Okta Certified Professional Exam

Okta Certified Professional: Your Gateway to Secure Identity Management

The Okta Certified Professional (OCP) certification validates your expertise in implementing and managing secure identity solutions using Okta, a leading provider of identity and access management (IAM) solutions. This globally recognized credential demonstrates your ability to:

• Configure and manage Okta users and groups.
• Implement single sign-on (SSO) and multi-factor authentication (MFA).
• Manage user lifecycle, including provisioning, deprovisioning, and password resets.
• Utilize Okta's API and SDKs for integration with other applications.
• Troubleshoot and resolve common Okta issues.

Who should consider this Certification?

This certification caters to a diverse group of professionals seeking to:

• Launch their career in identity and access management: Newcomers can establish a solid foundation and gain practical experience.
• Advance their IT career: Existing IT professionals can deepen their knowledge of Okta and enhance their marketability.
• Support Okta initiatives within their organization: IT admins, security professionals, and application developers can contribute effectively to secure identity management practices.
• Prepare for further certifications: This certification forms the foundation for pursuing advanced Okta certifications.

Responsibilities of an Okta Certified Professional:

• Implementing Okta authentication mechanisms: Configuring SSO, MFA, and adaptive authentication for secure user access.
• Managing user accounts: Creating, managing, and securing user accounts, including password policies and access control.
• Integrating Okta with other applications: Leveraging Okta's APIs and SDKs to connect with various applications and services.
• Securing applications and data: Implementing security best practices to protect applications and sensitive data.
• Monitoring and troubleshooting: Monitoring system health, identifying and resolving issues, and ensuring optimal performance.

Exam Details (Source: Okta):

• Format: 50-65 multiple-choice and multiple-select questions
• Time Limit: 2 hours
• Languages: English, Japanese, Simplified Chinese (other languages offered periodically)
  
• Passing Score: Not publicly disclosed

Course Outline

The Okta Certified Professional Exam covers the following topics - 

MODULE 1 - Identity and Access Management (22.5%)

Industry Knowledge

• Demonstrating knowledge of IAM and IDaaS and how they relate to Okta

Single Sign-On (SSO) Federation

• Based on a given use case, demonstrate knowledge of whether SAML, WS-FED, or OIDC should be used
• Demonstrating knowledge of IdP versus SP initiated flows
• Demonstrating knowledge of the benefits of using federation vs. password vaulting
• Demonstrating knowledge of how SWA is used in Okta
• Demonstrating knowledge of basic troubleshooting of the Okta Browser plug-in

Single Directory Integration

• Demonstrating knowledge of the Active Directory integration options with Okta

MODULE 2 - User Lifecycle Management (45.5%)

Okta as a Directory

• Demonstrating knowledge of the purpose of Universal Directory
• Demonstrating knowledge of custom attributes, mappings, and data transformation
• Demonstrating knowledge of the process to add Okta mastered users

Provisioning

• Demonstrating knowledge of what lifecycle management is in Okta
• Demonstrating knowledge of when to use Okta user states and statuses
• Demonstrating knowledge of how to use app assignments, requests, and automations to provision applications to users
• Demonstrating knowledge of how to manage group assignments and rules
• Demonstrating knowledge of the various group types supported by Okta

Workflow

• Demonstrating knowledge of the various methods for activating and deactivating users

Self-Service (End user)

• Demonstrating knowledge of self-service options available to end users 

Okta Integration Network 

• Demonstrating knowledge of the OIN and how to leverage Okta out-of-the-box app integrations
• Demonstrating knowledge of how to search for pre-built integrations and identify the app capabilities

MODULE 3 - Security (16%)

Basic Multifactor Authentication (MFA)

• Demonstrating knowledge of multi-factor authentication
• Demonstrating knowledge of the MFA strategies
• Demonstrating knowledge of user authentication flow
• Demonstrating knowledge of available factor types and supported forms
• Demonstrating understanding of the MFA reset options that are available to an administrator

Policies

• Demonstrating knowledge of the policy types available in Okta and their functionalities
• Demonstrating knowledge of when to use each policy
• Demonstrating understanding of how policies are applied based on the policy priority order
• Demonstrating understanding of the importance of the default policies in Okta

Administrator Access Control

• Demonstrating knowledge of the general usage of Administrative roles in Okta

MODULE 4 - Administration and Troubleshooting (16%)

Okta Personalization

• Demonstrating knowledge of the administrative personalization capabilities available through Okta

Logging and Reporting

• Demonstrating understanding of the difference between Okta reports and syslogs
• Demonstrating knowledge of the tasks page

API and API Token Management

• Demonstrating understanding of the security impact of granting management API tokens
• Demonstrating knowledge of how to create and manage API tokens
• Demonstrating understanding of when Okta API-AM should be used

Customer Support Practices

• Demonstrating knowledge of the Help and Support Process
• Demonstrating knowledge of Trust.okta.com and the Okta help center
• Demonstrating understanding of the differences between EA and GA features