Course Objectives

Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCI)

Prerequisites

It is recommended that a learner has the following knowledge and skills before attending this course:

• Understanding of server system design and architecture
• Familiarity with Ethernet and TCP/IP networking
• Familiarity with SANs
• Familiarity with Fibre Channel protocol
• Understanding of Cisco enterprise data center architecture
• Familiarity with hypervisor technologies (such as VMware)

Course Content

The focus of the Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCI) skills building course is on deploying, securing, operating, and maintaining the Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) B-Series Blade Servers and UCS C-Series Rack Servers for use in data centers. This hands-on course covers configuring and managing Cisco UCS servers using unified I/O networking for LAN and SAN connectivity, virtualizing server hardware identifiers to enable rapid recovery of server operating system images, implementing automation for Cisco UCS, configuring fault tolerance, implementing role-based access control (RBAC), backing up and restoring system configurations, and using the monitoring and troubleshooting tools in Cisco UCS Manager and Cisco Integrated Management Controller (IMC). You’ll master the professional-level skills and technologies needed to implement Cisco data center unified computing infrastructure, including unified computing implementation maintenance and operations, automation, security, and storage.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe Cisco UCS server form factors and Cisco UCS Connectivity
• Configure identity abstraction and service profile templates
• Implement iSCSI, FCoE, and Fiber Channel port channels
• Implement role-based access control (RBAC)
• Implement external authentication providers
• Implementing key management
• Implement Cisco UCS firmware updates, Cisco UCS backups, and monitoring
• Deploy Cisco UCS Central and use it to add a Cisco UCS Manager domain, manage resources centrally, and create all required pools and templates to deploy a service profile.
• Implement Cisco UCS Director and Cisco Integrated Management Controller (Cisco IMC) Supervisor
• Compare scripting options for Cisco UCS Manager

Course Outline

• Module 1: Cisco Unified Computing System Implementation
• Describing Cisco UCS Server Form Factors
• Describing Cisco UCS Connectivity
• Configuring Identity Abstraction
• Configuring Service Profile Templates
• Module 2: SAN Storage Implementation for Cisco Unified Computing System
• Implementing iSCSI
• Implementing Fibre Channel
• Implementing FCoE
• Module 3: Security Implementation for Cisco Unified Computing System
• Implementing External Authentication Providers
• Implementing Key Management
• Module 4: Operations and Maintenance for Cisco Unified Computing System
• Implementing Cisco UCS Firmware Updates
• Implementing Cisco UCS Backups
• Implementing Monitoring
• Module 5: Cisco Unified Computing System Automation
• Implementing Cisco UCS Central
• Implementing Cisco UCS Director and Cisco IMC Supervisor
• Comparing Scripting Options for Cisco UCS Manager

Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCII)

Prerequisites

It is recommended that a learner has the following knowledge and skills before attending this course:

• Describe data center networking concepts
• Describe data center storage concepts
• Describe data center virtualization
• Describe Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS)
• Describe data center automation and orchestration with the focus on Cisco ACI and Cisco UCS Director
• Identify products in the Cisco Data Center Nexus and Cisco MDS families
• Describe network fundamentals and build simple LANs, including switching and routing

Course Content

Course Outline

• Module 1: Data Center Protocols
• Configuring Spanning Tree Protocol
• Configuring Port Channels
• Configuring Fabric Extenders
• Implementing Cisco FabricPath
• Understanding Overlay Transport Virtualization
• Implementing VXLAN
• Implementing LISP
• Module 2: Layer 3 Switching Features in the Data Center
• Configuring First-Hop Redundancy
• Configuring Routing
• Configuring IP Multicast
• Data Center Infrastructure Security
• Configuring User Management
• Configuring System Security Features
• Module 4: Data Center Infrastructure Storage Fabric
• Basic Fibre Channel Configuration
• Managing Domains
• Implementing Port Security and Fabric Binding
• Module 5: FCoE Unified Fabric
• Describing FCoE
• Implementing FCoE
• Module 6: Data Center Infrastructure Storage Services
• Describing FCoE
• Implementing FCoE
• Module 7: Data Center Infrastructure Maintenance, Management, and Operations
• Configuring System Management
• Configuring Infrastructure Monitoring

Implementing Cisco Data Center Virtualization and Automation (DCVAI)

