Palo Alto Networks Firewall Training Course Lab

Working with the TechNow lab for the PA-215: Palo Alto Networks Firewall Essentials FastTrack course has been nothing less than a techie's idea of fun.  When students come in we are immediatly configuring the Cisco 3750 switches for access ports, VLANS, and trunks.  We then cable the switch to the Palo Alto Networks Firewall.  Each student gets their own Palo Alto Firewall Pod of hardware and software.  What we find as fun is the VLAN environment, with an array of virtual machines hosted on an ESXi server that can really exercise the abilities of the Palo Alto Firewall.  The DMZ VLAN hosts virtual machines that support enterprise services and also potentialy vulnerable web services.  The Trust VLAN has Windows and Linux clients.  The UnTrust VLAN has Web services and a VM of Kali. The hardware Firewall is additionally connected to a Management VLAN.  All those VLANs are trunked into an ESXi server where the student also has a VM-Series Palo Alto Networks Firewall for High Availability.  

After configuring all the trunking, VLANs, and network interfaces we learn about the firewall and configure it for the lab environment.  Using Metasploitable and Kali/Metasploit nefarious penetration attempts are executed.  Using packet captures, custom APP-ID's  and custom signatures are generated.  Custom logging and reporting are created to similate and enterprise and assist the desired Incident Response.  It is always fun in a training environment to learn all about the controls available in a product, even though specific controls may not be used in the operational environment.  In the end we have a good understanding of the Palo Alto Networks Firewall.

TN-765: Automating Administration with Windows Powershell

 

Course Overview:

This course provides students with the fundamental knowledge and skills to use PowerShell for administering and automating administration of Windows servers. This course provides students the skills to identify and build the command they require to perform a specific task. In addition, students learn how to build scripts to accomplish advanced tasks such as automating repetitive tasks and generating reports. This course provides prerequisite skills supporting a broad range of Microsoft products, including Windows Server, Windows Client, Microsoft Azure, and Microsoft 365. In keeping with that goal, this course will not focus on any one of those products, although Windows Server, which is the common platform for all of those products, will serve as the example for the techniques this course teaches.

Attendees to TN-765: Automating Administration with Windows Powershell will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

No Events

Course Duration: 5 days

Course Objectives:

 

  • Describe the functionality of Windows PowerShell and use it to run and find basic commands
  • Identify and run cmdlets for server administration
  • Work with Windows PowerShell pipeline
  • Describe the techniques Windows PowerShell pipeline uses
  • Use PSProviders and PSDrives to work with other forms of storage
  • Query system information by using WMI and CIM
  • Work with variables, arrays, and hash tables
  • Write basic scripts in Windows PowerShell
  • Write advanced scripts in Windows PowerShell
  • Administer remote computers
  • Use background jobs and scheduled jobs
  • Use advanced Windows PowerShell techniques

 

Course Prerequisites:

 

  • Experience with Windows networking technologies and implementation.
  • Experience with Windows Server administration, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

 

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TN-565: Nessus Vulnerability & Compliance Auditing

Course Overview:

This course provides security professionals with the skills and knowledge to perform vulnerability and compliance scanning of supported operating systems, devices, and applications. Students will construct custom scan policies for topology discovery, network vulnerability detection, credentialed patch audits, and compliance benchmarks, and discuss the underlying technologies utilized by the Nessus scanner.

This course provides students with the necessary information to prepare for the Tenable Certified Nessus Auditor (TCNA) exam.

Date/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 days

Course Objectives:

  • Introduction to Nessus and Vulnerability Scanning
  • Nessus Installation and Administration
  • Basic Nessus Scan Operation
  • Nessus Scan Configuration and Policy Creation
  • Vulnerability Analysis and Reporting with Nessus
  • Advanced Scan Configuration and Policy Creation
  • Introduction to Compliance and Auditing
  • Nessus Auditing Features
  • Windows System Auditing
  • Unix System Auditing
  • Cisco IOS Auditing
  • Nessus Database Auditing
  • Nessus Content Auditing
  • Auditing to Industry Guidelines
  • Auditing to Federal Guidelines

Prerequisites:

Students should possess a basic understanding of TCP/IP networking, operating systems security, and common client/server applications.

