Learn ASA

gouki2005

I am a CCNA but as you know. people thinks you are a Networking guru is you have a CCNA.

My company wants me to configure it ASA.

The ccna doesnt cover that but they dont care about that of course I cant say. "Sorry , I cant use that equipment".

What are the best resources to learn ASA without expend money in the equipment?

I can buy some books (well maybe one , my budget its so tight right now)

Any idea?

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Comments

networker050184

All I used to learn ASAs was google and Cisco's configuration guides. You can emulate them in GNS3. No money spent!

YFZblu

I agree with Networker, you should be able to find some stuff online with a few Google searches. If you're interested in continuing your Cisco studies the new CCNA: Security path does cover ASA devices. It does not go super deep though, it essentially gives a brief history of the ASA line, features, and walks you through setting up essentials like security levels, NAT, DHCP, and SSL VPN's.

Futura

I got hold of a 5505 and set this up in my house, Had a great time with this equipment. Especially setting up a lot of ssl portals.

I too were asked by my company to install 5585x and 2x5525 ASA's with failovers etc. I just spent a while on you tube for the basics and then the Cisco site for the finer details.

Good luck

f0rgiv3n

Same with everyone else here, I just started reading up some docs and going through it myself. As you go through your networking career you will always run into new things that you haven't ever studied up on before. Your CCNA proves that you can learn what you need and move forward. The best way to learn is to figure out what you need to accomplish on the ASA and start configuring it like you would with any router. The differences you can read about or find manually.

On the fly learning, gotta love it!

networker050184

As long as you have a good grasp on networking theory picking up and using a new device is just learning new commands and features to make it do what you want it to. If you are a CCNA you should have a handle on things like NAT and ACLs. Do some reading up on policies, zones and VPNs and the rest is just syntax differences from a router.

Zartanasaurus

gouki2005 wrote: »

I am a CCNA but as you know. people thinks you are a Networking guru is you have a CCNA.

It doesn't mean you're a networking guru but it SHOULD mean that you're someone who is willing to go and STUDY about a subject that you have no knowledge about. So here's a perfect opportunity for you to do what you did for the CCNA, except there's a work requirement, not a certification requirement.

Ismaeljrp

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

It doesn't mean you're a networking guru but it SHOULD mean that you're someone who is willing to go and STUDY about a subject that you have no knowledge about. So here's a perfect opportunity for you to do what you did for the CCNA, except there's a work requirement, not a certification requirement.

^+1. Not to mention the valuable experience you'll gain through learning how to do it, and actually doing it on the job. Get excited for it! and yeah the cisco documentation is a very good resource...umm actually it's THE resource.

nel

grasp the experience with both hands and really give it a go! It will be a great learning curve for you.

If you need a structured learning path then check out the Cisco ASA specialist cert path.

RouteMyPacket

gouki2005 wrote: »

I am a CCNA but as you know. people thinks you are a Networking guru is you have a CCNA.

My company wants me to configure it ASA.

The ccna doesnt cover that but they dont care about that of course I cant say. "Sorry , I cant use that equipment".

What are the best resources to learn ASA without expend money in the equipment?

I can buy some books (well maybe one , my budget its so tight right now)

Any idea?

I hope you really didn't say "Sorry, I cannot use that equipment". I'm going to hold back on saying anything further but that say's a lot about you if you said that to your employer.

Of course the CCNA does not cover ASA's but you can learn can't you? You want to be a Network Engineer right? Then why would you turn down an opportunity to get your hands on something as important as configuring an ASA? You could easily come here for any questions, I currently have an Active/Active solution in place. When I first started working with ASA in 2007 I never once said I couldn't do it.

My advice, NEVER make such a statement!!!!!!!!!!!

It would be better to say "Sure, let me have a look and see what we can do. What are you wanting exactly? I am not following the Security track but we can figure something out, give me some time to do some research and I will get back with you ASAP".

With that, you set no expectation that you are a Security guru that can spin that ASA up within an hour. You stated clearly it would take some research and you would get back to them.

ASA's are amazing and the main reason I have chosen the security track. As the others mentioned, once you have it under your belt you can officially say and put on your resume that you implemented a security solution leveraging Cisco ASA. Trust me, that's huge!

StussyNz

CCNAS - CCNA Security Material goes through everything you need to know about how to and why you should set up ASA.

gouki2005

Thank you for your help is just this is my first IT Work for a company like this so I dont have the experience , The ccna open doors so , I don't want to screw this.

jsb515

gouki2005 wrote: »

Thank you for your help is just this is my first IT Work for a company like this so I dont have the experience , The ccna open doors so , I don't want to screw this.

i've been in IT for 12 years and I've had lots of times where I had to learn it on the fly, the best part about it is its more experience on your resume like others have said and plus you get to play with Cisco equipment!! have fun with it and don't stress over it. You got this, just read up on it and knock that ASA out of the ball park and show your employer you have the skills to learn and grow even outside your skill set.

inscom.brigade

I just started working with the ASA last week.

Keith Barker just made a new cbt nuggets video "Firewall 642-618" (seems it is geared to the ASA and ASDM 5505 ~5585).

I got my 5520 IOS all setup and configured in gns3, I was working on other things while i did it and it took 3 half days to get the 5520 licensed, and Booted, and into keiths video 3.

It looks like good stuff, I am looking forward to getting into video 3 ~ 28. Like said above I found all of it by google.

RouteMyPacket

gouki2005 wrote: »

Thank you for your help is just this is my first IT Work for a company like this so I dont have the experience , The ccna open doors so , I don't want to screw this.

Nah, you got this! Working in the real world there will be tons of "oh $%!@ what have I got myself into?" type moments. That's how we build our skills and the more you find yourself in those situations and make it through them, the more confident you become and before you know it, you are a seasoned Network Engineer that will look back at your first ASA config and have a laugh.

Almost everything we do is "on the fly" seeing as how nobody has all the answers on the tip of their tongue.