300-715: Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (300-715 SISE) certification video training course by prepaway along with practice test questions and answers, study guide and exam dumps provides the ultimate training package to help you pass.

Cisco 300-715 SISE Practice Tests: Mastering Implementing Cisco ISE

Course Overview

This course provides a comprehensive introduction and deep technical dive into Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE) as required to pass the Cisco 300-715 SISE exam. It equips learners to plan, design, deploy, manage, and troubleshoot ISE in enterprise environments.

The focus is on real-world application. You’ll build policies for authentication, authorization, guest access, BYOD onboarding, device profiling, posture validation, and integration with directory services or external tools. You’ll also learn best practices for ISE architecture, scaling, and high availability. By the end, you’ll be able to confidently configure Cisco ISE to enforce secure network access policies across various access methods.

ISE in Enterprise Networks

Cisco ISE plays a key role in securing access to network resources using identity-based policies. Whether it’s wired, wireless, or VPN access, ISE allows network administrators to control who connects, what they connect with, and how their session is handled. This course gives you the skills to manage that process from start to finish.

Exam-Centric Focus

The entire structure of this course is built around the 300-715 SISE exam blueprint. Each module maps directly to the exam domains. Practice labs and scenario-based lessons help build the confidence needed to take and pass the certification exam.

Course Modules

ISE Architecture and Deployment

You’ll begin with the building blocks of ISE—its node types, personas, and how these are deployed in different models such as standalone and distributed. The focus is on scalability, fault tolerance, and understanding where ISE fits in your network design. You’ll also learn about licensing tiers and their capabilities.

Authentication and Authorization Policies

In this section, you’ll dive into configuring policy sets. You’ll learn how to work with authentication methods such as 802.1X, MAB, and WebAuth. You’ll understand how to build policy conditions, identity sources, and authorization rules that define user or device access levels.

Device Profiling and Posture

You’ll explore how ISE can automatically identify connected devices using attributes like MAC OUI, DHCP, SNMP, and HTTP profiling. You’ll create profiling policies, validate endpoint identity, and configure compliance posture policies using the Cisco AnyConnect agent. Posture remediation and enforcement will also be covered.

Guest Access and BYOD

You’ll configure guest access portals, including self-registration and sponsor-based workflows. You’ll also implement BYOD solutions using certificate provisioning portals, mobile device management integrations, and native OS supplicants. The goal is to manage onboarding securely while preserving the user experience.

Certificate Services and EAP Methods

This section explains how to integrate ISE with a certificate authority. You’ll work with EAP-TLS and PEAP, manage internal and external certificates, and implement certificate-based authentication for both users and endpoints. You’ll also explore automatic certificate renewal, revocation, and troubleshooting certificate errors.

TACACS+ and Device Administration

This module introduces TACACS+ in ISE for network device administration. You’ll configure command sets, shell profiles, and access policies to manage how network admins access routers, switches, and firewalls. You’ll also integrate ISE with Active Directory to enforce identity-based device access control.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting

Finally, you’ll learn to use tools within ISE such as Live Logs, Live Sessions, and System Health Dashboard. You’ll learn to interpret logs, troubleshoot failed authentications, debug policy misconfigurations, and work with the PxGrid integration for threat response. You’ll also learn how to manage reports and alerts.

Requirements of the Course

This course is ideal for learners who already understand basic networking concepts including IP addressing, VLANs, switching, routing, and the OSI model. Familiarity with AAA (Authentication, Authorization, Accounting), RADIUS, and TACACS+ is expected.

Knowledge of security principles and endpoint device types is helpful. Experience working with Windows Active Directory or LDAP directories will support your understanding of identity integration. You should have access to a virtual lab environment, ideally with Cisco ISE image, switches, routers, and test endpoints.

You’ll need access to a virtualization platform such as VMware ESXi, Workstation, or VirtualBox for running ISE and test networks. Networking hardware or simulated devices (e.g. via GNS3 or EVE-NG) is recommended for practice labs.

