DCN Systems Administrator Cole Hardy recently completed two industry certifications that will help protect data, secure access, and defend the DCN network against cyber threats.
Hardy earned Microsoft Certified: Identity and Access Administrator Associate and Palo Alto Networks Certified Next-Generation Firewall Engineer. The Microsoft certification is an intermediate level training that validates his expertise in implementing and managing secure identity, authentication, and access controls using Microsoft Entra to protect organizational resources. The specialist-level Palo Alto certification demonstrates Hardy’s advanced skill in deploying and managing Palo Alto Networks firewalls to secure enterprise networks through threat prevention and traffic control.
Hardy, based in DCN’s Bismarck office, joined the company in August 2025 as systems administrator, supporting the technical needs of the DCN team.
