CSIP = not one breath of criticism towards the Cirrus Aircraft. If you make any attempt to comply with any regulations such as NTSB 830.5 you will have your "designation" yanked for "disparging" the aircraft. Read the CSIP Contract carefully, it is in there.
Six missions is at least six cross-country flights of 1.5-2 hours each, more if your instructor is an ink-wet idiot that thinks anyone who didn't attend UND doesn't know how to fly and does his best to "put down" any experienced instructors, yet wants you to fly with active thunderstorms over the airport and/or in icing conditions (a/c are not certified FIKI). If you get one of these jerks, ask for a different instructor before the second lesson, otherwise it's $1195 a day (or more) extra. If you have a good instructor, you'll learn quite a bit about the aircraft and it's operation, and what tricks the students will pull on you as they transition to it.
Know your aircraft before you get there. If it is a "G2" or "G1" aircraft, do a very careful control check on each preflight and check the maintenance logs to see compliance with the rudder-aileron interconnect service bulletin. The careful control check is to do a box with the yoke, then holding full left rudder, do a box with the yoke. Go to full right rudder and repeat the box. If you feel anything strange other than the "usual" spring resistance, binding, or a "catch and release" feeling in the controls, do not fly that aircraft until you know what is causing the strange feeling.
To best prepare for the course, know the avionics of the Cirrus you'll be flying before showing. If it's the Perspective, know the G1000 inside and out. If it's the Avidyne system, know the G430 inside and out.
Cost to renew the CSIP could be $95. You must give them the names and contact info for six "missions" with students, could be a BFR or an instrument rating, each "mission" counts as one, no matter how many flight hours are involved. You'll go through an approximately 100 question multiple guess test. If you haven't flown six missions or score poorly on the test, you may be required to go back to the factory with a Cirrus (or rent one there) to take a checkride.
The cost to renew could be in excess of $500 if they go through with forcing you to buy whatever training program (currently Jepp at $495 or $695 or something). Or, you could run afoul of the Cirrus Design Corp. censors and not be able to renew, thus wasting your $6000+ cost/opportunity cost for the CSIP training.
Tip: Do not get involved with the maintenance or upkeep of the Cirrus Aircraft. Unlike Lexus, BMW, or even Eclipse or Cessna, the customer support of CDC is not designed. Their people are sales-orientated, not service-orientated. If you have a problem with an aircraft, let the owner know and let the owner deal with it, otherwise Cirrus may yank your "designation" for being a troublemaker. If your owners want an aircraft management service, send them to Mike Busch's organization.
FYI, transitioning Cessna pilots like to get into a fast PIO in the flare, an easy prop strike. They also like to drag the brakes which has lead to more than one fire. The published approach speeds are too fast for the flare, the SR22 will float 800', the SR20 will float about 600' before touching down in a full stall. I haven't counted float distance for the G3 or Perspective aircraft.
YMMV.