Home labs & practical projects

Segment an office network and prove the allowed paths

A project to do with your own tools, with guidance on what to create and capture.

Local lab Suggested time: 2–3 hoursYour own authorised environment

What you could create

A small office has staff devices, guests and a management interface on one network. The administrator needs clearer boundaries without disrupting normal work.

Example evidence format

Project evidence map (example)

Segmentation diagram and rule rationaleScope and inputs

Connectivity test matrixDecisions and reasoning

Evidence record (example)

Evidence	What to capture
Segmentation diagram and rule rationale	Show the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. Guest access cannot reach management services.
Connectivity test matrix	Include the evidence supporting your conclusion. A denied path is tested directly rather than inferred from configuration.

What you'll need

Local lab

Use a network simulator or isolated virtual networks. Define staff, guest and management zones with a simple required-traffic matrix.

Project record

Keep the working files for segmentation diagram and rule rationale and record assumptions as you go.

Current reference material

Use the linked provider resources to verify the features, access terms and version relevant to your project.

Access & cost

Uses your own computer. Confirm hardware capacity, software licences and download terms before setup.

Use disposable VMs, containers or a simulator. Keep the lab separate from your everyday machine and work network.

Suggested milestones

1
Plan and investigate
Translate the business traffic matrix into access rules.
2
Develop your approach
Apply the rules and test each allowed and denied path.
3
Verify and explain
Add monitoring expectations and a rollback plan for a faulty policy.

Evidence worth keeping

Keep clear, organised evidence of your design and any testing you carry out.

1
Segmentation diagram and rule rationale
Show the inputs, scope and decisions behind this record. Guest access cannot reach management services.
2
Connectivity test matrix
Include the evidence supporting your conclusion. A denied path is tested directly rather than inferred from configuration.

Label design proposals and observed results clearly.

Explain your work

Use these prompts to reflect on your decisions and what you learned.

Which part of your segmentation diagram and rule rationale needed the most judgement?
What observation or assumption changed your approach?
What would you improve, and what have you not verified?

Describe this as a personal project in your portfolio.

Useful resources

Use these resources to deepen your understanding and check key details.

Official certification objectives

Review the current provider requirements and relevant subject areas.

Explore external learning resources

Find relevant providers and check features, access requirements and costs.

A useful starting point

Use a network simulator or isolated virtual networks. Define staff, guest and management zones with a simple required-traffic matrix.

What a good result looks like

Guest access cannot reach management services.
A denied path is tested directly rather than inferred from configuration.

Finish the project

Save sanitised evidence, then remove the lab instances or revert to the clean snapshot. Remove temporary accounts and credentials.

Independent home-project guidance, not an official vendor lab or a claim of complete exam coverage. Use your own tools and label the work accurately.