Prerequisites

To fully benefit from this course, students attending this training should have completed the following courses or obtained the equivalent level of knowledge:

• Introducing Cisco Data Center Networking (DCICN) v6.0 or higher
• Introducing Cisco Data Center Technologies (DCICT) v6.0 or higher
• Configuring Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches in ACI Mode (DCAC9K) v2.0 or higher
• Good understanding of the VMware environment

Course Content

TSHOOT v2.0, 5 day ILT, includes major updates and follows an updated blueprint. However, note that this course does not cover all items listed on the blueprint. Some older topics have been removed or simplified, while several new IPv6 routing topics have been added. Course content has been adapted to Cisco IOS Software Release 15 and technically updated. Course also introduces new type of labs, called discovery labs. Discovery labs are instructor guided lab through which student explores new topics in an interactive way. All labs are developed only as virtual labs. To get the full course experience, you should cover everything, including Introduction, Discovery labs, Summary, and Module Self-Check.

• Describe data center networking concepts
• Describe data center storage concepts
• Describe data center virtualization

Course Content

The Implementing Cisco Data Center Virtualization and Automation (DCVAI) course is a skills-building course that focuses on the implementation and deployment automation of Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and Cisco Nexus switches. The course provides rich hands-on experience in building a data center solution based on Cisco ACI. Learners are introduced to the automation capabilities offered by Python and RESTful APIs.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe two primary features to logically separate a physical switch
• Describe the Nexus 1000 virtual switch, programmability options on Cisco NX-OS, and different scripting tools available with Cisco NX-OS
• Describe CLI features that simplify configuration management
• Introduce the high-level concepts and describe the different fabric discovery parameters for Cisco ACI.
• Introduce the high-level concepts and describe the different fabric discovery parameters for Cisco ACI
• Create tenant-based policies for bare metal hosts
• Describe the integration of VM Manager Domains with Cisco ACI
• Describe how Cisco ACI supports multitier applications, it’s monitoring capabilities, and programmability and orchestration
• Describe vPC-based aggregation and availability
• Describe Cisco AVS, distributed firewall, and micro-segmentation
• Describe packet flows within the Cisco ACI and integrating Cisco ACI with external Layer 3 network
• Describe how L4–L7 services are inserted into the Cisco ACI fabric, and how traffic is subsequently redirected

Course Outline

• Module 1: Infrastructure Virtualization Implementation
• Configuring Logical Device Separation
• Configuring Virtual Switching Technology
• Module 2: Cisco NX-OS Configuration Automation
• Implementing Configuration Programmability
• Implementing Configuration Profiles
• Using Scripting Tools
• Module 3: Application-Centric Infrastructure Overview
• Introducing Cisco ACI
• Module 4: Cisco ACI Building Blocks and Application Policies
• Building Tenant-Based Policies with Bare-Metal Hosts
• Describing VMM Domain Integration
• Multitier Applications in Cisco ACI
• Module 5: Cisco ACI Manageability and Programmability
• Monitoring and Managing Cisco ACI
• Describing Cisco ACI Programmability and Orchestration
• Module 6: Cisco ACI Enhanced Features
• Describing vPC
• Deploying Cisco AVS
• Module 7: Data Center Compute Resource Parameters Design
• Describing Packet Flow Internal to the ACI Fabric
• Describing External Layer 3 Network Integration
• Describing External Layer 2 Network Integration
• Configuring Service Insertion and Redirection

Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID)

Prerequisites

• Introducing Cisco Data Center Networking (DCICN) v6.0 or higher
• Introducing Cisco Data Center Technologies (DCICT) v6.0 or higher
• Configuring Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches in ACI Mode (DCAC9K) v2.0 or higher

• Describe data center networking concepts
• Describe data center storage concepts
• Describe data center virtualization
• Describe Cisco UCS
• Describe data center automation and orchestration with a focus on Cisco ACI and Cisco UCS Director
• Identify products in the Cisco data center Nexus and Cisco MDS families
• Describe network fundamentals and build simple LANs, including switching and routing
• Good understanding of the VMware environment

Course Content

The Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID) course focuses on data center design based on Cisco solutions and technologies. It includes information on designing data centers with Cisco components and technologies

