Overview

The Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator (PCNSA) is a formal, third-party proctored certification that indicates that those who have passed it possess the in-depth knowledge to design, install, configure, and maintain most implementations based on the Palo Alto Networks platform.

Palo Alto reccommends gaining 2 to 3 years’ experience working in the Networking or Security industries and the equivalent of 6 months’ experience working full-time with the Palo Alto Networks product portfolio. However, while these would certainly help in understanding the core concepts, it is possible to pass the exam without them.

Exam details

  1. Certification Name: Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator
  2. Delivered through Pearson VUE: www.pearsonvue.com/paloaltonetworks
  3. Exam Series: PCNSA
  4. Number of Items: 50
  5. Time for Exam Items: 80 minutes
  6. Format: Multiple Choice, Scenarios with Graphics, and Matching
  7. Language: English

Study resources:

Official Palo Alto Networks study resources

The Study Guides are good and nicely logically laid out. However, the fundamental or deeper knowledge of some subjects they rely on links to online documents, and many refer to the PAN-OS Administrator’s Guide. Also, in the Study Guides are practice questions that I recommend, though as of a couple of years ago, some were very vague, and I found some that were incorrect. The Study Guide is a good start, and if the certification has a Blueprint that can be used as a checklist when studying each domain.

The PAN video training site, Beacon, offers a quality, in-depth, and broad video training catalog on their products and services. Over the past couple of years, they have improved the Beacon site and video quality. Recently Beacon version 3 (version 3 of their video training site) was released and in PAN fashion, an improvement of the previous. Though Beacon is known for videos, documents like the Study Guide are available as part of the study/training/certification path on the Beacon site.

Online labs

Online hardware labs are growing in popularity and are available from multiple sites. These are viable and cost-effective resources, though some have a limited time window when purchased, such as 90 days or six months. Many also provide lab workbooks to help with configuration and studying when using their service. One provider I have successfully used is NDG, and their labs are terrific, along with their lab guides. Their prices are very fair as well.

What about other resources for studying for a Palo Alto Networks certification?

In addition to what I listed above, there are:

  1. The Palo Alto Networks PAN-OS Administrator Guides.
  2. Best Practice Guides.
  3. Knowledgebase.
  4. Live Community.

When studying, these are highly recommended resources and necessary when responsible for PAN products or services.

What about paid training?

My first training with PAN firewalls was with CBT Nuggets. There are many paid training options, and most are very good. One benefit of paid training is usually the high quality of the material. Also, with many paid training resources, there is an option to attend a live class and interact with an instructor and fellow students. With most of them, if you attend an on-demand class, you still have an option to reach out to the instructor.

I’m a big fan of Udemy training as I have purchased at least three dozen courses. One benefit of Udemy is the diversity of training, and it’s from a third-party perspective. There are some poor-quality courses on Udemy, but many more are excellent, so if the course is of poor quality, there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. If your timing is right, you can get a course for less than $10.

Summary

The resources in this post are by far not a complete list when studying for a PAN certification, as they are what I have used or currently use. The PAN Study Guide, Beacon video training, and hands-on experience should be a minimum when studying for a certification. When studying, keep in mind that this is not only for certification, but employment, whether a project, day-to-day, or in an interview when job searching.

PCNSA certified

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