Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU)

This course will help:
  • 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

Course syllabus:

  • 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 the Cisco Nexus 2000 FEX
  • Configure vPCs
  • Configure vPCs with Cisco FEX
  • Configure VRF
  • Explore the VDC Elements
  • Install VMware 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 Server Profile
  • Configure Cisco NX-OS with APIs
  • Explore the Cisco UCS Manager XML API Management Information Tree

You will learn:

  • 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

Pre-requisites:

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
Sign up for a course Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU)