HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate 2025 (w/ Hands-On Labs) from Udemy

What's inside

Syllabus

Course Introduction

In this lecture, students will get a better understanding of the journey they are about to embark on - to learn HashiCorp Vault from a proven and experienced instructor. Students will learn more about the course itself as well as what to expect on the HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate exam.

This lecture will provide students with a general introduction to HashiCorp Vault.

From a high level, how does Vault actually work? Well, this lesson shows students how it works using a familiar analogy to help them easily understand the basic concepts.

Learn why organizations are choosing Vault to help secure their secrets.

Learn all the cool things that Vault has to offer organizations that decide to use it to protect their secrets and other data.

Open-source, Enterprise, Vault on HCP? WHAT? So many options to get Vault and not sure which one to choose? I'll break it down for you in this section so you're ready to make an educated decision for yourself.

So now that we know quite a bit about Vault, how the heck do we get it running in our environment? That's what we'll discuss in this section.

Sometimes it's good to understand how to do things manually before you being automating workflows. That's what we'll do in this lab so you fully understand how to get Vault running via the command line.

This lecture will walk you through how to create an image that includes the Vault binary and other configuration files using HashiCorp Packer.

Running Vault dev server is a quick and easy way to play around with Vault. In this lesson, you'll learn when and how to use Dev server mode.

Let's see how we can use Vault dev server to play around with some of Vault's features.

Ok, here comes the good stuff. Let's learn how we can deploy Vault in a production setting using much of the information we've learned so far.

Alright, let's look at a Vault node and how we'd configure everything to get Vault running as a service on a Linux machine.

Consul is still one of the most popular storage backends when deploying Vault, so I wanted to make sure we cover it so you're comfortable with the solution.

Integrated Storage is the newest storage backend that alleviates you from having to also manage a Consul cluster for a storage backend. Learn more about what Integrated Storage is in this lesson.

There are a few critical components to Vault that I feel you should understand before jumping into anything further, so that's exactly what this session will walk you through. Get ready to learn!!!

This lecture will walk students through the basic architecture of Vault and helps students understand the pathing structure that Vault uses.

You're storing lots of sensitive data in Vault, we Vault wants to protect it for you. Learn about the processes that Vault uses to encrypt and protect your data.

Seal and Unseal is a critical concept in Vault, so this session will help students understand what it is and why it is important.

Let's learn more about unsealing Vault with Key Shards - the default method

In this lecture, we'll walk through how to initialized and unseal Vault using the default option of unseal keys.

Now that you understand Seal and Unseal, how the heck do we do it? Well, this lecture explains how to unseal using Cloud Auto Unseal. Trust me, you'll want to go this route in a production environment if you can.

This lab will walk through the process of configuring and using the Cloud Auto Unseal mechanism.

So many options for unsealing Vault, including this option that allows you to unseal using another Vault cluster. It's a pretty cool option.

We've learned a lot about Seal and Unseal options, but which do I use? This short session will walk you through the pros and cons of each Unseal option to help you decide.

You'll need to initialize Vault when it's first provisioned, so this session will help you understand what initialization does and why you need to do it.

Oh, the lovely Vault configuration file. It's not as scary as it might seem at first. So this session will walk you through the ins and outs of writing a configuration file.

Vault needs a place to store its data, and that "place" is called a storage backend. Learn the ins and outs of Vault storage backends in this lecture.

Audit devices help you....well....audit things happening within Vault. This lecture will help students better understand what Audit Devices are and how to use them.

Remember our hotel analogy from earlier and all the different ways we can interact with Vault? We'll go into a little bit more detail here and show you where you can get even more information later in the course.

In this lecture, students will get a better understanding of what we'll cover in this section focused on Vault Auth Methods.

Ok, here we go. Time to start learning more about Vault authentication, how it works, and how it's used with client interaction with Vault.

Cool, so now that we know more about auth methods, how do we start configuring them within Vault. That's exactly what we'll cover in this lecture.

Let's focus on the CLI for a second, since it's very common to start enabling and configuring these authentication components using the command line.

Ahh...yeah. Let's get down to business and start configuring auth methods in the CLI.