Course Description

This is an in-depth hands-on training course structured to guide you through all critical areas of Cisco ISE. You’ll start by learning foundational architecture and deployment models. Then, you’ll build authentication and authorization policies for wired and wireless clients, integrating identity stores like Active Directory.

As the course progresses, you’ll set up profiling and posture assessments to ensure that only compliant devices can access the network. You’ll implement guest workflows, secure onboarding portals, and BYOD registration. Through labs and demos, you’ll install certificates, troubleshoot EAP methods, and simulate real-world identity and access scenarios.

Advanced sections include TACACS+ device administration, integrating ISE with external services (like syslog, SNMP, and REST APIs), and building scalable, high-availability deployments. Throughout the course, you’ll review exam-style scenarios to prepare for the real 300-715 exam questions.

Who This Course Is For

This course is built for network security engineers, enterprise administrators, system architects, consultants, and IT professionals looking to improve their understanding of secure access solutions. If you plan to sit for the 300-715 SISE exam, this course is directly aligned with that certification path.

It's ideal for engineers managing networks with high security demands, who need to ensure authenticated and authorized access for internal, guest, and BYOD users. Whether you work in education, healthcare, finance, or government networks, this training will help you implement Cisco’s ISE to control access with confidence.

Introduction to Policy Sets

Policy sets are one of the most important components in Cisco ISE. They group together authentication and authorization policies in a logical and manageable format. Instead of configuring individual rules separately, policy sets allow you to define specific conditions and then assign appropriate authentication methods and authorization profiles.

Each policy set is evaluated in order, and the first match is applied. This means that policy order matters. You need to be strategic in how you build and sequence your policies.

Policy sets help in large deployments where different types of access need to be managed differently. For example, guest users, BYOD devices, corporate laptops, and IT admins can all be handled under separate policy sets.

Building Authentication Policies

Authentication policies define what credentials or methods are used to verify a user or device. In Cisco ISE, these policies use conditions to match traffic and apply an identity source.

For example, if a device is trying to authenticate over 802.1X, the policy might match that protocol and send the request to Active Directory. If MAC Authentication Bypass (MAB) is used, it may go to the internal endpoint identity store.

Authentication methods include PEAP, EAP-TLS, EAP-FAST, and EAP-TTLS. You’ll configure each based on your environment and device capabilities. You also need to configure fallback mechanisms to handle failed authentications or unknown endpoints.

Testing your authentication policy is crucial. Cisco ISE provides Live Logs and Test User utilities that allow you to simulate login attempts and identify misconfigurations.

Creating Authorization Rules

Once authentication is complete, authorization policies determine what level of access is granted. These rules are based on identity, posture status, profiling, group membership, time of day, and more.

You can assign VLANs, ACLs, downloadable ACLs, dACLs, and SGTs (Security Group Tags) depending on the matched rule. You might have a rule that allows full access for domain-joined laptops, limited access for mobile devices, and internet-only access for guests.

Authorization rules can be simple or complex. Using compound conditions, nested logic, and profiling attributes, you can make highly specific access decisions.

ISE also supports dynamic access control. Based on real-time status (like posture or profiling), you can automatically shift a device from one policy to another, changing its access without requiring reauthentication.

Profiling and Endpoint Classification

Profiling allows Cisco ISE to identify what kind of device is connecting to the network, even before authentication. This is done by collecting information such as DHCP options, HTTP headers, MAC address OUI, and SNMP data.

ISE includes a built-in profiler engine with a library of device profiles. You can use these to recognize devices like printers, IP phones, mobile devices, or Windows endpoints. Profiling policies use conditions that define how confident ISE must be before classifying a device.

You can create custom profiling policies as well. For example, you might want to identify a new type of barcode scanner or an IoT device. Profiling helps automate access control and reduce reliance on manual endpoint tracking.

