The All-in-One CASP+ book is part of an established and esteemed series of brown all-in-one books published by McGraw-Hill in various topics including computing. The all-in-one book is about the exam, but also about real world best practices. The CASP+ all-in-one includes best practices for risk management, choosing cryptographic algorithms, preparing the organization for social engineering, phishing, and more. "I cover the full gamut on security recommendations," Lane said. The purpose of the book is not just to prepare for the exam, but also serving as a real world guide for security practitioners in their daily job; trying to figure out ways of implementing security solutions and doing research.
Nick wants it to be clear that this book is not designed for beginners. According to Lane, "this book is designed for Security Practitioners that have a good 5 to 10 years of experience in the field already. So my recommendation would be to start off with A+ certification first, and then move on to Network+ or Security+, and then from there you can move on to CASP+."
What's next for Nick?
Right now he shares that he is a technical editor for an upcoming book from McGraw-Hill called PenTest+ Passport Certification. Later on in 2019 he will very likely be writing CySA+. He also looks forward to a possible collaboration with the #1 McGraw-Hill technical writer, Mike Meyers, on a Security+ book in the coming year.
Finally, Nick expresses, "Teaching and writing are my two passions in life and I could not be more thankful to Kevin Landry, my publisher McGraw-Hill, and CompTIA for helping me achieve this lifelong goal. Most of all, because of YOU and the team at New Horizons Learning Group where I’ve spent 13 years of my life teaching, I have been able to flourish into an educator who can truly make a difference in the world."
About Nick Lane
Nick Lane was born and raised in Long Island, New York and is a huge Yankees, Islanders, and Giants fan. He has been a New Horizons technical instructor since 2005. He teaches a wide range of courses from CISSP to A+ certification. Search course dates and take the CASP+ course with New Horizons. Read more about Nick Lane.
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