Ping My Lab

Live Batch 01, starts Tue 27 Oct 2026

Palo Alto NGFW on PAN-OS 12.1

Build a real PAN-OS 12.1 firewall in Ping My Lab’s hosted lab, break it, fix it, and prepare for the NGFW Engineer and Network Security Analyst exams. Taught live by Radhe.

Schedule
Tue & Thu, 8:00–10:00 PM IST
Format
10 live classes of 2 hours on Google Meet
Language
Hinglish, with every command and term in English
Batch size
30 seats

Not sure yet? Watch the free live class first

Mon 19 Oct, 8:00–9:30 PM IST on Google Meet: App-ID in action, why SSH on port 2222 stops under application-default, a break it, fix it drill with traffic logs and test security-policy-match, and the 2026 exam path.

Save my free seat

What you’ll learn, class by class

Five chapters, two live classes each, on PAN-OS 12.1 (VM-Series), with short notes wherever PAN-OS 11.1 behaves differently, because many production firewalls still run it. Every lab ends with a Break it, fix it drill.

#Application, serviceWhereAction
1web-browsing, ssltrust to untrustallow
2ssh, tcp/2222one host, to the DMZallow
3ssheverywhere elsedeny
–anyinterzone-defaultdeny
From the free live class: App-ID, application-default, and a narrow exception for SSH on port 2222.
  1. Chapter 1Tue 27 & Thu 29 Oct

    Platform, setup and networking

    Architecture and licensing, initial configuration, interfaces and zones, and routing with the Advanced Routing Engine.

    Labs 0–3
  2. Chapter 2Tue 3 & Thu 5 Nov

    Policies, NAT and App-ID

    Security policy and objects, NAT, App-ID and Policy Optimizer.

    Labs 4–6
  3. Chapter 3Thu 12 & Tue 17 Nov

    Content-ID, URL filtering and decryption

    Security profiles, zone and DoS protection, URL filtering, certificates and decryption.

    Labs 7–10
  4. Chapter 4Thu 19 & Tue 24 Nov

    Identity, remote access and VPN

    User-ID and authentication, GlobalProtect, and site-to-site IPsec with BGP.

    Labs 11–13
  5. Chapter 5Thu 26 Nov & Tue 1 Dec

    HA, management, monitoring and troubleshooting

    High availability, Panorama and Strata Cloud Manager, logging, the XML and REST APIs, Terraform, and troubleshooting.

    Labs 14–17

Every chapter also has a challenge lab as homework and the interview questions for that chapter.

Schedule

All times are India Standard Time (IST).

Starts
Tue 27 Oct 2026
Classes
Tuesday and Thursday, 8:00 to 10:00 PM IST
Length
10 live classes of 2 hours on Google Meet, 27 Oct to 1 Dec
No class
Tue 10 Nov (Bhai Dooj)
  1. Class 127 OctTue
  2. Class 229 OctThu
  3. Class 33 NovTue
  4. Class 45 NovThu
  5. Class 512 NovThu
  6. Class 617 NovTue
  7. Class 719 NovThu
  8. Class 824 NovTue
  9. Class 926 NovThu
  10. Class 101 DecTue

Missed a class? Watch the recording on My courses, read that session’s notes and load the previous lab’s end-state config from the lab files, and you’re ready for the next one.

Built for engineers who want Palo Alto on the CV, and in their hands

A good fit if you

  • Run Palo Alto firewalls at work, or are about to.
  • Know FortiGate, Cisco ASA or FTD and want Palo Alto as well.
  • Are CCNA-level and want a firewall role, ready for hands-on work.
  • Are preparing for the NGFW Engineer or Network Security Analyst exam.

You will need

  • CCNA-level networking: IP addressing and subnetting, routing, VLANs, NAT, TCP and UDP ports. No Palo Alto experience needed.
  • A Windows or macOS laptop with a modern browser and a stable connection. No powerful PC; the lab is hosted.
  • Time for the labs between classes.

Not for you if

  • You have never configured a router or a switch. Start with our free CCNA 2.0 course on pingmylab.in.
  • You cannot give the class times and the lab time.
  • You want exam dumps, or a certificate without the lab work.

