Working to re-certify update to Cisco Architect

1. April 12, 2017
Learning@Cisco
Cisco CCNP Data Center
Advance Your Data Center Career with the
Latest Solutions and Technologies

2. Today’s Speakers
Karen Louie
Portfolio Manager for Cisco Data Center certification and training
Robert Burns
Technical Leader, Technical Services – Cisco Data Center Technologies
Matt Saunders
Community Manager for Cisco Learning Network Data Center and Security

3. Agenda
Overview of Data Center
Environment
CCNP Data Center Overview
Skills and Technology
© 2017 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Public
Certification and Training
Resources

4. Overview of Data Center
Environment

5. Data Center Certification Portfolio
Completely revised
certification
portfolio
from entry-level to
expert
Provides validation of
skills and certification
for the latest data center
infrastructure
technologies, skills, and
industry best practices
Offers role-based,
extensive hands-
on training and
industry-leading
certification
Lets businesses
achieve greater
ROI
and faster results

6. The Value of Cisco Certification
1 2016 Value of Certifications Survey,
Cisco Systems, August 2016
75% of data
center jobs that
require
certification list
CCNA, CCNP2
2 Best Data Center Certifications
for 2017, Tom’s IT Pro
34% higher
quality
than their
non-certified
coworkers1
37% more
effective
than their
non-certified
coworkers1
25% of data
center
professionals
earn $100,000–
140,000
Stratoscale survey of 310 IT
professionals worldwide

7. Data Center Job Roles Evolving
Information-Era Network
From Device-Centric
ASAP Data Center Infrastructure
To Automated, Flexible, Networkwide
Open, Programmable, Software-Driven
DC infrastructure, Policy-Driven Automation
Expanded Roles
Box-by-Box Management
Focused Roles
Product/Hardware-Centric
71% enterprise IT will increase
investment in DC professionals 2015 – 2018 1
1 AFCOM State of Data Center Survey, 2015

8. Streamline operational tasks through automation
Leverage flexible deployment models (hybrid, cloud,
on-premises)
Manage policy-driven infrastructure across physical
and virtual resources
Secure the data center
Implement unified computing
Data Center New Skills Required for
Digital Business Transformation
Manage data center infrastructure (network, servers,
storage ...)

9. CCNP Data Center
Overview

10. CCNP Data Center Certification Exams
or300-160 DCID
300-180 DCIT
300-170 DCVAI
300-165 DCII
300-175 DCUCI
and
or
Certify on latest skills &
technologies: Four exams required
Mixing prior and latest (1), (2)
642-999 DCUCI or
300-175 DCUCI
642-997 DCUFI or
300-165 DCII
300-170 DCVAI
(642-998 DCUCD and
642-996) or
300-160 DCID
and
(642-035 DCUCT and
642-980) or
300-180 DCIT
• 642-xxx are valid for 3
years from the date it’s
passed towards
completing certification
• Last date to test on 642-
xxx exams is July 3, 2017
RequiredChoose
Select 642-xxx
or
300-xxx
exams,
based on
career
needs
CCNP Data Center Overview
Exams available through Pearson VUE test centers
RequiredChoose

11. CCNP Data Center Implementation Topics
Latest skills,
technologies, &
best practices
Corresponding
CCNP Data Center
certification training
Unified Computing
Maintenance & Operations
Security
Storage
Automation
Data Center Protocols
Routing & Switching
Protocols
Maintenance,
Management &
Operations
Infrastructure Security
Infrastructure Storage
Infrastructure Virtualization
Infrastructure Automation
Application Centric
Infrastructure
Application Centric
Network Resources
Application Centric
Management & Monitoring
300-165
DCII
300-170
DCVAI
300-175
DCUCI
Required if focusing on 300-xxx Data Center

12. CCNP Data Center Design &
Troubleshooting Topics
DESIGN:
Network Connectivity
Data Center Infrastructure
Storage Network
Compute Connectivity
Compute Resource Parameters
TROUBLESHOOT:
Data Network Protocols
Network Virtualization & Automation
Application Centric Infrastructure
Data Center Compute
Data Center Management &
Operations
300-160
DCID
300-180
DCIT
Choose Design or Troubleshooting
Latest skills,
technologies, &
best practices
Corresponding
CCNP Data Center
certification training

