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Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU)

  • Overview

    Description, Pre requisites

  • Content

    Lessons, Course Structure

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The Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU) v1.1 course helps you prepare for entry-level data center roles. In this course, you will learn the foundational knowledge and skills you need to configure Cisco® data center technologies including networking, virtualization, storage area networking, and unified computing. You will get an introduction to Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (Cisco ACI), automation and cloud computing. You will get hands-on experience with configuring features on Cisco Nexus Operating System (Cisco NX-OS) and Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS).

This course does not lead directly to a certification exam, but it does cover foundational knowledge that can help you prepare for several CCNP and other professional-level data center courses and exams.

Course Prerequisites

To fully benefit from this course, you should have the following knowledge and skills:

  • Good understanding of networking protocols
  • Good understanding of the VMware environment
  • Basic knowledge of Microsoft Windows operating systems

These are the recommended Cisco courses that may help you meet these prerequisites:

  • Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA)

Course Objectives

After taking this course, you should be able to:

  • Describe the foundations of data center networking
  • Describe Cisco Nexus products and explain the basic Cisco NX-OS functionalities and tools
  • Describe Layer 3 first-hop redundancy
  • Describe Cisco FEX connectivity
  • Describe Ethernet port channels and vPCs
  • Introduce switch virtualization, machine virtualization, and describe network virtualization
  • Compare storage connectivity options in the data center
  • Describe Fibre Channel communication between the initiator server and the target storage
  • Describe Fibre Channel zone types and their uses
  • Describe NPV and NPIV
  • Describe data center Ethernet enhancements that provide a lossless fabric
  • Describe FCoE
  • Describe data center server connectivity
  • Describe Cisco UCS Manager
  • Describe the purpose and advantages of APIs
  • Describe Cisco ACI
  • Describe the basic concepts of cloud computing

Course Benefits

How you’ll benefit
This course will help you:

  • Prepare for entry-level job roles in the high-demand area of data center environments
  • Prepare for courses that support the Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center certification exams
  • Gain knowledge and hands-on skills through Cisco’s unique combination of lessons and hands-on practice using enterprise-grade Cisco learning technologies, data center equipment, and software
  • Earn 30 CE credits toward recertification

Who should enroll

  • Data center administrators
  • Data center engineers
  • Systems engineers
  • Server administrators
  • Network managers
  • Cisco integrators and partners
  • Data center designers
  • Technical solutions architects
  • Network architects

Duration

5 days

Course outline

  • Describing the Data Center Network Architectures
    • Cisco Data Center Architecture Overview
    • Three-Tier Network: Core, Aggregation, and Access
    • Spine-and-Leaf Network
    • Two-Tier Storage Network
  • Describing the Cisco Nexus Family and Cisco NX-OS Software
    • Cisco Nexus Data Center Product Overview
    • Cisco NX-OS Software Architecture
    • Cisco NX-OS Software CLI Tools
    • Cisco NX-OS Virtual Routing and Forwarding
  • Describing Layer 3 First-Hop Redundancy
    • Default Gateway Redundancy
    • Hot Standby Router Protocol
    • Virtual Router Redundancy Protocol
    • Gateway Load Balancing Protocol
  • Describing Cisco FEX
    • Server Deployment Models
    • Cisco FEX Technology
    • Cisco FEX Traffic Forwarding
    • Cisco Adapter FEX
  • Describing Port Channels and vPCs
    • Ethernet Port Channels
    • Virtual Port Channels
    • Supported vPC Topologies
  • Describing Switch Virtualization
    • Cisco Nexus Switch Basic Components
    • Virtual Routing and Forwarding
    • Cisco Nexus 7000 VDCs
    • VDC Types
    • VDC Resource Allocation
    • VDC Management
  • Describing Machine Virtualization
    • Virtual Machines
    • Hypervisor
    • VM Manager
  • Describing Network Virtualization
    • Overlay Network Protocols
    • VXLAN Overlay
    • VXLAN BGP EVPN Control Plane
    • VXLAN Data Plane
    • Cisco Nexus 1000VE Series Virtual Switch
    • VMware vSphere Virtual Switches
  • Introducing Basic Data Center Storage Concepts
    • Storage Connectivity Options in the Data Center
    • Fibre Channel Storage Networking
    • VSAN Configuration and Verification
  • Describing Fibre Channel Communication Between the Initiator Server and the Target Storage
    • Fibre Channel Layered Model
    • FLOGI Process
    • Fibre Channel Flow Control
  • Describing Fibre Channel Zone Types and Their Uses
    • Fibre Channel Zoning
    • Zoning Configuration
    • Zoning Management
  • Describing Cisco NPV Mode and NPIV
    • Cisco NPV Mode
    • NPIV Mode
  • Describing Data Center Ethernet Enhancements
    • IEEE Data Center Bridging
    • Priority Flow Control
    • Enhanced Transmission Selection
    • DCBX Protocol
    • Congestion Notification
  • Describing FCoE
    • Cisco Unified Fabric
    • FCoE Architecture
    • FCoE Initialization Protocol
    • FCoE Adapters
  • Describing Cisco UCS Components
    • Physical Cisco UCS Components
    • Cisco Fabric Interconnect Product Overview
    • Cisco IOM Product Overview
    • Cisco UCS Mini
    • Cisco IMC Supervisor
    • Cisco Intersight
  • Describing Cisco UCS Manager
    • Cisco UCS Manager Overview
    • Identity and Resource Pools for Hardware Abstraction
    • Service Profiles and Service Profile Templates
    • Cisco UCS Central Overview
    • Cisco HyperFlex Overview
  • Using APIs
    • Common Programmability Protocols and Methods
    • How to Choose Models and Processes
  • Describing Cisco ACI
    • Cisco ACI Overview
    • Multitier Applications in Cisco ACI
    • Cisco ACI Features
    • VXLAN in Cisco ACI
    • Unicast Traffic in Cisco ACI
    • Multicast Traffic in Cisco ACI
    • Cisco ACI Programmability
    • Common Programming Tools and Orchestration Options
  • Describing Cloud Computing
    • Cloud Computing Overview
    • Cloud Deployment Models
    • Cloud Computing Services

Lab outline

  • Explore the Cisco NX-OS CLI
  • Explore Topology Discovery
  • Configure HSRP
  • Configure vPCs
  • Configure VRF
  • Explore the VDC Elements
  • Install ESXi and vCenter
  • Configure VSANs
  • Validate FLOGI and FCNS
  • Configure Zoning
  • Configure Unified Ports on a Cisco Nexus Switch and Implement FCoE
  • Explore the Cisco UCS Server Environment
  • Configure a Cisco UCS Service Profile
  • Configure Cisco NX-OS with APIs
  • Explore the Cisco UCS Manager XML API Management Information Tree
  • Explore Cisco ACI