Yep, you can configure auth methods using the Vault API as well, if that's your thing. Jump into this lecture to learn more.

Oh, you didn't think I'd leave out our old friend "user interface", did you? I'm not skipping anything in this course. Although it's pretty easy, I figured I'd make sure you can do this in the UI as well.

Now that our Vault auth methods are enabled, how do we start using them?

Back to the lab, we'll start consuming these auth methods using the Vault CLI.

This is probably a big topic for many, so I made sure to include enough content to get you started here. You'll find information about authenticating to Vault using the Vault API in this lecture.

More labs. This time showing you how to authenticate to Vault using the Vault API.

Our old friend the "user interface" is back with new tricks, now that auth methods have been enabled.

Learn all about Vault entities in this lecture, which is an essential topic when it comes to understanding how identity works in Vault.

I know that you know what groups are, but hear me out....they are slightly different in Vault. You have your internal groups and your external groups. Learn more in this lecture.

Objective 1B is all about being able to choose the proper auth method. We'll walk through some of these options in this lesson.

Objective 1C is all about knowing what auth methods are used for machines vs. which ones should be used for human-based access.

What's a good Vault course without a ton of demos on all the cool integrations and methods available? In this lab, we'll walk through how to enable and configure the AppRole auth method.

Okta is hugely popular, so I wanted to make sure to include a demo in this course for the Okta integration. Learn how to enable, configure, and use the Okta auth method in this lab.

Userpass and I go way back....I've been using userpass for demos and configurations for many years now because it's so easy. Learn how to enable, create, and use the Userpass Auth method here.

Taking the HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate exam? Check out some exam tips for Objective 1 to ensure you're ready to tackle the questions related to this objective.

In this lecture, students will get a better understanding of what we'll cover in this section focused on Vault policies.

Learn why policies are important in Vault and how they are used to secure your environment.

Learn the common commands used when managing policies using the Vault CLI

Learn how to use the Vault UI to easily manage Vault policies.

Using the API to manage policies should be pretty easy, and students can learn more about it here.

When writing policies, it's important to understand the two parts that make up a policy.

Defining the path is often the most important piece of creating a Vault policy.

Learn the capabilities available in Vault to create your policies and we'll wrap this section up with some examples and a few pop quizzes.

Learn how you can customize the path in a policy using the wildcard (*), segment replacement (+), or ACL templating.

In this section, students will learn about working with policies on a day-to-day basis.

Taking the HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate exam? Check out some exam tips for Objective 2 to ensure you're ready to tackle the questions related to this objective.

In this lecture, students will get a better understanding of what we'll cover in this section focused on Vault tokens.

Let's dive into Vault tokens and understand the base level of Vault tokens. This is merely an introduction and we'll dive much deeper into tokens throughout this section.

In this lection, students can expect to understand more about how Vault tokens follow a token hierarchy. This is important to consider when using Vault tokens to authenticate and retrieve secrets.

What if I don't like the default behavior of the token hierarchy if my apps can't handle it? Well, that's what we'll introduce in this section.

Do you need a token that needs to live forever because your application can't handle the regeneration of a token? Well, that's what a Periodic Token is used for and what this section is all about.

A token with use limits will define the number of times a token can be used. After the last use, the token is automatically revoked.

Need to create a token with no parent? In this lecture, you'll learn more about creating an Orphan token that isn't influenced by its parent.

In this lecture, you will learn how to specify the type of token that you want if you are looking for something other than a traditional service token.

This lecture will discuss how to use the Vault CLI to manage Vault tokens.

There are a few features in the Vault UI that I wanted to call out in this lecture so students are aware.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Led by a HashiCorp expert with extensive experience deploying Vault for enterprise clients, which ensures practical and relevant knowledge transfer

Includes hands-on labs, which allows learners to gain practical experience in deploying and maintaining Vault, reinforcing theoretical knowledge

Covers core HashiCorp concepts, which provides a strong foundation for understanding and utilizing Vault effectively in various environments

Offers exam tips and practice questions, which prepares learners specifically for the HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate certification exam

Requires learners to manually configure Integrated Storage, which may require more advanced knowledge of networking and distributed systems

Teaches Vault configuration using Consul as a storage backend, which is still popular but may be superseded by newer storage solutions

Reviews summary

Vault associate certification prep

According to learners, this course is a highly effective positive resource for preparing for the HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate 2025 exam. Students particularly praise the instructor, Bryan Krausen, for his expertise and clear explanations positive. The hands-on labs positive are frequently highlighted as a key strength, providing crucial practical experience. The course is noted for its comprehensive coverage positive of all necessary topics and being up-to-date for the 2025 objectives positive. It includes helpful demos, practice questions, and exam tips positive.

