QRadar Certification – Certified Deployment Professional (C2150-196)

Posted on March 18, 2014 Updated on March 12, 2014

IBM recently released the new “IBM Security QRadar Certified Deployment Professional” or also called ” IBM Security QRadar SIEM V7.1 Implementation”. For the most of the people certifications are just accomplishments to attach on their CV, but the real value of the certification is not the paper itself, but is the study to get the certification. Even people that work years with the product, when studying to the certification discover new features or new ways to work with the solution, and being certified (after the proper study) gives you the necessary confidence that at least you already saw all the features of the product and you are able to use the tool in its best way.

The new certification (code C2150-196) consists in a 90-minutes test containing 64 questions involving all the phases of the project. From installing the hardware to tuning the rules. As mentioned in the first paragraph, studying and getting certified will give you a broader vision about the product, not only the tasks that you are used. The test passing score is 70%, a high score compared to another certifications from IBM, and as it involves all phases of the project, you should dedicate part of you time to study the tool.

The best way to prepare yourself to the certification is exploring the tool. Don’t try to go to the certification having never even logged on QRadar. Another good source of information, is the study guide from IBM that you can find on this link. It basically provides you with all the topics of the certification.

A personal tip to you is focus in the following categories: Difference between the versions (SIEM, LogManager, etc); theory behind the offences (how it is generates, how to configure the rules, etc); Interface usage (where can you find the features, how to do things in the interface, etc); and Solution Architecture (Components).

Another suggestion for people who have budget for it, go for the IBM classes. I went to two QRadar courses (2 years ago) and both were very helpful and practical. The courses were filled with useful exercises and hands-on activities. The bad point is the prices, but usually the companies pays for the training. To learn more about the IBM QRadar course, check this link out.

After studying the study guide (or attending the official training), exploring the tool and practicing the theory, you will be good to go for the certification. To get more information about how to schedule your certification visit the official IBM learning center.