Engineering Guides
Curated resources for network and security engineers.
Network & Security Certifications — Book References
1. Core Networking Certifications
Cisco CCNA / CCNP Enterprise
Covers foundational to advanced enterprise networking concepts including routing, switching, and troubleshooting. Strong emphasis on design and protocol behavior.
- CCNA 200-301 Official Cert Guide – Wendell Odom
- CCNP and CCIE Enterprise Core ENCOR 350-401 Official Cert Guide
- Routing TCP/IP, Volume I – Jeff Doyle
- Routing TCP/IP, Volume II – Jeff Doyle
Juniper JNCIA / JNCIS / JNCIP
Focuses on Junos OS, routing fundamentals, and protocol-level understanding. Commonly used in service provider and large enterprise environments.
- JNCIA-Junos Study Guide
- Juniper Networks Warrior – Gary Donahue
- Junos Enterprise Routing – Harry Reynolds
2. BGP / ISP / Service Provider
BGP / Internet Routing
Targets large-scale routing, BGP policy design, convergence, and real-world internet routing behavior used by ISPs and cloud providers.
- Internet Routing Architectures – Sam Halabi
- BGP Design and Implementation – Randy Zhang
- Optimal Routing Design – Russ White
3. Network Security (Vendor-Neutral)
Vendor-Neutral Network Security
Provides core security principles such as protocol behavior, cryptography, traffic analysis, and secure design concepts.
- Network Security Essentials – William Stallings
- Practical Packet Analysis – Chris Sanders
- Applied Cryptography – Bruce Schneier
GIAC / Deep Protocol Knowledge
Focuses on packet-level analysis, malware behavior, and how attacks appear in real network traffic.
- The TCP/IP Guide – Charles Kozierok
- Practical Malware Analysis – Sikorski & Honig
4. Firewall & Network Security (Vendor-Specific)
Palo Alto Networks (PCNSA / PCNSE)
Covers next-generation firewall concepts, application-aware security, policy design, and zero-trust networking.
- Palo Alto Networks PCNSE Official Study Guide
- Mastering Palo Alto Networks – Tom Piens
- Zero Trust Networks – Evan Gilman & Doug Barth
Fortinet (FCA / FCP / NSE)
Emphasizes firewalling, routing integration, and Fortinet Security Fabric design across enterprise and cloud environments.
- FortiGate Security Essentials
- Network Security Through Data Analysis – Michael Collins
5. Cloud Networking & Security
AWS Networking & Security
Focuses on VPC design, hybrid connectivity, routing, and security controls in large-scale cloud environments.
Google Cloud Networking & Security
Emphasizes global networking, shared VPCs, hybrid connectivity, and cloud-native security design.
Azure Networking & Security
Covers Azure virtual networking, routing, security groups, and hybrid enterprise connectivity.