Checkpoint Training

[network2004]

Hello Check Mates community,

Hello all,  first time with Checkpoint here.  Our Sr. Checkpoint Firewall person is leaving the job and I am going to take over his position.  I have zero Checkpoint experience.  However, I do have 22 years of Cisco and Microsoft experience.  As part of taking over this position, I need to get Checkpoint certified.  I have several questions about training and studying resources:

1.  For Check Point firewall knowledge, I understand that Check Point Certified Admin (CCSA) R80.x would be the first certification I should be studying.  After that, I should study Check Point Certified Expert (CCSE).  Am I right?

2.  I am good at self study and I don't want to spend $3,000 on a boot camp class.  I look on Amazon and I don't see any Check Point certification guides or books.  Where do I get a comprehensive CCSA study guide?

3.  On Check Point website, it advertises Udemy for "Check Point Jump Start" free training classes.  Udemy also offers CCSA video training course for $18.  I just want to check with the community to see if anyone uses Udemy's training for their CCSA certification and how you like it.  Are there any other video training resources like CBT or others?

4.  Lab.  How can I access Check Point firewall lab?  Any ideas?

Thank you very much!

Kevin         

[PhoneBoy · Accepted solution]

Yes, you need to start with CCSA.
We only cell the training materials via our ATCs.
A study guide is available here: https://www.checkpoint.com/downloads/professional-services/training/r80-system-administrator-study-g... 

As for a lab, you've got a couple of options:

• Download an ISO and build whatever you'd like in VMware. Each install gives you a 15-day PnP license and you can request additional evaluation licenses.
• We have labs available for free in CheckMates Labs.

[Benedikt_Weissl · Accepted solution]

"Check Point for Beginners" is a great series if you're new to Check Point: https://community.checkpoint.com/t5/Check-Point-for-Beginners-2-0/bg-p/check-point-for-beginners-2-0
Also check out HeikoAnkenbrands posts (https://www.ankenbrand24.de/index.php/articles/articles-check-point/
Timothy Hall wrote an awesome book about Check Point firewalls: "Max Power 2020: Check Point Firewall Performance Optimization". He also has some in depth video courses about several topics, the one about packet capture is really helpful.

Apart from that, the best advice I can give you is to make sure every change your old firewall person made is documented. There are a lot of parameters you might need to set again after a firmware upgrade.

[_Val_]

@Benedikt_Weissl Thanks, I was just about to recommend CP4B to @network2004