Covers core Vault topics extensively.

"The course provides a strong foundation in core Vault concepts and architecture."

"I appreciated the comprehensive coverage of authentication methods and secrets engines."

"The structure is logical, guiding me through deployment and key services step by step."

Content is current for 2025 exam.

"It's great that the content is updated and relevant for the 2025 certification exam."

"I chose this course because it specifically targets the latest objectives."

"Felt confident that I was studying current best practices and exam material."

Bryan Krausen's expertise praised.

"Bryan is an excellent instructor who has great knowledge about Vault and is able to articulate complex topics..."

"His real-world experience shines through, providing valuable context for applying Vault concepts."

"Explanations are clear and concise, making challenging topics easy to grasp."

Course effectively prepares for exam.

"This course provided excellent preparation, and I felt very confident taking the Vault Associate exam."

"The practice questions included were highly relevant and helped me gauge my readiness."

"I feel this course covers all exam objectives thoroughly, leaving no stone unturned."

Labs are crucial for practical learning.

"The hands-on labs were the most helpful part of the course for solidifying my understanding."

"I loved the ability to practice directly in a live lab environment, it made a huge difference."

"The exercises are crucial and really help tie the concepts to practical application."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate 2025 (w/ Hands-On Labs) with these activities:

Review Key Concepts of Cryptography

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Reviewing cryptography concepts will provide a solid foundation for understanding how Vault secures secrets and protects sensitive data.

Browse courses on Cryptography

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Read articles or watch videos explaining encryption algorithms.
Practice encrypting and decrypting data using online tools.
Familiarize yourself with common cryptographic terms.

Read 'Vault Secrets Management' by Anthony Barbier

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Reading this book will provide a deeper understanding of Vault's features and best practices for secrets management.

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Read the book cover to cover.
Experiment with the examples provided in the book.
Take notes on key concepts and configurations.

Practice Vault CLI Commands

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Practicing Vault CLI commands will improve proficiency in managing Vault and performing common tasks.

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Create and manage Vault policies using the CLI.
Authenticate to Vault using different auth methods via the CLI.
Read, write, and list secrets using the CLI.
Revoke tokens and manage leases using the CLI.

Four other activities

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Set up a Vault Cluster in a Test Environment

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Setting up a Vault cluster will provide hands-on experience with installation, configuration, and management of Vault in a real-world scenario.

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Install Vault on multiple virtual machines or cloud instances.
Configure Vault with a chosen storage backend (e.g., Consul, Integrated Storage).
Initialize and unseal the Vault cluster.
Configure authentication methods and policies.

Write a Blog Post on a Vault Feature

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Writing a blog post will solidify understanding of a specific Vault feature and help communicate its benefits to others.

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Choose a Vault feature to focus on (e.g., dynamic secrets, auto-unseal).
Research the feature thoroughly and understand its use cases.
Write a clear and concise blog post explaining the feature.
Include examples and code snippets to illustrate the feature.
Publish the blog post on a personal blog or platform like Medium.

Read 'Mastering HashiCorp Vault' by Kamal Marhubi

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Reading this book will provide advanced knowledge of Vault and help optimize Vault deployments.

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Read the book carefully, focusing on advanced topics.
Experiment with the configurations and examples provided.
Take notes on key concepts and best practices.

Contribute to the Vault Documentation

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Contributing to the Vault documentation will deepen understanding of Vault and help improve the resource for other users.

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Identify areas in the Vault documentation that need improvement.
Fork the Vault documentation repository on GitHub.
Make the necessary changes and submit a pull request.
Respond to feedback and revise the pull request as needed.