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

• Describe the Layer 2 and Layer 3 forwarding options and protocols used in a data center.
• Describe Cisco OTV technology, rack design options, traffic patterns, and data center switching layer access, aggregation, and core .
• Design a solution that uses LISP for traffic forwarding, hardware redundancy options, virtualize the network, compute, and storage.
• Describe virtual networking, advanced security technologies, security threats, and solutions using fabric extenders.
• Describe virtual appliances, device management and orchestration in a data center network.
• Describe a data center storage network and different RAID levels from a HA and performance perspective.
• Describe Fibre Channel concepts, architecture, topologies, and industry terms.
• Describe security options, management, and automation options, for storage networking.
• Explain the connectivity options in the Fabric Interconnects for south- and northbound connections. Distinguish between the EHV and switching mode.
• Describe the hyper convergence solution and how it integrates systems based on different storage vendors.
• Describe the management options for Cisco UCS. Design the management solution in HA mode.

Course Outline

• Module 1: Data Center Network Connectivity Design
• Describing High Availability on Layer 2
• Designing Layer 3 Connectivity
• Designing Data Center Topologies
• Designing Data Center Interconnects with Cisco OTV
• Designing a LISP Solution
• Module 2: Data Center Infrastructure Design
• Describing Hardware and Device Virtualization
• Describing FEX Options
• Describing Virtual Networking
• Describing Basic Data Center Security
• Describing Advanced Data Center Security
• Describing Virtual Appliances
• Describing Management and Orchestration
• Module 3: Data Center Storage Network Design
• Describing Storage and RAID Options
• Describing Fibre Channel Concepts
• Describing Fibre Channel Topologies
• Describing FCoE
• Describing Storage Security
• Describing SAN Management and Orchestration
• Module 4: Data Center Compute Connectivity Design
• Describing Cisco UCS Servers and Use Cases
• Describing Fabric Interconnect Connectivity
• Describing Hyperconverged and Integrated Systems
• Describing Management Systems
• Describing Hadoop, SAP Hana, and IoT on Cisco UCS
• Module 5: Data Center Compute Resource Parameters Design
• Describing Cisco UCS Manager System-Wide Parameters
• Describing Cisco UCS RBAC
• Describing Pools for Service Profiles
• Describing Policies for Service Profiles
• Describing Network-Specific Adapters and Policies
• Describing Templates in Cisco UCS Manager

Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCIT)

Prerequisites

To fully benefit from this course, students attending this training should have completed the following courses or obtained the equivalent level of knowledge:

• Introducing Cisco Data Center Networking (DCICN) v6.0 or higher
• Introducing Cisco Data Center Technologies (DCICT) v6.0 or higher
• Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCII) v6.0 or higher
• Implementing Cisco Data Center Virtualization and Automation (DCVAI) v6.0 or higher
• Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing (DCUCI) v6.0 or higher

• Configure, secure, and maintain LANs and SANs based on Cisco Nexus and MDS switches
• Configure, secure, and maintain Cisco UCS
• Configure, secure, and maintain Cisco ACI

Course Content

The Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCIT) skills-building course focuses on troubleshooting of LANs, SANs, Cisco Unified Fabric, Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS), and Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI). The course provides rich hands-on experience in resolving problems on Cisco MDS switches, Cisco Nexus switches, Cisco fabric extenders (FEXs), Cisco UCS, and Cisco ACI.

Upon completion of this course, you will be able to:

Describe switch virtualization, machine virtualization, and network virtualization, including overlays, virtual switches, and the Cisco Nexus 1000V solution.
• Describe Cisco FabricPath, Cisco Fabric Extender (FEX) connectivity, and unified fabric.
• Describe Ethernet and virtual port channels.
• Identify Cisco UCS components.
• Describe Cisco UCS organizational hierarchy and role-based access control (RBAC).
• Describe how to deploy servers in Cisco UCS.
• Describe the purpose and advantages of application programming interfaces (API).
• Describe how to deploy servers in Cisco UCS.
• Describe cloud computing basic concepts.
• Describe Cisco UCS Director, its functional blocks and deployment models and also orchestration features: policies, virtual data centers, workflows, and catalogs.
• Describe programmability and orchestration capabilities of Cisco AC, traffic forwarding through the Cisco ACI fabric.
• Explain traffic forwarding mechanisms in Cisco ACI.