What you get

Ten live classes with Radhe, the course kit, hosted lab time and direct help.

Classes and lab time

  • 10 live classes of 2 hours on Google Meet, with your questions answered as we build. Radhe teaches on the same lab design you use.
  • 20 hours of hosted lab time on Ping My Lab’s PNETLab Student Lab, in your browser, in 1-hour slots you book yourself.
  • A recording of every class, posted on My courses after the session.
  • A private WhatsApp group for Batch 01: class links, quick help and notes.
  • Support for lab problems: WhatsApp +91 76781 05700 or radha@pingmylab.in.

The course kit, on My courses before class 1

  • Start HereThe map of the kit, the plan, and what to finish before class 1.
  • Lab Setup GuideLab 0 on the free PNETLab lab, plus an optional Azure pod with a one-command build script.
  • Hands-on Lab Guide17 guided labs with GUI paths and PAN-OS set commands, each ending in a Break it, fix it drill.
  • Challenge LabsJob tickets with no steps, and a solution key. Some are broken configs to find and fix.
  • Capstone ProjectA fictional company’s HQ and branch network: build it, test it, defend it in a viva.
  • Session NotesConcepts, commands, gotchas and a revision list for every class.
  • Interview Q&AQuestions with full answers and “prove it in the lab” commands.
  • Exam Prep, both examsOfficial objectives mapped to the labs, booking facts, original practice questions. No dumps, ever.
  • Lab filesThe PNETLab lab file, the Azure build and teardown scripts, starting configs and each lab’s end state, so a missed lab never blocks the next one.

Most labs are free. Here is what needs a licence.

Two lab platforms, the same design: the same names, addresses and configs.

Free, hosted PNETLab

12 of the 17 labs, and the configuration part of the other five

A PAN-OS VM-Series firewall without a licence, with Linux clients, a web server, a Windows domain controller and a simulated Internet, in your browser. Setup, interfaces (virtual wire, Layer 2, tap), routing including OSPF, security policy, NAT, zone and DoS protection, decryption, User-ID, GlobalProtect without HIP, IPsec with BGP, high availability, the APIs and Terraform, and troubleshooting.

An unlicensed firewall configures, commits and forwards traffic, but writes no traffic or threat logs and gets no content updates. So on PNETLab you prove every result from the CLI: session table, counters, packet capture and test commands, exactly how firewalls are troubleshot at work.

Licensed, taught live

The next-generation features

Threat prevention, URL categories, WildFire, DNS Security, GlobalProtect HIP, logs, ACC and reports need a licensed firewall. Radhe teaches them live on a licensed VM-Series in Azure.

Want to repeat them yourself? The Lab Setup Guide builds the same pod in your own Azure pay-as-you-go subscription with one script. It is optional, and Azure bills you directly: our estimate for Central India is about USD 0.50 an hour during Palo Alto’s 30-day software trial and about USD 2.75 an hour after it, plus disks, bandwidth and taxes. Stop the pod after every session.

Taught as concept or instructor demo only: Panorama, VSYS, web proxy, Strata Logging Service, SD-WAN, CN-Series and Cloud NGFW.

Clear terms, before you pay

Course fee
₹14,999, one-time payment, the same for everyone. Founding price ₹12,999 until Sun 25 Oct, 11:59 PM IST.
Refund
Full refund until class 2 starts (Thu 29 Oct, 8 PM IST), no questions asked. WhatsApp +91 76781 05700 or email radha@pingmylab.in. See the Cancellation and Refund Policy.
Access
Recordings and the kit stay on My courses for one year from the first class, Tue 27 Oct 2026.
Seats
30, so every question gets answered in class.
Not included
Palo Alto exam vouchers, and Azure charges if you build your own optional pod (Azure bills you directly).
No false promises
No placement guarantee and no exam-pass guarantee. You get the labs, the interview Q&A and the exam prep; the practice is yours.

Common questions

Do I need my own Palo Alto firewall or a licence?