Career center

Learners who complete HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate 2025 (w/ Hands-On Labs) will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Security Engineer

Security Engineer job focuses on protecting computer systems and networks from threats. This role involves implementing security measures, monitoring systems for vulnerabilities, and responding to security incidents. The HashiCorp Vault skills taught in this course help Security Engineers manage and protect sensitive data, a crucial aspect of their job. The course's coverage of Vault configuration, deployment, and authentication methods directly contributes to the Security Engineer's ability to build and maintain secure systems. You may find the hands-on labs and Bryan Krausen's guidance to be especially useful in mastering Vault for practical application.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Engineer

Cloud Security Engineer

A Cloud Security Engineer safeguards an organization's data and applications within cloud environments. This role involves implementing security measures, conducting vulnerability assessments, and responding to security incidents. This course on HashiCorp Vault equips you with the skills to manage secrets and protect sensitive data in the cloud, which is a core responsibility of a Cloud Security Engineer. The course's focus on HashiCorp Vault is highly relevant to this role, as Vault is a widely used tool for managing secrets and securing cloud infrastructure. Specifically, learning to deploy and configure key Vault services sets you apart.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Security Engineer

Platform Engineer

Platform Engineers build and maintain the underlying infrastructure and tools that support software development and deployment. The role increasingly involves managing cloud-native technologies and ensuring secure access to resources. Platform Engineers should take this HashiCorp Vault course, because it gives Platform Engineers the skills to manage secrets and protect sensitive data within their platforms. You'll find the course practical as it covers Vault architecture, installation, and configuration, as well as hands-on experience in deploying and managing Vault, preparing you to integrate Vault into your platform engineering workflows effectively.

See salaries and explore the career path for Platform Engineer

Infrastructure Engineer

Infrastructure Engineers are responsible for designing, building, and maintaining the physical and virtual infrastructure that supports an organization's IT systems. The goal is to ensure the infrastructure is scalable, reliable, and secure. This HashiCorp Vault course prepares Infrastructure Engineers in managing secrets and securing access to infrastructure components. The training covers Vault's core components, configuration, and deployment, with hands-on labs and guidance from a HashiCorp expert. This equips Infrastructure Engineers with the practical skills to implement Vault effectively within their infrastructure.

See salaries and explore the career path for Infrastructure Engineer

DevOps Engineer

A DevOps Engineer automates and streamlines software development and deployment processes. They use tools like HashiCorp Vault to manage secrets, configure infrastructure, and ensure secure application deployments. This HashiCorp Vault course can significantly enhance your DevOps skillset. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of Vault, including its architecture, installation, and configuration. The hands-on labs and demos, along with the guidance of HashiCorp expert Bryan Krausen, offer practical experience in deploying and managing Vault, preparing you to integrate Vault into your DevOps workflows effectively. The course will set you apart as you pursue the DevOps Engineer career path.

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Cloud Architect

A Cloud Architect designs and oversees the implementation of cloud computing strategies. This role includes selecting appropriate cloud services, designing cloud infrastructure, and ensuring security and compliance. This course the Cloud Architect role, as it provides the knowledge and skills to manage secrets and protect sensitive data in cloud environments. The course's coverage of Vault architecture, authentication methods, and policy creation aligns directly with the Cloud Architect's responsibilities. Hands-on labs and guidance provide practical experience in deploying and managing Vault for optimal cloud security.

See salaries and explore the career path for Cloud Architect

Security Architect

The Security Architect designs and implements an organization's overall security infrastructure. This role requires a deep understanding of security best practices, risk assessment, and security technologies. This course on HashiCorp Vault is useful for Security Architects. It provides in-depth knowledge of Vault's core components and how to configure and deploy key services. The training helps to design secure systems that effectively manage and protect sensitive data. The course's coverage of Vault architecture and its various authentication methods is especially relevant, providing the knowledge needed to make informed decisions about Vault implementation within a broader security architecture.

See salaries and explore the career path for Security Architect

Site Reliability Engineer

Site Reliability Engineers focus on ensuring the reliability, availability, and performance of IT systems. This involves automating tasks, monitoring systems, and responding to incidents. This course on HashiCorp Vault can be useful for Site Reliability Engineers. The training provides a comprehensive understanding of Vault, a valuable tool for securing sensitive data and automating secrets management. The course's hands-on labs and demos provide practical experience in deploying and managing Vault. This course can enable you in implementing Vault effectively within your systems, improving overall reliability and security.