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CT-425: CompTIA SecurityX

Course Overview:

SecurityX®  (formerly known as CASP+)  course prepares you for the CompTIA SecurityX® certification exam (CVO-005) and demonstrates your knowledge and skills in enterprise security, risk management, research and analysis, and the integration of computing, communications, and business disciplines. This course will prepare students for the objectives covered in the CompTIA SecurityX certification exam (CVO-005).

Attendees to CT-425: CompTIA SecurityX will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

Date/Time Event
09/15/2025 - 09/19/2025
09:00 -17:00 		CT-425: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+)
TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
12/08/2025 - 12/12/2025
09:00 -17:00 		CT-425: CompTIA Advanced Security Practitioner (CASP+)
TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX

Duration: 5 days

Course Objectives:

  • Support IT governance in the enterprise with an emphasis on managing risk
  • Leverage collaboration tools and technology to support enterprise security
  • Use research and analysis to secure the enterprise
  • Integrate advanced authentication and authorization techniques
  • Implement cryptographic techniques
  • Implement security controls for hosts
  • Implement security controls for mobile devices
  • Implement network security
  • Implement security in the systems and software development lifecycle
  • Integrate hosts, storage, networks, applications, virtual environments, and cloud technologies in a secure enterprise architecture
  • Conduct security assessments
  • Respond to and recover from security incidents

Prerequisites:

Completion of the following or equivalent knowledge:

Minimum of 10 years general hands on IT experience

5 years being hands-on security

CompTIA Certification: Network+

CompTIA Certification: Security+

CompTIA Certification: CySA+

OR equivalent knowledge

Comments

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User: clbrack

Instructor comments: I expect to pass, another great class from technow!

User: christopher0470

Instructor comments: Alan takes the time to cover the material so that you understand the concepts and applications of the information presented.

Facilities comments: I like the location. It was quiet and very conducive to learning.

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VM-345: VMware Infrastructure Security: VMware Install, Configure, and Manage with Security Objectives

 

Course Overview:

This course explores the VMware Infrastructure and related security, which consists of VMware ESX Server & VMware Virtual Center Server. We will look at both the design environments and operational processes of the VMware Infrastructure including security. This course provides IT architects with the insight needed to tackle tough issues in server virtualization such as virtual machine technologies, storage infrastructure, and designing clustered environments with security practices included. Extensive hands-on labs provide for a rich student experience.

Hypervisors and their supporting environment require attention to security due to the aggregated risk of hosting multiple virtual servers. This course explores the security of virtualized environments. Student configure ESXi by learning to manage the security and risk between ESXi, virtual servers and security integration of ESXi to the physical network infrastructure including appropriate segregation from other sensitive networks and management networks. How to configure virtual networks when some hosts are dual or multi homed, but internally segregate between the two or more connected networks with different security levels. Appropriate integration of zero-clients and thin clients. Configuration of defensive measures on hosts, servers, hypervisors within the virtual environment and practices for those guarding it externally. Integration of Active Directory and other AAA/CIA related services relative to a virtualized environment.

Students are also walked through DoD ESXi Security Technical Implementation Guide (STIG). Introduction to the impact of Intel Trusted Execution Technology integrated with ESXi to create a trusted platform for virtual machines. Additionally the instructor walks the students through NIST Special Publication 800-125A: Security Recommendations for Hypervisor Deployment on Servers, and NIST Special Publication 800-125B: Secure Virtual Network Configuration for Virtual Machine (VM) Protection.

Attendees to “VM-345: VMware Infrastructure Security: VMware Install, Configure, and Manage with Security Objectives” will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

• Virtual Infrastructure Overview
• ESX and ESXi Server Installation
• Configuration of Networking, Scalability and Security
• Storage
• Install and Configure vCenter Server and Components
• Creation, Deployment, Management, and Migration of Virtual Machines
• Utilize vCenter Server for Resource Management
• Utilize vCenter Server for Virtual Machine Access Control and User Managment
• Use vCenter Server to increase scalability
• Monitoring Your Environment
• Data & Availability Protection Troubleshooting
• Use VMware vCenter Update Manager to apply ESXi patches
• Use vCenter Server to manage vMotion, HA, DRS and data protection.