Network Security, Automation, and Exam Preparation

Updated in May 2025. This course now features Coursera Coach! A smarter way to learn with interactive, real-time conversations that help you test your knowledge, challenge assumptions, and deepen your understanding as you progress through the course. This course is designed to take you through the essential aspects of network security and automation, covering foundational principles, advanced configurations, and real-world applications. Beginning with an introduction to network security, you’ll explore critical topics such as device access management and infrastructure protection. You'll gain hands-on experience configuring privilege levels, AAA services, and access control lists (ACLs), ensuring you can apply these skills in any network environment. As you progress, the course delves into wireless security, offering insights into protocols, encryption, and authentication methods that secure wireless communications. You’ll engage with practical labs to configure EAP, WebAuth, and PSK security settings, solidifying your understanding through real-world scenarios. The focus then shifts to automation, where you’ll learn about network programmability, data models, and popular orchestration tools like Ansible and SaltStack, equipping you with the skills to streamline and optimize network operations. The final modules prepare you for certification exams, covering study strategies, registration steps, and exam day tips. This comprehensive course ensures you not only master network security and automation but are also fully prepared to demonstrate your knowledge through certification. This course is ideal for network engineers, IT professionals, and system administrators seeking to enhance their network security and automation skills. A basic understanding of networking concepts and some experience with network devices is recommended.