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-5415: Installation, Storage, and Compute with Windows Server 2016

Course Overview:

Course one of a three course series to obtain a Server 2016 MCSA certification. This five-day course is designed primarily for IT professionals who have some experience with Windows Server. It is designed for professionals who will be responsible for managing storage and compute by using Windows Server 2016, and who need to understand the scenarios, requirements, and storage and compute options that are available and applicable to Windows Server 2016.

The course leads directly to preparing for the(MCSA):Windows Server 2016 exam “70-740: Installation, Storage, and Compute with Windows Server 2016”. It also maps to Microsoft’s course 20740A, and is part of the Server 2016 MCSA certification.

Attendees to TN-5415: Installation, Storage, and Compute with Window Server 2016 will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

Prepare and install Nano Server, a Server Core installation, and plan a server upgrade and migration strategy
Describe the various storage options, including partition table formats, basic and dynamic disks, file systems, virtual hard disks, and drive hardware, and explain how to manage disks and volumes
Describe enterprise storage solutions, and select the appropriate solution for a given situation
Implement and manage Storage Spaces and Data Deduplication
Install and configure, and manage Windows and Hyper-V containers
Describe the high availability and disaster recovery technologies in Windows Server 2016
Plan, create, and manage a failover cluster
Implement failover clustering for Hyper-V virtual machines
Configure a Network Load Balancing (NLB) cluster, and plan for an NLB implementation
Create and manage deployment images
Manage, monitor, and maintain virtual machine installations

Prerequisites:

A basic understanding of networking fundamentals
An awareness and understanding of security best practices
An understanding of basic AD DS concepts
Basic knowledge of server hardware
Experience supporting and configuring Windows client operating systems such as Windows 10

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CT-245: Linux+

Course Overview:

This course will provide students with proficiency in the everyday management of Linux based clients and basic management of server system. Students will learn the knowledge and tools necessary to manage Linux systems from the command line, as well as how to manage user administration, file permissions, software configurations, and Linux based clients, server systems and security. Let us help you prepare for the CompTIA Linux+ exam (XK0-005).

TechNow is a CompTIA partner and uses official CompTIA Linux+ curriculum.

Attendees to CT-245: Linux+ will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Dates/Locations:

Date/Time	Event
05/12/2025 - 05/16/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-245: Linux+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
08/25/2025 - 08/29/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-245: Linux+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
12/01/2025 - 12/05/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-245: Linux+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

Perform basic Linux tasks
Manage users and groups
Manage permissions and ownership
Manage storage
Manage files and directories
Manage kernel modules
Manage the Linux boot process
Manage system components
Manage devices
Manage networking
Manage packages and software
Secure Linux systems
Write and execute Bash shell scripts
Automate tasks
Plan and perform a Linux installation

Prerequisites:

CompTIA A + certification or equivalent experience

Comments

Latest comments from students

User: cwbrind

Instructor comments: Great experience with Mr. Peterson, would recommend again. Highly knowledgable and approachable for any subject.

Facilities comments: The Holiday Inn was a nice location for learning despite traffic around the area.

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CT-213: Cloud Essentials+

Course Overview:

CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ is for both IT and non-technical professionals who require the essential business acumen needed to make informed cloud service decisions. Cloud Essentials is a vendor-neutral credential designed to validate the candidate has an understanding of basic terms and definitions of cloud computing along with the different processes involved in the successful adoption of cloud computing and its implications for organizations’ use.

TechNow is a CompTIA partner and uses official CompTIA Cloud Essentials+ curriculum.

Attendees to CT-213: Cloud Essentials+ will receive TechNow approved course materials and expert instruction.

Date/Locations:

Date/Time	Event
03/18/2025 - 03/20/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-213: Cloud Essentials+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
06/09/2025 - 06/11/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-213: Cloud Essentials+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX
10/14/2025 - 10/16/2025 08:00 -16:00	CT-213: Cloud Essentials+ TechNow, Inc, San Antonio TX

Course Duration: 3 days

Course Objectives:

Domain 1 : Cloud Concepts
- Understand cloud principles
- Identify cloud networking concepts & storage techniques
- Understand cloud design aspects
Domain 2: Business Principles of Cloud Environments
- Identify and employ appropriate cloud assessments like feasibility studies, benchmarking, or gap analysis
- Highlight key business aspects of cloud vendor relation adoption, and comprehend cloud migration approaches
Domain 3: Management and Technical Operations
- Explain aspects of operating within the cloud, such as data management or optimization
- Understand the role of DevOps in cloud environments, like API integration or provisioning
Domain 4: Governance, Risk, Compliance and Security for the Cloud
- Understand risk management and response concepts related to cloud services and identify the importance and impacts of compliance in the cloud, such as regulatory concerns or international standards.