No. Most labs run free on Ping My Lab’s hosted PNETLab lab, on a VM-Series firewall without a licence. The licensed features are taught live on a licensed firewall, and you can repeat them on your own Azure pay-as-you-go pod if you want to. That part is optional.

Is the Azure pod compulsory? How much does it cost?

It is optional. If you build it, our estimate is about USD 0.50 an hour during Palo Alto’s 30-day software trial and about USD 2.75 an hour after it, plus disks, bandwidth and taxes. Azure bills you directly; stop the pod after every session and check your own bill. Azure’s free-credit account cannot buy Marketplace offers, so you need a pay-as-you-go subscription.

Can I use my own PNETLab, EVE-NG, GNS3 or VMware?

Yes. The kit includes the PNETLab lab file, as long as your VM-Series image came from Palo Alto Networks: the Customer Support Portal, or Palo Alto’s official 30-day VM-Series trial (business email required). Never use images from any other source.

Which exams does Batch 01 prepare me for?

The Palo Alto Networks Certified Next-Generation Firewall Engineer and Network Security Analyst exams, both at Specialist level. PCNSA retired on 31 January 2025 and PCNSE on 31 July 2025; a PCNSE you already hold stays active for two years from the date you passed.

Exam Prep maps both exams’ objectives to the labs, with original practice questions. Most of the Analyst exam’s management and operations domain cannot be practised on a stand-alone firewall; we cover it with demos and Palo Alto’s free resources. (Exam facts checked 13 Oct 2026.)

Is the exam voucher included? Can I take the exam from home?

The voucher is not included: each exam is USD 250 plus taxes, paid to Palo Alto Networks. And no, since 1 August 2025 Palo Alto exams run at Pearson VUE test centres only.

What if I miss a class?

Watch the recording on My courses, read that session’s notes, paste the previous lab’s end-state config from the lab files, and you are ready for the next class. Bring your questions to the next session or the batch group.

What laptop or PC do I need?

Any Windows or macOS laptop with a modern browser and a stable internet connection. The lab is hosted, so you do not need 32 GB of RAM or a home lab.

Why PAN-OS 12.1 and not 11.1?

PAN-OS 12.1 has standard support until 28 August 2028 and extended support until 28 August 2029. PAN-OS 11.1 and 11.2 leave standard support in May 2027. Many production firewalls still run 11.1, so the kit adds a short note wherever 11.1 behaves differently.

Which language are the classes in?

Hinglish: Hindi explanations, with every command and term in English.

How do I pay, and is it safe?

On this page, through Razorpay’s secure checkout. Ping My Lab never sees your card number, UPI PIN or bank password. Your batch appears on My courses as soon as the payment is confirmed.

Can I get a refund?

Yes. You get a full refund if you cancel before the second live session, which is class 2 on Thu 29 Oct at 8 PM IST. Email radha@pingmylab.in or WhatsApp +91 76781 05700 with your payment ID. Approved refunds are paid to the original payment method within 7 working days. The full Cancellation and Refund Policy has the details.

Do you guarantee a job or an exam pass?

No, and nobody honest can. You get 17 labs on a real PAN-OS firewall, interview Q&A with “prove it in the lab” commands, and exam prep for both exams. The practice, the interviews and the exam are yours.

Enrol in Batch 01

Pay ₹12,999 once (the founding price, until Sun 25 Oct, 11:59 PM IST; ₹14,999 after that). Full refund until class 2 starts (Thu 29 Oct, 8 PM IST), no questions asked.

What happens after you pay

  1. You land on My courses straight away, and a sign-in link arrives by email.
  2. My courses shows your class schedule in IST and the Google Meet link to join.
  3. The course kit appears there before class 1, and each recording is added after its class.
  4. You join the private WhatsApp group for Batch 01: class links, quick help and notes.

Ping My Lab is an independent training provider, not affiliated with or endorsed by Palo Alto Networks. Palo Alto Networks, PAN-OS, GlobalProtect and the certification names are trademarks of Palo Alto Networks.

₹12,999Founding price until Sun 25 Oct
Enrol now