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.

Course Overview:

This course is very hands-on with respect to SP 800-53 controls as related to ICD-503, leveraging experience with DCD 6/3, and incorporating a broad array of technologies found in the field.  Assessors and Auditors have to face many technologies that are not part of the main stream.  TechNow has gone to great efforts to build a very broad, comprehensive, and complex lab to simulate many scenarios and architectures.  Technologies such as a network appliance that is not a typical infrastructure product, a radio/satellite communications device, or many other technologies that build up a weapon system.  Students learn how controls are integrated into many different devices and how they fit in the overall security architecture of monitoring, reporting, and compliance testing.

Directly discussed are overlays for different requirements i.e.: tactical, medical, network type: JWICS, SIPR; IC or AF.  TechNow has developed a funnel concept to overlays to exemplify the encapsulation of a control within different requirements.  TechNow has over 15 years experience in Trusted Solaris/Trusted Extensions and labeled security.  Cross Domain overlays are presented that fits the work flow of an assesor.  PII overlays and any overlays that an organization uses and can be made available are also presented.  

This course allows the student to leverage years of experience in DoD DCD 6/34 for transition to the Risk Management Framework (RMF) applied to the Intelligence Community as mandated by ICD 503.  Utilizing NIST SP 800-37 to establish a baseline of RMF knowledge, the student learns how to integrate the NIST pubs to provide cohesive information assurance architectures and compliance.  ICD 503 scorecard evaluations are integral in demonstrating a successful ICD 503 compliance program.  TechNow's ICD 503 course provides students with the skill to assess security programs and evaluate ICD 503 compliance to build an improvement and sustainable program for score consistency.  TechNow's instructors have unparralleled expertise in federal compliance initiatives, and we bring this expertise instructing students on the complete life cycle of RMF.

More than a simple checklist, we instruct students not only how to validate essential security controls, programs, and metrics, but that they are operating effectively.  The student leaves the course knowing how to: identify gaps where controls, programs, or metrics are incomplete, missing or ineffective, and provide actionable findings and recommend remediation strategies.  Students learn to internalize NIST pubs to meaningul and effective IA guidelines and work with the Body of Evidence templates which include: Risk Assessment Report (RAR), Systems Security Plan (SSP), Security Assessment Report (SAR), and Plans of Action and Milestone (POAM).

TechNow training materials are aligned with the most recent set of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Committee on National Security Systems (CNSS), and Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) policies standards, processes, policies and instructions to be addressed/explained include ICD 503, ICS 503-1, ICS 500-16, ICS 500-18, ICS 500-27, ICD 502, NIST SP 800-37, NIST SP 800-30, NIST SP 800-53, NIST SP 800-53A, NIST SP 800-137, NIST SP 800-47, CNSSP 22, CNSSI 1253, and CNSSI 4009.

A majority of time is spent on in-depth compliance review of NIST SP 800-53 controls.  Instruction discusses which method should be used to test and validate each security control and what evidence should be gathered.  This course is not theory or death by power point.  Real scenarios are presented as exercises.  A complete live cyber range simulating the IC is utilized for hands-on labs for techniques of validating and documenting compliance of NIST SP 800-53 controls as related to ICD 503.

Date/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 days

Course Objectives:

  • Establish a baseline of RMF knowledge
  • Validate essential security controls, programs, and metrics
  • DoD DCD 6/3 to ICD 503 Transition
  • Lab Environtment and the Cyber Range
  • Overlays: Tactical, Medical, Network type(JWICS, SIPR; IC or AF), Cross Domain, PII
  • Risk Assessment Report (RAR)
  • Systems Security Plan (SSP)
  • Security Assessment Report (SAR)
  • Plans of Action and Milestone (POAM)

Prerequisites:

Experience in the field of auditing and assesments.

Comments

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Welcome to TechNow! The Leader in Information Security Training & Computer Training.

The world of information security and computer training is ever changing.  The techniques and systems continue to evolve and we must stay current and diligent.  To do this, you can count on TechNow®…the leader in cybersecurity training and computer system training.

TechNow® has been training the leaders in the computer community for many years.  We provide training for students in a number of areas.  Our cybersecurity trainings include popular courses like D0D 8140, Security , CISM, CISSP, CEH,CCNA, and more.  With over 34 years of experience, we’re able to provide you with unmatched training and certification programs.

TechNow also provides a variety of other popular trainings for the computer professional including Cisco, EC-Council, CompTIA, Unix/Linux and more.

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Upcoming Events

  • CT-210: Project+
    • 10/27/2025 – 10/30/2025
    • San Antonio
  • CT-325: Security+
    • 10/27/2025 – 10/31/2025
    • San Antonio
  • PM-325: Project Management Professional (PMP) Exam Preparation
    • 10/27/2025 – 10/31/2025
    • San Antonio
  • CT-215: Cloud+
    • 11/03/2025 – 11/07/2025
    • San Antonio
  • TN-125: Introduction to UNIX and Linux
    • 11/03/2025 – 11/07/2025
    • San Antonio
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    Course Overview:

    The C-215: Introduction to C Programming course is a hands-on course providing a complete introduction to the ANSI C programming language, focusing on quickly developing the practical skills needed to create real-world solutions.  Our hands-on labs are designed to promote retention and challenge students to apply their skills to new situations.

    Attendees to C-215: Introduction to C Programming will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

    Dates/Locations:

    No Events

    Duration: 5 days

    Course Objectives:

    • What is C?
    • Basics of Program Writing
    • Style
    • Basic Declarations & Expressions
    • Arrays, Qualifiers & Reading Numbers
    • Decision & Control Statements
    • Programming Process
    • More Controls Statements
    • Variable Scope & Functions
    • C Preprocessor
    • Bit Operations
    • Advanced Types
    • Simple Pointers
    • File Input/Output
    • Debugging & Optimization
    • Floating Point

    Prerequisites:

    Before attending this course, you should be able to use basic UNIX commands and have previous programming experience language, or have taken our Introduction to Computer Progamming class.

     

    Comments

    Latest comments from students


    User: jangles1337

    Instructor comments: Pretty knowledgeable on a number of things. Could have had a better in depth understanding of the material.

    Facilities comments: Was a hotel so it was pretty noisy some times.


    User: ldorsey

    Instructor comments: Great guy full of knowledge


     

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    Course Overview:

    With tight pressure to cut costs & yet implement technology quickly, IT project managers are under severe pressure to complete projects on time, on budget, & at the promised quality.  Yet industry figures consistently show that 90 percent of major IT project initiatives fail to be complete both on time and on budget.  This course delves into the unique challenges of managing IT projects, and offers a roadmap to success.

    PM-223 offers new Project Managers the best start into the Project Management field.  This course is intended to offer the new Project Manager a practical introduction to Project Management.  If you are new to Project Management and are looking for a first step on your way to the Project Manager Professional certification, then this is the course for you.

    Attendees to PM-223: Introduction to Project Management will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

    Dates/Locations:

    No Events

    Duration: 3 Days

    Course Objectives:

    • The 5 Process Groups
    • Building a WBS
    • Estimating work
    • Budgets
    • Practical Leadership
    • Ending a Project

    Prerequisites:

    • None

    Comments

    Latest comments from students


    User: marcus.resendez

    Instructor comments: Extremely well versed with pertinent course information. Outstanding instructor!

    Facilities comments: Nice


    User: mendezm

    Instructor comments: Instructor was extremely knowledgeable on the subject.


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