- Create and apply security profiles and security profile groups
- Create and apply decryption profiles
- Create and apply external dynamic lists
- Create and apply custom objects
Palo Alto Networks Certification Training Course
Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Analyst Certification Training Course
We'll get you ready for the Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Analyst exam, the Specialist credential for objects, policy and centralized management with Strata Cloud Manager.
Course focus: Object configuration, policy creation, management and operations, and troubleshooting with Strata Cloud Manager, mapped to the official Network Security Analyst blueprint.
Course Overview
What the Network Security Analyst course covers and who it's for.
Palo Alto Networks retired PCNSA on January 31, 2025 and lists Network Security Analyst among the recommended replacements. If you were working toward PCNSA, this is the closest match for day-to-day firewall administration.
Per Palo Alto Networks, the exam validates the skills analysts and administrators need for object configuration, policy creation and centralized management using Strata Cloud Manager. Objects and policy make up 60% of the blueprint, so we spend most of our lab time there.
Accumentum is an independent training provider. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or a partner of Palo Alto Networks, and this isn't official Palo Alto Networks training. Palo Alto Networks sets exam content, fees and policies, so check paloaltonetworks.com before you book.
Course Objectives
Get ready for Network Security Analyst the way the exam is built.
01
Cover the Whole Blueprint
Work through all 4 domains in the official Network Security Analyst datasheet, weighted the way the exam weights them.
02
Go Deep on Object Configuration Creation and Application
Object Configuration Creation and Application is 30% of the exam score per Palo Alto Networks, so it gets the most class time.
03
Practice in a Lab
Hands-on lab work on the tasks the Network Security Analyst blueprint lists, not just slides.
04
Be Ready for Test Day
The exam is in person at a Pearson VUE test center with multiple choice, matching and ordering items. We practice all three.
Who Should Attend
- Firewall and network security administrators.
- Analysts who build and maintain security policy.
- Former PCNSA candidates whose exam was retired.
- Network Security Professional holders moving up to Specialist.
Prerequisites
- Palo Alto Networks doesn't list a required prerequisite certification, and we don't have enrollment prerequisites either.
- Hands-on time with Palo Alto Networks firewalls helps a lot. Network Security Professional is the recommended first step.
Pathway Map
The Network Security Analyst course in 4 modules.
Each module is one domain from the official datasheet, with its exam weight.
Course Content
- Create and apply Security policies
- Create and apply NAT policies
- Create and apply decryption policies
- Create and apply application override policies
- Use centralized management system
- Use Command Center, Activity Insights, and Policy Optimizer to improve security posture
- Use Log Viewer and the Incidents and Alerts page to remediate incidents and alerts
- Troubleshoot misconfigurations across all management and on-box options
- Troubleshoot runtime and commit and push errors
- Troubleshoot device usage and health
Course Features
How we teach Network Security Analyst.
Instructor-Led Classes
Live instruction with time for questions, so you aren't figuring out the hard parts alone.
Hands-On Labs
Lab work tied to the tasks in the Network Security Analyst blueprint.
Blueprint Mapping
Every module maps to a domain in the official Network Security Analyst datasheet.
Exam Strategy
Practice with multiple choice, matching and ordering questions, plus test center tips.
Certification Exam
About the Network Security Analyst exam.
Network Security Analyst Exam Readiness
Our students pass at a 98.8% rate across Accumentum courses. We'll get you ready for Network Security Analyst the same way.
Per Palo Alto Networks, Network Security Analyst is a Specialist level exam priced at $250 USD, and taxes may apply. Since August 1, 2025, Palo Alto Networks exams are delivered in person at Pearson VUE test centers only. Exams are in English, with multiple choice, matching and ordering questions.
The certification is valid for two years and you renew by retaking the exam. If you fail, the waits before retakes are 15, 30 and then 90 days. Full details are on the official Network Security Analyst page.
Accumentum is an independent training provider. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or a partner of Palo Alto Networks, and this isn't official Palo Alto Networks training. Palo Alto Networks sets exam content, fees and policies, so check paloaltonetworks.com before you book.
Exam Blueprint
The full Network Security Analyst blueprint.
We map our lessons to the official Network Security Analyst datasheet. Here is that blueprint, all 4 domains and 21 objectives, so you can see exactly what is in scope.
Domain 1: Object Configuration Creation and Application (30%)
1.1 Create and apply security profiles and security profile groups
1.2 Create and apply decryption profiles
1.3 Create and apply external dynamic lists
1.4 Create and apply custom objects (for example URL categories, signatures, data patterns)
1.5 Create and apply Log Forwarding profile
1.6 Create and apply data security profiles
1.7 Create and apply internet of things (IoT) security profiles
1.8 Create and apply DoS protection profiles
1.9 Create and apply SD-WAN profiles and templates
Domain 2: Policy Creation and Application (30%)
2.1 Create and apply Security policies (that is App-ID, User-ID, Content-ID)
2.2 Create and apply NAT policies
2.3 Create and apply decryption policies
2.4 Create and apply application override policies
2.5 Create and apply Policy Based Forwarding (PBF) policies
2.6 Create and apply SD-WAN routing and service-level agreement (SLA) policies
Domain 3: Management and Operations (26%)
3.1 Use centralized management system
- Strata Cloud Manager (SCM)
- Folders and snippets
- Automations and variables
- Strata Logging Service
3.2 Use Command Center, Activity Insights, and Policy Optimizer to improve security posture
3.3 Use Log Viewer and the Incidents and Alerts page to remediate incidents and alerts
Domain 4: Troubleshooting (14%)
4.1 Troubleshoot misconfigurations across all management and on-box options
4.2 Troubleshoot runtime and commit / push errors
4.3 Troubleshoot device usage and health
Before You Start
Who should take Network Security Analyst.
