Certification Overview

The bearer of the PCNSA certificate has demonstrated the ability to work on firewalls based on the Palo Alto platform. This designation is valuable for two fundamental reasons. First, the world is becoming digitalized very rapidly. Experts are needed to make these channels more secure to prevent theft of valuable information or other vital details that may prove harmful to an organization. A PCNSA certified specialist is believed to have the necessary skills to ward off those cutting-edge cyber threats. This leads us to the second reason why the PCNSA is a valuable certificate. The certification vendor, Palo Alto Networks, is a global leader in cybersecurity. Consequently, validation from them is highly valued in the industry. Being a PCNSA certified individual, in this case, indicates that you have real-world mastery of the Palo Alto Next-Generation PAN-OS® 10.0 platform in any environment. As a PCNSA certified professional, you are permitted to print the certification badge on your business cards to show that you are Palo Alto certified. This badge would undoubtedly increase your job opportunities. Note that the certificate expires two years from when you passed the PCNSA exam, after which you can recertify. The use of the logo on business cards or personal display materials is valid only for the period you have an active certification status. By the way, the market for Palo Alto Networks jobs in the Network and Security field is booming, making PCNSA certified professionals highly-sought after so take a step towards a thriving career!

Exam Details

To obtain the PCNSA certification, the students are required to pass one qualifying exam. The test lasts for 80 minutes. An extra 10 minutes are allocated for reviewing Palo Alto Networks Exam Security Policy and Survey, so the total seat time of the exam is 90 minutes. The test is made up of 50 questions that are presented as scenarios with graphics, multiple-choice, and matching options. You can take the exam through Pearson VUE online or at one of the testing centers that are located in major cities of the world. The test is available in the English language only.

The PCNSA certification test costs $140. This amount is established for a single exam delivery. If you fail your test, you will have to pay another fee. You will also receive a score report highlighting the areas you need to pay more attention to. You will have to wait for five business days before you can retake the exam. If your second attempt is also unsuccessful, you will only be able to retake the test in 15 business days.

After successfully passing the qualifying test, you will be awarded the PCNSA certification. Your Palo Alto Networks certificate is valid for two years from the date of the exam completion. To maintain your certification status, you will be required to recertify by taking the most recent version of the test.

Reference: https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/services/education/certification#pcnsa

Details for PCNSA Exam

The primary objective of the PCNSA test is to showcase that a candidate has a deep understanding of the Palo Alto Networks Platform and can protect networks from cyber threats by deploying his/her knowledge and skills. Success in this exam earns you the PCNSA certification. The PCNSA is available in English only and consists of 50 multiple-choice, matching, and scenarios with graphics questions. As per the vendor, the exam takes a total of 90 minutes. Ten of those minutes are dedicated to review the PCNSA policy and take a survey. And if you happen to fail an exam, you will get a report detailing the areas you should focus on before retaking the test. Also, it costs $155 to take the official exam in the US, but this registration fee varies across regions and is VAT dependent.