Why I’m Here?

I recently passed the PCNSA exam and become Palo Alto certified for the first time after studying for 3 months. I’m here to tell you about my experience and give some advice to anyone who intends to learn Palo Alto and take the PCNSA.

Palo Alto Networks

The Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Administrator or simply PCNSA for short is a very sought-after certification in the Information tech industry. As a leading cybersecurity vendor and the only vendor ranked number 1 on the Gartner Magic Quadrant for the past 10 years, Palo Alto Networks is a dominant cybersecurity company respected by government and private sectors alike. Its security platform helps mitigate several high-profile security threats, ensure corporate information is safe, and potentially prevent a wide range of cyber crimes. 

PCNSA: Palo Alto Certified Network Security Administrator

The PCNSA certificate training and exam teach network administrators, engineers, and other security professionals how to prevent, detect, and manage cyber threats. Those who pass the exam, prove their determination as cybersecurity professionals, potentially making them more valuable to employers. 

Tips to Gain the Knowledge and Pass the PCNSA

It is worth noting that the most important part of the journey is to gain the knowledge necessary to deploy and manage Palo Alto’s next-generation firewalls. The certificate is just a bonus, and many capable engineers never take the time to seat for the exam. Here are a few tips on how to pass the PCNSA:

Prerequisite

You need to know how to configure a network before you attempt the PNCSA. That doesn’t mean you need to be an expert network engineer, but you need to know how to configure a switch, and a router and understand concepts like VLAN, switchport, NAT, Subnetting, Routing (Static, Dynamic), IP addressing, etc…

Part 2 Coming Soon