topic Re: Where to begin in General Topics

Where to begin

upangsuilingeh — Sat, 23 May 2026 12:01:51 GMT

Hello Team,

I just joined the community. I am passonate about learning Paloalto firewall. Please can someone help guide mo on where to start?

Pangsui Linge

Re: Where to begin

kiwi — Tue, 26 May 2026 08:37:21 GMT

Hi @upangsuilingeh ,

here are some resources to start your journey :

1. The Palo Alto Networks Learning Center

This is your official, centralized training hub. They offer a completely free Digital Learning tracks.

Link: Palo Alto Networks Education Services / Learning Center

2. The LIVEcommunity YouTube Channel

If you prefer visual learning, our YouTube channel is packed with technical deep-dives, step-by-step console tutorials, and feature explainers created by our resident engineers.

Link: Check out the LIVEcommunity YouTube Channel

3. Official Tech-Bites & Podcasts

Want to learn while on the go? We have excellent audio podcast formats where our community experts break down complex network security topics, real-world deployment challenges, and new threat landscapes into digestible episodes.

Link: Explore our podcast series directly in the LIVEcommunity Podcasts Hub.

Happy learning !

Re: Where to begin

upangsuilingeh — Wed, 27 May 2026 09:31:28 GMT

Hello Kiwi,

I completed CCNA and partly CCNP topics. I have been working as a network engineer for some time now. I want to finish Linus administration and Linus Networking before finally entering fully into Paloalto. Do you think I am on the right path or do you think I am strong already to start Paloalto?

Many thanks.

Re: Where to begin

kiwi — Wed, 27 May 2026 10:11:42 GMT

Hi @upangsuilingeh ,

You are absolutely strong enough to start learning Palo Alto right now. You do not need to wait until you finish your Linux studies to dive in.

With a completed CCNA and your core CCNP topics under your belt, your foundational routing and switching knowledge is already exactly where it needs to be. PAN-OS relies heavily on standard networking concepts you already know—like OSPF, BGP, NAT, ACLs, and subnetting.

Knowing how packets move through a network (thanks to your CCNA/CCNP track) is 80% of the battle. Palo Alto firewalls are zone-based and stateful, so you’ll just be learning how to apply a security mindset to the routing skills you already possess.

You aren't wrong for wanting to learn Linux! PAN-OS is actually built on top of a hardened Linux kernel, and a lot of the CLI troubleshooting tools are identical to Linux commands .

Don't put off Palo Alto! Instead of waiting, I highly recommend running them in parallel.

Head over to the Palo Alto Networks Learning Center and begin the free Edu-210 (Firewall Essentials) digital training. Because of your networking background, the concepts will click very quickly.

Continue your Linux studies as a supplementary skill. Understanding Linux permissions, directory structures, and basic scripting will make you an elite firewall engineer later on when you start dealing with advanced log analysis, API automations, or virtualized cloud firewalls.

You have a fantastic engineering foundation. Trust your skills—you are more than ready to open up the Palo Alto console and get started!

Best,

Re: Where to begin

upangsuilingeh — Wed, 27 May 2026 10:47:10 GMT

Hello Kiwi,

Many thanks for this. I do appreciate your patience in explaining this to me.

best regards