Here is who Palo Alto Networks says the Network Security Analyst exam is for and what it expects you to bring, taken from the official datasheet.
Who Palo Alto Networks wrote this exam for
This exam is designed for individuals who want to demonstrate technical knowledge and skills in the configuration of firewalls and subscriptions, as well as in management and operations in a network security environment.
Study Plan
How we approach Network Security Analyst prep.
Start with Object Configuration Creation and Application. At 30% it is the heaviest domain on the blueprint.
Keep the official datasheet open while you study and tick off each objective as you finish it. That is the simplest way to find your gaps before exam day.
Our course follows the same blueprint, with on demand lessons you can pause and replay, and our students pass at a 98.8% rate across Accumentum courses.
Exam Policies
Network Security Analyst retakes, renewal and badges.
Once you pass Network Security Analyst, the certification stays valid for two years. Palo Alto Networks recertification means retaking the current exam.
Passing a higher level exam in the same track automatically extends your active lower level certifications in that track by two years. For Network Security Analyst that can include an active Network Security Professional, Cybersecurity Practitioner or Cybersecurity Apprentice certification.
If you don't pass, you get a results report broken down by domain. Palo Alto Networks requires a 15 day wait before a second attempt, 30 days before a third and 90 days before any attempt after that. After a pass you can't sit the same exam again for 18 months.
Exams are delivered in English through Pearson VUE, and candidates testing in non English speaking countries get a 30 minute time extension by default. Your badge and certificate come through Credly.
Career Outcomes
Jobs that line up with Network Security Analyst.
Network Security Analyst lines up with firewall administrator, network security analyst and security operations roles where you build objects and policy and keep the firewall estate running day to day.
For a sense of pay, BLS puts the May 2025 median annual wage for information security analysts at $129,180. BLS also projects employment of information security analysts to grow 21 percent from 2025 to 2035, much faster than the average for all occupations. Treat it as a reference point and not a promise. Location, experience and the employer drive what any one person earns. Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Funding
Ways to pay for Network Security Analyst training.
Our funding page lays out every way to pay for training, and PathPay lists the courses that qualify for a monthly plan.
Veterans can look at VR&E benefits for career training, and our Veteran Skill Forge programs bundle several courses into one path. Questions about your situation? Contact us and we'll talk it through.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about our Network Security Analyst course.
Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Analyst is a Specialist level certification from Palo Alto Networks. Details are on the official certification page at https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/services/education/palo-alto-networks-netsec-analyst.
No. We're an independent training provider and we aren't a Palo Alto Networks partner. Our course follows the public exam blueprint in the official datasheet. Palo Alto Networks offers its own learning paths at learn.paloaltonetworks.com.
Palo Alto Networks retired PCNSA on January 31, 2025 and lists Network Security Analyst among the recommended replacements. If you were working toward PCNSA, this is the closest match for day-to-day firewall administration.
Palo Alto Networks lists Specialist exams at $250 USD, and taxes may apply. Vouchers are sold through Pearson VUE and expire 12 months after purchase. Check the current price before you buy.
No. Since August 1, 2025, Palo Alto Networks certification exams are delivered in person at Pearson VUE test centers only.
Two years from the date you pass. You renew by retaking the exam, and passing a higher level exam in the same track renews your active lower level certifications.
Palo Alto Networks doesn't list a required prerequisite certification, and we don't have enrollment prerequisites either. Hands-on time with Palo Alto Networks firewalls helps a lot. Network Security Professional is the recommended first step.
Instructor-led, with hands-on labs and practice questions. Ask us about upcoming class dates.
Use the registration page linked below, or email info@accumentum.net and we'll follow up with dates and next steps.
4. Per the official datasheet they are Object Configuration Creation and Application (30%), Policy Creation and Application (30%), Management and Operations (26%), Troubleshooting (14%).
Object Configuration Creation and Application at 30%, per the Palo Alto Networks datasheet.
This exam is designed for individuals who want to demonstrate technical knowledge and skills in the configuration of firewalls and subscriptions, as well as in management and operations in a network security environment.
Palo Alto Networks requires a 15 day wait after a first failed attempt, 30 days after a second and 90 days after a third. Once you pass, you can't retake the same exam for 18 months.
Our PathPay page lists the courses that qualify for a monthly plan. For anything else, contact us and we'll go over options.
Enrollment
Enroll in Network Security Analyst training with Accumentum.
Enroll in our Network Security Analyst course to get ready for the Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Analyst exam with instructor-led classes and hands-on labs.
For dates and next steps, use the registration page linked below or email info@accumentum.net.
Ready to start on Network Security Analyst?
Tell us your target date and we'll help you plan the path.