Cisco 300-745 SDSI study plan
Cisco 300-745 SDSI · Give each week a clear focus.
8 weeks · About 6 hours per week
Architecture, Components, and Deployment Models of Cisco Secure Workload & Cisco Secure Workload Installation, Initialization, and Cluster Management
Diagram the Cisco Secure Workload architecture, labeling the roles of the collector, sensor, agent, and external data sources, and explain how telemetry flows between them.
Compare the deployment models (SaaS, on-premises, and hybrid) and list the prerequisites and trade-offs for each.
Identify the cluster components (controller, collector, and database nodes) and describe how they communicate and scale.
Explain the installation workflow for an on-premises cluster, including network, DNS, NTP, and certificate requirements.
Your checkpoint
A one-page architecture and deployment-model comparison table plus a numbered installation checklist for an on-premises cluster.
Cisco Secure Workload Installation, Initialization, and Cluster Management
Execute cluster initialization steps: node discovery, cluster formation, and license activation in a lab or simulator.
Configure and verify backup, restore, and upgrade procedures for a Secure Workload cluster.
Describe how to monitor cluster health, interpret alerts, and perform basic troubleshooting of node and service failures.
Document the process for adding or replacing a node in an existing cluster.
Your checkpoint
A lab report with screenshots (or command output) showing a successful cluster initialization and a health-check summary.
Agent-Based and Agentless Workload Visibility and Inventory & Policy Discovery, Application Dependency Mapping, and Policy Lifecycle
Install and register agents on Linux and Windows workloads, and verify inventory visibility in the Secure Workload UI.
Configure agentless visibility using integrations such as VMware vCenter or public cloud connectors, and compare coverage with agent-based methods.
Build an application dependency map from observed flows and label workloads into logical groups.
Explain the policy discovery lifecycle from initial discovery to policy recommendation and enforcement.
Your checkpoint
An inventory report listing at least five workloads (agent-based and agentless) with their labels and a screenshot of the resulting application dependency map.
Policy Discovery, Application Dependency Mapping, and Policy Lifecycle
Create a workspace, define scopes, and generate a policy recommendation based on discovered flows.
Analyze and refine the recommended policy by adding or removing rules and adjusting policy precedence.
Simulate policy enforcement in analysis mode and interpret the results to identify gaps or overly permissive rules.
Describe the process for policy versioning, approval, and rollback.
Your checkpoint
A policy lifecycle document containing a scoped workspace, a refined policy, simulation results, and a version history table.
Segmentation Enforcement, Compliance, and Forensics & Cisco Secure Firewall Architecture and Deployment on FTD and FMC
Enforce a policy on a workload and verify that allowed traffic passes and denied traffic is blocked.
Configure compliance rules and generate a compliance report for a given scope.
Use forensics features to investigate a simulated security event and capture flow evidence.
Compare Cisco Secure Firewall deployment modes (routed, transparent, and inline) and describe how they integrate with Secure Workload segmentation.
Your checkpoint
A segmentation and compliance report showing enforcement results, a compliance score, and a forensic investigation summary.
Cisco Secure Firewall Architecture and Deployment on FTD and FMC & Secure Firewall Access Control, NAT, and Prefilter Policy
Describe the Cisco Secure Firewall architecture, including FTD and FMC roles, and the management and data plane interfaces.
Configure access control policy rules, including rule ordering, logging, and intrusion prevention settings.
Configure NAT policies (static, dynamic, and PAT) and explain the order of evaluation with access control.
Configure prefilter policies to fast-path or block traffic before deep inspection.
Your checkpoint
A configuration guide with annotated screenshots of an access control policy, a NAT rule, and a prefilter policy applied to a test topology.
Secure Firewall Access Control, NAT, and Prefilter Policy & Secure Firewall Integration, Troubleshooting, and Operations
Integrate FMC with external services such as Cisco Secure Workload or SIEM for event correlation.
Troubleshoot common access control and NAT issues using packet tracer, captures, and logs.
Explain how to monitor firewall health and perform basic operational tasks such as policy deployment and backup.
Describe the process for upgrading FTD and FMC and the pre-upgrade checks required.
Your checkpoint
A troubleshooting runbook with at least three scenarios (e.g., blocked traffic, NAT mismatch, deployment failure) and the diagnostic steps and resolution for each.
Architecture, Components, and Deployment Models of Cisco Secure Workload & Cisco Secure Workload Installation, Initialization, and Cluster Management & Agent-Based and Agentless Workload Visibility and Inventory & Policy Discovery, Application Dependency Mapping, and Policy Lifecycle & Segmentation Enforcement, Compliance, and Forensics & Cisco Secure Firewall Architecture and Deployment on FTD and FMC & Secure Firewall Access Control, NAT, and Prefilter Policy & Secure Firewall Integration, Troubleshooting, and Operations
Review all domains using a practice exam or flashcards, focusing on weak areas identified in prior weeks.
Revisit key architecture and deployment decisions and explain the rationale for each.
Summarize policy lifecycle and enforcement best practices in a concise reference sheet.
Complete a timed full-length practice test and review incorrect answers.
Your checkpoint
A personal exam readiness checklist with scores from a practice test and a list of topics requiring final review.
Milestones
Week 2: Successfully initialize a Secure Workload cluster (physical or simulated) and pass a health check without critical errors.
Week 4: Produce a complete policy lifecycle document for a scoped application, including a refined policy and simulation results.
Week 5: Demonstrate successful segmentation enforcement and generate a compliance report for a defined scope.
Week 7: Configure and verify an access control, NAT, and prefilter policy set on FTD/FMC and document at least three troubleshooting scenarios.
Week 8: Score at least 80% on a timed practice exam and complete the readiness checklist.