Devices are grouped into endpoint identity groups once profiled. These groups are then used in authorization policies. For example, a profiled printer might be allowed only to access specific VLANs or protocols.

Implementing Posture Assessment

Posture validation is a powerful feature of Cisco ISE. It checks if a device meets security requirements before granting network access. This includes verifying antivirus status, firewall settings, OS version, registry entries, or the presence of patches.

The posture agent used is Cisco AnyConnect. It communicates with ISE and performs checks based on posture policies you define. If a device fails posture, ISE can place it into a remediation VLAN or show a web page with instructions.

Posture is especially useful in VPN and BYOD environments. It ensures unmanaged devices comply with your security policies before connecting to internal resources.

You can create posture requirements for Windows and macOS. For example, you can require disk encryption to be enabled, antivirus to be up to date, or specific services to be running.

ISE provides detailed posture reports and logs so you can audit compliance and track trends across devices.

Guest Access Portal Configuration

Guest access in Cisco ISE allows temporary users to connect to the network securely. ISE offers multiple guest workflows including self-registration, sponsor approval, and social media login.

You’ll configure a guest portal with customized branding, terms of use, and device registration options. Self-registration allows users to enter their information and receive credentials via SMS or email. Sponsor approval requires a company employee to authorize access.

You can define how long guest credentials remain active, what VLAN or ACL is assigned, and how many devices can be registered per user.

ISE also tracks guest login history, device associations, and session durations. These logs are useful for compliance and network monitoring.

BYOD Onboarding Process

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) support allows employees to connect personal laptops, tablets, or phones while still maintaining control over security.

Cisco ISE enables a seamless onboarding workflow. Users are guided through a captive portal that provisions their device with a certificate and registers it to their identity. This eliminates the need to manually configure 802.1X settings.

Certificates are issued via the internal Certificate Authority or integrated with an external CA. These certificates are used for EAP-TLS authentication, ensuring the device is authenticated securely.

You can also integrate BYOD with MDM systems to enforce mobile device policies. ISE can redirect non-compliant devices for remediation or block them entirely.

EAP-TLS and Certificate Deployment

EAP-TLS is one of the most secure authentication protocols supported by Cisco ISE. It uses client and server certificates to validate both ends of the communication.

Deploying EAP-TLS requires configuring a certificate authority, generating client certificates, and distributing them to endpoints. You’ll also need to configure ISE to trust the CA and define the certificate parameters.

Once configured, EAP-TLS eliminates the need for usernames and passwords. It is especially effective for machine authentication, IoT devices, and high-security environments.

Managing certificates can be complex. You must plan for renewal, revocation, and storage. Tools like SCEP, PKCS#12, and auto-enrollment can simplify certificate provisioning.

TACACS+ for Device Administration

Cisco ISE supports TACACS+ for authenticating administrative access to network devices. You’ll configure command sets, shell profiles, and access policies to manage what commands users can execute.

TACACS+ gives more control than RADIUS, especially for managing device CLI access. You can define per-user or per-role permissions, log every command entered, and separate authentication from authorization.

You’ll integrate ISE with your identity source, such as Active Directory, and use it to grant or deny access to devices like routers, switches, and firewalls. You can enforce multi-factor authentication or device-specific command restrictions.

Monitoring TACACS+ sessions allows you to detect unauthorized configuration changes and audit administrator activity.

Integrating ISE with External Systems

Cisco ISE can be integrated with external systems to enhance visibility and control. These include Active Directory, LDAP, MDM solutions, SIEM tools, and threat response platforms.You’ll configure external identity sources to authenticate users. You can also use REST APIs and pxGrid to exchange data between ISE and other platforms.Integration with MDM lets you retrieve device posture and compliance data. Integration with a SIEM enables real-time event correlation and threat response.You’ll also use SNMP for network monitoring, syslog for logging, and external CA servers for certificate management.These integrations make ISE a central piece of your network security ecosystem.