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Security Consultant

The Security Consultant advises organizations on how to improve their security posture. This role requires a broad understanding of security technologies, risk management, and compliance requirements. This course is useful for Security Consultants who need to advise clients on secrets management solutions. The course provides in-depth knowledge of Vault, its architecture, and its authentication methods. The hands-on labs provide practical experience in deploying and configuring Vault, enabling them to offer informed recommendations to their clients. Hands-on experience will prove crucial.

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Application Security Engineer

Application Security Engineers specialize in securing applications throughout their lifecycle. They identify vulnerabilities, implement security controls, and ensure that applications are protected from threats. This course may be useful for Application Security Engineers who need to integrate secure secrets management into their applications. The course provides a solid understanding of HashiCorp Vault and the various methods to authenticate it. The hands-on labs and demos offer practical experience in configuring Vault and retrieving secrets. This course can enable you to secure your applications effectively.

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Solutions Architect

Solutions Architects design and implement comprehensive solutions that meet specific business needs. They often work with cloud technologies and security tools like HashiCorp Vault to create secure and scalable architectures. This course may be useful for Solutions Architects who need to incorporate secure secrets management into their solutions. The course provides a solid understanding of HashiCorp Vault, its architecture, and its various components. The hands-on labs and demos offer practical experience in deploying and configuring Vault, enabling you to design solutions that leverage Vault for secure secrets management.

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Systems Administrator

A Systems Administrator is responsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of computer systems and servers. This can include installing, configuring, and troubleshooting hardware and software, as well as managing user accounts and security. As a Systems Administrator, you may find that HashiCorp Vault is an invaluable tool for modern infrastructure environments, as Vault is a leading solution for secrets management. Because of this, this course will likely benefit Systems Administrators who are tasked with managing and securing sensitive information within their organizations. This course offers the knowledge and skills needed to effectively deploy and manage Vault in their systems.

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Information Security Analyst

An Information Security Analyst monitors and analyzes security events to detect and respond to threats. This role involves using security tools, investigating incidents, and implementing security measures. This course on HashiCorp Vault can be useful for Information Security Analysts who need to understand how secrets are managed and protected within their organization. The course provides insights into Vault's architecture, authentication methods, and policy creation. The course may prove useful for Information Security Analysts in monitoring and responding to security incidents related to secrets management.

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Network Engineer

A Network Engineer designs, implements, and manages computer networks. This includes configuring network devices, troubleshooting network issues, and ensuring network security. This course about HashiCorp Vault may be useful for Network Engineers who need to understand how network infrastructure can be secured using Vault. The course provides insights into Vault's authentication methods and policy creation, which can be applied to secure network access and protect sensitive network configurations. Knowledge of Vault may prove useful for optimizing network security. This course is a solid start.

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Compliance Officer

Compliance Officers ensure that an organization adheres to relevant laws, regulations, and internal policies. This includes developing compliance programs, conducting audits, and investigating potential violations. This course on HashiCorp Vault may be useful for Compliance Officers who need to understand how secrets management practices align with regulatory requirements. The course provides insights into Vault's security features and policy enforcement mechanisms. This course is a solid start. While Vault is only a small part of overall compliance, this could be a useful feather in one's cap.

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Reading list

We've selected one books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in HashiCorp Certified: Vault Associate 2025 (w/ Hands-On Labs).

Putting Knowledge to Work

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Provides a comprehensive guide to HashiCorp Vault, covering everything from installation and configuration to advanced features like dynamic secrets and identity management. It serves as an excellent companion to the course, offering practical examples and real-world use cases. The book is particularly helpful for understanding the nuances of Vault's architecture and how to effectively manage secrets in a production environment. It valuable resource for both beginners and experienced Vault users.

Putting Knowledge to Work

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HashiCorp Certified

Vault Associate 2025 (w/ Hands-On Labs)

What's inside

Syllabus

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Reviews summary

Vault associate certification prep

Activities

Career center

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