3-year self-study cost
$250Exam $250 . training;renewal still needs verification.
See full cost breakdown →Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Analyst
Quick Verdict
Palo Alto Networks Certified Network Security Analyst is a retired Palo Alto Networks certification and can no longer be earned. No direct current equivalent is verified in this page data.
Retired credential - no longer offered (retired 2024-08-31).
Overview
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Vendor | Palo Alto Networks |
| Exam code(s) | PCNSA |
| Level | specialist |
| Track | cybersecurity;security-engineer;networking |
What is on the exam
These are official domain labels from the vendor. RoleMath adds a plain-English orientation column so the label is useful before you open the full study guide.
| Official domain | Weight | Plain-English read | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Object Configuration Creation and Application | 30 | Plain-English orientation: use this as the topic area to study for Object Configuration Creation and Application. The official objectives define the exact vendor tasks. | Official study guide PCNSA |
| Policy Creation and Application | 30 | Plain-English orientation: use this as the topic area to study for Policy Creation and Application. The official objectives define the exact vendor tasks. | Official study guide PCNSA |
| Management and Operations | 26 | Plain-English orientation: use this as the topic area to study for Management and Operations. The official objectives define the exact vendor tasks. | Official study guide PCNSA |
| Troubleshooting | 14 | Plain-English orientation: use this as the topic area to study for Troubleshooting. The official objectives define the exact vendor tasks. | Official study guide PCNSA |
- Study-guide source: https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/content/dam/pan/en_US/assets/pdf/datasheets/education/netsec-analyst-datasheet.pdf (retrieved 2026-06-26T10:04:13-07:00)
Difficulty
- RoleMath does not score this as a current next-step certification because this credential is retired.
Cost
| Item | Amount | Source | As of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam fee | $250 | https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/content/dam/pan/en_US/assets/pdf/datasheets/education/certification-faq.pdf | 2026-06-26T10:04:13-07:00 |
| 3-year self-study range | $250 | https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/content/dam/pan/en_US/assets/pdf/datasheets/education/certification-faq.pdf | 2026-06-26T10:04:13-07:00 |
Related roles
| Role | Relationship | Route |
|---|---|---|
| Network Security Engineer | Strong signal | /roles/network-security-engineer |
| Network Administrator | Strong signal | /roles/network-administrator |
Official OEM resources
Official exam guides, study guides, blueprints, and candidate handbooks (links to the vendor's own pages; PDFs are linked, never republished).
| Resource | Type | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Official Candidate Bundle | Official Candidate Bundle | Official link (retrieved 2026-06-26T10:04:13-07:00) |