Monitoring and Troubleshooting Tools

Cisco ISE offers multiple tools for monitoring operations and troubleshooting problems. The Live Logs view shows real-time authentication attempts. Live Sessions tracks currently active sessions and endpoints.Reports provide visibility into authentication trends, posture failures, guest access, and policy matches. You’ll use filters to focus on specific users, devices, or network segments.You’ll also learn to use CLI commands and system logs for deeper troubleshooting. Problems like failed authentications, certificate errors, and profile mismatches can be diagnosed quickly.ISE also includes system health monitoring dashboards. These display node status, disk usage, CPU load, replication status, and alarms.Being able to troubleshoot effectively is key to both exam success and real-world deployments.

Advanced Lab Scenarios

These labs simulate real-world issues involving profiling, posture, certificates, guest access, and device management. You’ll work with ISE in high-availability (HA) clusters, simulate node failure, then validate failover and recovery. You’ll run through certificate integrations, posture validations using AnyConnect, endpoint profiling, and endpoint quarantining.

Layered Authentication and Authorization Testing

You’ll create labs involving complex policy sets that respond to multiple conditions. A policy may authenticate using EAP-TLS, fallback to PEAP, check device group membership, and enforce VLAN assignment dynamically. Another policy may check both the certificate and posture state before granting access to specific network segments.

Multi-Device Testing and Identity Stores

You’ll configure ISE to work with various identity stores—Active Directory, LDAP, internal databases. Testing should include laptops, mobile devices, IP phones, and IoT devices. You’ll analyze how different device types interact with the same policy set and identify gaps in access control or device recognition.

Profiling Policy Customization

Beyond default profiles, you’ll learn to customize profiling policies. You’ll configure probes (DHCP, HTTP, RADIUS, SNMP), tune confidence levels, and adjust timers for classification. You’ll address misclassifications and override them manually or through policy rules. You’ll also create endpoint identity groups based on profiling results.

Posture Misconfiguration Simulation

Labs simulate posture agents reporting incorrect data, being outdated, or failing to install. You’ll configure and test remediation scenarios including captive portals, VLAN redirection, and dynamic ACLs. Logs from AnyConnect posture module and ISE will be used to troubleshoot non-compliance and misreporting.

Guest Portal Failure Recovery

You’ll simulate guest portal failure: invalid certificate, expired DNS entry, or misconfigured portal redirect. You’ll fix SSL issues, upload new certificates, test DNS mapping, and validate guest login flows. You’ll also review guest access logs, expiration policies, and re-authentication behavior.

BYOD Workflow Conflict Handling

Labs explore conflicts in onboarding flows—duplicate devices, expired certificates, misaligned device registration with user ID, and mobile OS issues. You’ll configure endpoint purge policies and test re-registration logic. You’ll also learn how to deploy new onboarding workflows using SCEP or external CA integrations.

Certificate Revocation Scenarios

You’ll simulate a revoked certificate in the chain. You’ll configure ISE to check OCSP or CRL, revoke client certificates, and observe denied access. Then restore access by reissuing certificates. You’ll also check certificate expiry, re-enrollment, and renewal processes for users and devices.

Policy Set Design Workshop

You’ll design policy sets with multiple rules for wired, wireless, guest, BYOD, and admins. Each rule will have distinct authentication methods, authorization outcomes, posture status requirements, and fallback. You’ll test each rule path and use logs to verify correct rule matching.

EAP Method Troubleshooting

You’ll explore issues with EAP-FAST, EAP-TLS, and PEAP. Simulate client-side misconfigurations: wrong CA, missing client certificate, unsupported supplicant. You’ll monitor logs on ISE and the client to isolate TLS negotiation failures, identity mismatches, or server untrusted errors.

TACACS+ Permissions Validation

You’ll create custom shell profiles and command sets for different admin roles. Simulate a junior admin who can only view interface configs but cannot change them. Then test access across routers, switches, and firewalls. Review logs and validate command accounting and enforcement.