Course Prerequisites:

CompTIA recommends that a candidate have at least 6 months of experience in an IT environment, with direct involvement in IT-related tasks responsibilities and/or decision making.

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N-415: Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR)

Course Overview:

The Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR) course gives you the knowledge and skills needed to configure, troubleshoot, and manage enterprise wired and wireless networks. You’ll also learn to implement security principles, implement automation and programmability within an enterprise network, and how to overlay network design by using SD-Access and SD-WAN solutions.

Attendees to N-415: Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR) will receive TechNow approved course materials, expert instruction, and prepare you to take the 350-401 Implementing Cisco® Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR) exam.

Dates/Locations:

No Events

Duration: 5 Days

Course Objectives:

Illustrate the hierarchical network design model and architecture using the access, distribution, and core layers
Compare and contrast the various hardware and software switching mechanisms and operation, while defining the Ternary Content Addressable Memory (TCAM) and Content Addressable Memory (CAM), along with process switching, fast switching, and Cisco Express Forwarding concepts
Troubleshoot Layer 2 connectivity using VLANs and trunking
Implementation of redundant switched networks using Spanning Tree Protocol
Troubleshooting link aggregation using Etherchannel
Describe the features, metrics, and path selection concepts of Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)
Implementation and optimization of Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)v2 and OSPFv3, including adjacencies, packet types, and areas, summarization, and route filtering for IPv4 and IPv6
Implementing External Border Gateway Protocol (EBGP) interdomain routing, path selection, and single and dual-homed networking
Implementing network redundancy using protocols including Hot Standby Routing Protocol (HSRP) and Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol (VRRP)
Implementing internet connectivity within Enterprise using static and dynamic Network Address Translation (NAT)
Describe the virtualization technology of servers, switches, and the various network devices and components
Implementing overlay technologies such as Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF), Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE), VPN, and Location Identifier Separation Protocol (LISP)
Describe the components and concepts of wireless networking including Radio Frequency (RF) and antenna characteristics, and define the specific wireless standards
Describe the various wireless deployment models available, include autonomous Access Point (AP) deployments and cloud-based designs within the centralized Cisco Wireless LAN Controller (WLC) architecture
Describe wireless roaming and location services
Describe how APs communicate with WLCs to obtain software, configurations, and centralized management
Configure and verify Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), WebAuth, and Pre-Shared Key (PSK) wireless client authentication on a WLC
Troubleshoot wireless client connectivity issues using various available tools
Troubleshooting Enterprise networks using services such as Network Time Protocol (NTP), Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), Cisco Internetwork Operating System (Cisco IOS®) IP Service Level Agreements (SLAs), NetFlow, and Cisco IOS Embedded Event Manager
Explain the use of available network analysis and troubleshooting tools, which include show and debug commands, as well as best practices in troubleshooting
Configure secure administrative access for Cisco IOS devices using the Command-Line Interface (CLI) access, Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), Access Control List (ACL), and Secure Shell (SSH), and explore device hardening concepts to secure devices from less secure applications, such as Telnet and HTTP
Implement scalable administration using Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA) and the local database, while exploring the features and benefits
Describe the enterprise network security architecture, including the purpose and function of VPNs, content security, logging, endpoint security, personal firewalls, and other security features
Explain the purpose, function, features, and workflow of Cisco DNA Center™ Assurance for Intent-Based Networking, for network visibility, proactive monitoring, and application experience
Describe the components and features of the Cisco SD-Access solution, including the nodes, fabric control plane, and data plane, while illustrating the purpose and function of the Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) gateways
Define the components and features of Cisco SD-WAN solutions, including the orchestration plane, management plane, control plane, and data plane
Describe the concepts, purpose, and features of multicast protocols, including Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP) v2/v3, Protocol-Independent Multicast (PIM) dense mode/sparse mode, and rendezvous points
Describe the concepts and features of Quality of Service (QoS), and describe the need within the enterprise network
Explain basic Python components and conditionals with script writing and analysis
Describe network programmability protocols such as Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF) and RESTCONF
Describe APIs in Cisco DNA Center and vManage