🔥 Core Certification · R81.20

CCSA — Check Point Certified
Security Administrator R81.20

Master the fundamentals of deploying, configuring, and managing Check Point Security Gateways and Management Software Blades on the Gaia operating system. The essential starting credential for every Check Point professional.

Check Point Gaia OS NGFW Security Policy ClusterXL VPN Threat Prevention Core Certification

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Security Gateway & ManagementDeploy, configure, and manage CPSG

Security Policy & RulebaseObjects, rules, layers & optimization

Identity Awareness & VPNUser access, remote access & site-to-site

Monitoring & Threat PreventionSmartEvent, IPS & threat emulation

156

Exam Questions

Minutes Duration

70%

Passing Score

$250

USD Exam Fee

Why It's Trending

Check Point Powers the World's Top Enterprises

Check Point is consistently rated the #1 network security vendor by NSS Labs and Gartner — making CCSA one of the most in-demand firewall certifications globally.

Trending

Gartner Network Firewall Leader

Check Point has been a Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader for Network Firewalls for 24 consecutive years.

₹6–20 LPA

Average Salary in India

CCSA-certified professionals command strong salaries across Indian enterprise and MSSP environments.

Trending

100K+

Enterprise Customers Worldwide

Check Point protects over 100,000 organizations of all sizes across 88 countries.

+35%

Salary Uplift Post-Certification

Security professionals with CCSA see significant pay increases versus uncertified peers.

Course Content

Complete CCSA R81.20 Curriculum

Click any module to expand and explore the topics covered in detail.

Check Point Architecture & Gaia OS

7 Topics

Identify the Check Point product family and deployment options

Understand the Gaia operating system and its management interfaces

Describe the distributed vs standalone deployment models

Identify interfaces for managing the Check Point environment (SmartConsole, WebUI, CLI)

Explain the purpose of Check Point Management High Availability (HA)

Identify workflow to deploy Primary and Secondary management servers

Understand Check Point licensing and contract management

Security Gateway Installation & Configuration

7 Topics

Install a Security Management Server in a distributed environment

Install and configure a Security Gateway on Gaia OS

Configure network interfaces, routing, and topology

Define administrator permissions and role-based access control

Configure management API and automation integrations

Work with multiple concurrent administrators and permission profiles

Configure SmartConsole and connect to the management server

Security Policy & Rulebase Management

9 Topics

Configure address, network, and service objects

Define and configure Security policy layers (Access Control, Threat Prevention)

Create, modify, and optimize access control rules using App-ID

Configure NAT rules (Hide NAT, Static NAT)

Understand and apply HTTPS Inspection policy

Manage dynamic objects, updatable objects, and network feeds

Use Policy Optimizer to identify and remove unused rules

Verify accelerated policy installation and monitor status

Explain the policy installation flow and push mechanism

Identity Awareness & User Access

6 Topics

Describe Identity Awareness components and configuration

Deploy Identity Awareness with AD Query and Browser-Based Auth

Configure identity-based access control rules

Manage user access for internal and external users

Configure LDAP authentication and account units

Explain certificate-based and external authentication methods

Threat Prevention & Monitoring

8 Topics

Describe Check Point Threat Prevention solutions (IPS, Anti-Bot, Anti-Virus)

Configure Threat Prevention profiles and policies

Articulate how the Intrusion Prevention System (IPS) is configured

Configure Threat Emulation (sandboxing) and Threat Extraction

Obtain knowledge about Check Point IoT Protect

Use SmartEvent to analyze and report on security events

Monitor suspicious network activities using SmartView

Verify policy compliance using Check Point Compliance Blade

VPN & Remote Access

7 Topics

Explain Check Point VPN fundamentals and tunnel lifecycle

Configure Site-to-Site VPN with Check Point and interoperable devices

Configure Domain-based and Route-based VPNs

Deploy Remote Access VPN using Check Point clients

Configure Mobile Access Software Blade for clientless VPN

Describe situations requiring externally managed certificate authentication

Troubleshoot common VPN connectivity issues

High Availability, Clustering & Administration

8 Topics

Explain ClusterXL concepts including protocols, synchronization, and connection stickiness

Deploy and configure a High Availability Security Gateway Cluster

Configure Active/Standby and Active/Active ClusterXL modes

Exclude services from synchronization or delay synchronization

Implement Check Point backup and restore techniques

Identify supported upgrade and migration methods for Security Management Servers

Identify supported upgrade methods for Security Gateways

Define performance tuning solutions and basic configuration workflow

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the CCSA certification?

The Check Point Certified Security Administrator (CCSA) validates the knowledge and skills required to configure and manage daily operations of a Check Point Security Gateway and Management Software Blades running on Gaia OS. It is the essential entry-level certification for all Check Point professionals.

What are the prerequisites for CCSA?

Candidates should have a fundamental knowledge of networking and security, working knowledge of Unix-like and/or Windows operating systems, TCP/IP networking fundamentals, and system administration experience. No formal Check Point prerequisites are required.

How many questions are on the 156-215.81 exam?

The exam contains approximately 156 multiple-choice questions with a 90-minute time limit. The passing score is 70%. It is delivered through Pearson VUE either online proctored or at an authorised test centre.

What is the difference between CCSA and CCSE?

CCSA (156-215.81) is the administrator-level certification focused on deploying and managing Check Point security environments. CCSE (156-315.81) is the expert-level certification that builds on CCSA with advanced topics including advanced policy management, acceleration features, and in-depth troubleshooting.

What does Zetlan Technologies offer for CCSA preparation?

Zetlan provides both Video Package (40 video classes, 35+ hours, ₹22,500) and Online Live Class (60-day instructor-led training, ₹30,500) options. Both include course recordings, technical support via Call/WhatsApp, and downloadable study resources.

Is CCSA valid for the latest Check Point version?

Yes — exam 156-215.81 covers Check Point R81.20, which is the current major release of Check Point's security platform. The R81.20 release introduced significant enhancements to the SmartConsole, identity awareness, and threat prevention capabilities.

CCSA — Check Point Certified
Security Administrator R81.20

Check Point Powers the World's Top Enterprises

Exam 156-215.81 — CCSA R81.20

Complete CCSA R81.20 Curriculum

Frequently Asked Questions

Start Your Check Point Career with CCSA

CCSA — Check Point CertifiedSecurity Administrator R81.20

Check Point Powers the World's Top Enterprises

Exam 156-215.81 — CCSA R81.20

Complete CCSA R81.20 Curriculum

Frequently Asked Questions

Start Your Check Point Career with CCSA

CCSA — Check Point Certified
Security Administrator R81.20