Exam Strategy

You must treat the 300-715 exam as a professional challenge. First, master the exam blueprint. Break it down into weekly modules, focus study efforts on topics you’re weak in. Use official Cisco documentation, video training, and hands-on labs to reinforce every section.

Timed Practice and Simulation

Regularly take timed exams using sample questions or practice test banks. Track your scores, note your common errors, and prioritize topics where your score is below 70%. Do simulations using CLI, GUI, and lab environments to mimic the real exam scenario.

Interpretation of Complex Questions

Many exam questions contain tricky wording. Words like “always,” “only,” “best,” “first” change the intent of the question. Read slowly. Re-read if needed. Some scenario-based questions will include extra details—ignore distractions and isolate the core question logic.

Building a Mistake Journal

Every time you make a mistake—document it. Log the question, your answer, the correct answer, and the reason. Review this list weekly. Over time, you’ll reduce repeated errors and improve accuracy through awareness and recall.

Real-World Case Studies

Analyzing real deployments reveals practical challenges. In a healthcare network, profiling failed because of identical printer models misreporting DHCP data. In a university, certificate management issues caused BYOD onboarding to fail during semester start. In a retail chain, posture policies conflicted with POS terminal configurations.

Use of Profiling in Legacy Networks

Enterprises with old devices that don’t support 802.1X must rely heavily on profiling and MAC address bypass. This introduces security concerns. You’ll review cases where profiling was tightened using SNMP attributes or DHCP class identifiers to reduce spoofing risks.

Deployment Across Multiple Sites

Case studies show how ISE scales across branches and campuses. High availability is achieved using node personas split between datacenters. You’ll see policy synchronization challenges, performance impacts during peak hours, and how PxGrid helps integrate visibility across all locations.

Reporting and Compliance Monitoring

Organizations often need to report on user behavior, access logs, guest sessions, and device types for compliance. You’ll review real-world examples of how reporting is structured, what metrics matter, how to generate scheduled reports, and how to retain log data efficiently.

Review Exercises and Practice Questions

Design end-to-end network access policies including EAP-TLS with posture, fallback to PEAP for legacy devices, guest onboarding, and role-based access control. Apply profiling, test authorization rules, and generate session logs for validation.

Simulation-Based Exam Prep

Mimic the exam with labs: broken certificates, wrong identity sources, misconfigured switch ports, posture agent failures, profile mismatches. Diagnose each case using Live Logs, endpoint logs, session data, and posture diagnostics.

Flashcard and Concept Reinforcement

Create flashcards for key terms: profiling probes, posture statuses, EAP types, TACACS+ terms, policy components, logs. Review flashcards weekly. Reinforce definitions with CLI examples and GUI screenshots where applicable.

Capstone Design Challenge

Build a virtual lab with a complete ISE deployment: two nodes in HA, Active Directory, external CA, internal users, guests, BYOD, posture policy, profiling engine, and logging integration. Configure switches, wireless LAN controllers, and firewalls to test policy enforcement across the network.

Monitoring and Optimization

Measure CPU, memory, disk, and authentication throughput. Test replication, latency, and log collection speeds. Use these metrics to tune performance—e.g., adjust profiling timers, reduce reporting granularity, optimize rule matching.

Preparing for Production Rollout

Before real-world rollout, test using preproduction environments. Deploy dummy endpoints. Test policy behavior under load. Validate guest access behavior. Run failover drills. Simulate certificate expirations and revocation.

Documentation and Backup Strategy

Always document your policies, certificate chains, identity source mappings, device configurations, and fallback plans. Build backup strategies: configuration exports, node snapshots, external syslog servers. Prepare for disaster recovery.

Prepaway's 300-715: Implementing and Configuring Cisco Identity Services Engine (300-715 SISE) video training course for passing certification exams is the only solution which you need.