The PSE-Strata certification validates expertise in designing, deploying, and optimizing Palo Alto Networks Strata solutions, with a primary focus on the Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW) platform. It is intended for system engineers, security architects, and pre-sales professionals who need to demonstrate advanced proficiency in positioning, implementing, and supporting Strata-based security architectures for enterprise and service provider environments.

Strata is the foundation of Palo Alto Networks’ network security portfolio, designed to deliver network visibility, threat prevention, and secure access across on-premises, cloud, and hybrid networks. The PSE-Strata exam assesses candidates’ ability to understand customer requirements, translate them into secure solutions, and implement NGFW features that protect against modern cyber threats.

Core exam domains include:

• Strata Portfolio Overview: understanding Palo Alto Networks’ product ecosystem, licensing, and integration points.

• NGFW Architecture & Deployment: firewall modes, virtual systems, clustering, and high availability configurations.

• Application, User, and Content Identification: leveraging App-ID, User-ID, and Content-ID technologies to enforce granular security policies.

• Threat Prevention: configuring intrusion prevention, anti-malware, anti-spyware, DNS security, and URL filtering to block advanced threats.

• Secure Access & VPNs: site-to-site and remote access VPN setup using IPSec and GlobalProtect.

• Traffic Management & QoS: configuring security zones, NAT policies, routing, and quality of service for optimized performance.

• Logging, Reporting & Monitoring: using Panorama, logging service, and dashboards for centralized visibility and incident analysis.

• Troubleshooting & Best Practices: diagnosing connectivity issues, misconfigurations, and performance bottlenecks.

Strata Portfolio Overview: understanding Palo Alto Networks’ product ecosystem, licensing, and integration points.

NGFW Architecture & Deployment: firewall modes, virtual systems, clustering, and high availability configurations.

Application, User, and Content Identification: leveraging App-ID, User-ID, and Content-ID technologies to enforce granular security policies.

Threat Prevention: configuring intrusion prevention, anti-malware, anti-spyware, DNS security, and URL filtering to block advanced threats.

Secure Access & VPNs: site-to-site and remote access VPN setup using IPSec and GlobalProtect.

Traffic Management & QoS: configuring security zones, NAT policies, routing, and quality of service for optimized performance.

Logging, Reporting & Monitoring: using Panorama, logging service, and dashboards for centralized visibility and incident analysis.

Troubleshooting & Best Practices: diagnosing connectivity issues, misconfigurations, and performance bottlenecks.

The PSE-Strata practice tests simulate realistic deployment challenges, such as identifying misconfigured NAT rules, tuning IPS signatures, or enforcing policy based on application rather than port numbers. Each practice question includes a step-by-step explanation, reinforcing technical skills and ensuring candidates understand not just what to configure but why those configurations matter.

This certification is especially valuable for professionals involved in customer-facing solution design and pre-sales engineering, as it ensures the ability to present Palo Alto Networks Strata solutions effectively against competitor offerings.

By preparing for the PSE-Strata exam, candidates will gain the knowledge and confidence to design resilient, scalable, and secure network architectures that address modern threat landscapes. Certified professionals are positioned for roles such as System Engineer, Security Consultant, or Solution Architect, demonstrating the capability to safeguard organizations using Palo Alto Networks’ industry-leading NGFW platform.