Advanced Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)

MODULE 1:  Advanced Profiling in Cisco ISE

Lesson 1: Introduction to Profiling

• Overview of Cisco ISE Profiling Services
• Importance of Profiling in Network Access Control
• Profiling Policies and Attribute Collection

Lesson 2: Profiling Techniques and Configuration

• Passive vs. Active Profiling Methods
• Device Sensor Capabilities and Probes (RADIUS, DHCP, HTTP, SNMP, NetFlow)
• Endpoint Classification and Profiling Policy Creation

Lesson 3: Profiling Enhancements and Best Practices

• Creating Custom Profiling Policies
• Tuning Profiling Accuracy and Efficiency
• Integrating Cisco ISE with Network Infrastructure for Optimal Profiling

Lesson 4: Troubleshooting Profiling Issues

• Debugging Profiling Policies
• Analyzing Live Logs and Reports
• Resolving Misclassification and Incorrect Device Profiling

MODULE 2: Advanced Posturing in Cisco ISE

Lesson 1: Introduction to Posture Assessment

• Role of Posturing in Endpoint Security
• Understanding Cisco ISE Posture Policies
• NAC Agent vs. Secure Client Posture Module

Lesson 2: Posture Configuration and Deployment

• Configuring Posture Conditions and Remediation Actions
• Deploying Posture Assessment in a Wired and Wireless Network
• Endpoint Compliance and Remediation Techniques

Lesson 3: Posturing for BYOD and Corporate Devices

• Implementing Posture Policies for BYOD and Corporate-Owned Devices
• Integrating Cisco ISE with MDM for Posture Compliance
• Automating Quarantine and Remediation Workflows

Lesson 4: Troubleshooting Posturing Issues

• Common Posturing Failures and Debugging Techniques
• Monitoring Posture Logs and Reports
• Resolving Agent Installation, Communication, and Policy Mismatch Issues

MODULE 3: Policy Creation and Enforcement in Cisco ISE

Lesson 1: Overview of Policy Creation in Cisco ISE

• Cisco ISE Policy Framework
• Authentication vs. Authorization Policies
• Creating Hierarchical Policy Structures

Lesson 2: Advanced Policy Configuration

• Configuring Policy Sets and Conditions
• Attribute-Based Access Control (ABAC) Implementation
• Dynamic Authorization with Change of Authorization (CoA)

Lesson 3: Adaptive Network Access Policies

• Implementing Context-Aware Policies
• Role-Based and Device-Based Policy Enforcement
• Integrating Cisco ISE with External Identity Sources (LDAP, AD, SAML)

Lesson 4: Policy Troubleshooting and Optimization

• Using Live Logs and Policy Simulation for Debugging
• Analyzing Authentication and Authorization Failures
• Optimizing Policy Efficiency and Reducing Latency

MODULE 4: Advanced Integrations and Automation

Lesson 1: Cisco ISE Integration with Third-Party Solutions

• Integrating Cisco ISE with Cisco Secure Network Analytics (Stealthwatch)
• Connecting Cisco ISE with SIEM and Threat Intelligence Platforms
• API-Based Automation for Identity and Policy Management

Lesson 2: Automating Cisco ISE Operations

• Automating Network Access Control with pxGrid and Cisco Catalyst Center
• Dynamic Policy Adjustments Based on Threat Intelligence
• Implementing REST API for ISE Management and Reporting

Lesson 3: Security Group Tags (SGT) and TrustSec Integration

• Overview of Security Group Tags (SGT) and TrustSec Framework
• Implementing SGT for Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
• Policy Enforcement Using SGT-Based Access Controls
• Troubleshooting SGT Deployment Issues

Lesson 4: ISE with Firepower Integration

• Overview of Cisco ISE and Firepower Integration
• Configuring Firepower and ISE Integration
• Threat Detection and Dynamic Policy Enforcement
• Troubleshooting ISE and Firepower Integration

Lesson 5: ISE Use Cases

• Reviewing Complex ISE Deployments and Best Practices
• Lessons Learned from Large-Scale ISE Implementations

MODULE 5: In-Depth Troubleshooting, AI/ML Analytics, and Best Practices

Lesson 1: Advanced Troubleshooting Techniques

• Debugging Authentication and Authorization Issues
• Analyzing Logs with TACACS+, RADIUS, and Syslog
• Using the Cisco ISE CLI and Debug Commands

Lesson 2: Common Issues and Resolutions

• Addressing Profiling and Posture Failures
• Troubleshooting CoA and Policy Mismatches
• Resolving Endpoint and Device Registration Issues

Lesson 3: AI/ML Analytics in Cisco ISE

• Behavior-Based Anomaly Detection – Identifies suspicious network activity based on deviations from normal user and device behavior.
• Automated Threat Response – Enhances security by dynamically adjusting access policies based on AI-driven risk assessments.
• Enhanced Endpoint Profiling – Improves device classification accuracy using ML-based pattern recognition.
• Predictive Security Insights – Uses historical and real-time data to anticipate potential security threats before they materialize.

Lesson 4: Multi-Factor Classification in Cisco ISE

• Context-Aware Authentication – Considers multiple attributes, such as device posture, location, and user role, before granting access.
• Risk-Based Access Control – Assigns risk scores to endpoints based on behavioral analytics, compliance status, and security posture.
• Dynamic Policy Adjustments – Adapts authentication and authorization policies in real-time based on the risk assessment of the requesting entity.
• Integration with AI/ML Analytics – Uses AI-driven insights to refine classification accuracy and enhance security decision-making.

Lesson 5: Performance Optimization and Scaling Cisco ISE

• High-Availability and Redundancy Considerations
• Scaling Cisco ISE in Large Enterprise Networks
• Best Practices for Policy Optimization and Log Retention

LAB OUTLINE

Lab 0: Lab Access via View Horizon Client               

Lab 1: Cisco ISE GUI Familiarization and Initial Configuration         

Lab 2: WLC Integration and Policy Set Configuration         

Lab 3: Identity Source and Wireless Policy             

Lab 4: Wired Switch Integration and Policy Setup               

Lab 5: Create Policies for Domain Computers      

Lab 6: Create Policies for Employee         

Lab 7: Create Policies for Contractor        

Lab 8: Create Authorization Profile for Wireless Users      

Lab 9: DHCP Profiling      

Lab 10: Active Directory Profiling               

Lab 11: Block Unknown OUI Clients          

Lab 12: Block Anomalous Clients               

Lab 13: Configure Posture Compliance Services on Cisco ISE          

Lab 14: Configure Client Provisioning Portal          

Lab 15: Configure Posture Elements and Posture Policy   

Lab 16: Posture Authorization Profiles and Policy Sets      

Lab 17: Posture Compliance Configuration and Testing    

Lab 18: ISE MDM Posture             

Lab 19: ISE and FTD         

Lab 20: Adaptive Network Control Policy                

Lab 21: ISE and SNA integration 

Lab 22: ANC Global Exception Policy         

Lab 23: Test Adaptive Network Control  

Lab 24: ISE App on Splunk Enterprise       

Lab 25: ISE syslog configuration for Splunk            

Lab 26: Syslog Data on Splunk     

Lab 27: ISE Automation using APIs