13. CCNP Data Center Exam
Topics – Skills and
Technology

14. CCNP Data Center Training Courses
• Extensive hands-on learning using Cisco Learning Labs
• Taught by certified Cisco Learning Partners specializing in data center
• Find a course & session on Cisco Learning Locator
Acronym Version Course Name
DCICN 6 Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified Computing
DCII 6 Implementing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure
DCVAI 6 Implementing Cisco Data Center Virtualization and Automation
DCID 6 Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure
DCIT 6 Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure

15. What you must know
• Components of UCS
• All Logical Policies
• UCS Monitoring
• RBAC
• Storage Concepts (iSCSI, FC,
FCoE)
What you can Do
• Configure & deploy UCS Service
Profiles
• Understand & Resolve UCS Health &
Fault Messages
• Configure SCH,Syslog
• Boot From Storage (FC, iSCSI)
• Setup RBAC
Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified
Computing (DCUCI)

16. When deploying a UCS domain, which power policy offers of the
highest level of redundancy for a B-series chassis?
a) N
b) N + 1
c) Circuit
d) Grid
Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified
Computing (DCUCI) – Sample Q1

17. What term is used to describe connecting UCS Fabric Interconnects to
two or more isolated networks?
a) DMZ
b) Security Zones
c) Policy Based Routing
d) Disjoint L2
e) Disjoint L3
Implementing Cisco Data Center Unified
Computing (DCUCI) – Sample Q2

18. What you must know
• L2 Protocols (vPC, HSRP,
VXLAN)
• Extension Protocols (OTV, LISP)
• Routing Protocols (OSPF, ISIS,
PIM
• Infra Security (RBAC, COPP,
PortSec)
• Infra Storage (FCIP, FC, FCoE)
What you can Do
Deploy STP Design
Configure L2/L3 Redundancy
Tweak Routing Operations
Configure Nexus FC/FCoE
Implementing Cisco Data Center
Infrastructure (DCII)

19. In regards to OSPF, what type of Link State Advertisement (LSA) is
created by the Area Border Router (ABR) and flooded into other areas?
a) Type 0
b) Type 1
c) Type 2
d) Type 3
Implementing Cisco Data Center
Infrastructure (DCII) – Sample Q3

20. What you must know
• Nexus Virtualization (VDC/VRF)
• Nexus Automation (Port Profiles,
Config Sync, POAP)
• ACI Access Policies
• ACI VMM Integration
• ACI External Connectivity
• ACI Mgmt & RBAC
• ACI API Inspector
What you can Do
• Multi-VDC Deployment Nexus
• Deploy/Configure ACI Day 1 Policies
• Configure ACI for External
Connectivity (L2, L3, EPG)
• Configured ACI VMM Integration
• Basic ACI Scripting
Implementing Cisco DC Virtualization and
Automation (DCVAI)

21. Which protocol or service allows an Application Policy Infrastructure
Controller detect new fabric nodes?
a) LLDP
b) CDP
c) ISIS Peering
d) VXLAN
Implementing Cisco DC Virtualization and
Automation (DCVAI) – Sample Q4

22. What you must know
• DC Network Design
• Turn Requirements into Design
• Understand High Level DC
Technologies/Features
• DC Redundancy
• Covers Computer, Network &
Storage in the DC
What you can Do
• Evaluate & Recommend Design
Choices
• Translate Business Reqs into
Technical Requirements
Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure
(DCID)

23. When would you deploy 5 APIC controllers in a single cluster?
a) To increase fabric redundancy
b) To support greater fabric scale
c) To support multipod deployments
d) To support multi-site deployments
Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure
(DCID) – Sample Q5

24. What you must know
• DC Network Protocols in depth
• DC Platforms
• DC Computer & Storage
• ACI
What you can Do
• Troubleshoot any issues to a
significant level
Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center
Infrastructure (DCIT)

25. Which of the following would not prevent a UCS Service Profile from
booting from a Fiber Channel SAN target?
a) Incorrect IQN
b) Incorrect FC Zoning
c) Incorrect LUN ID
d) Incorrect VSAN
e) Incorrect WWN
Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center
Infrastructure (DCIT) – Sample Q6

26. Technology Spotlight:
Application Centric
Infrastructure

27. Why do we
build
Networks?
• Interconnect Systems
• Grow our Business
• Reach Customers
• Increase Revenue

28. should
28
So what’s the problem?...
dictate what theNetworks Apps can do

29. Translate
Problem #1:
Language Barriers = Slow Network Provisioning
Developers
Application
Tiers
Provider /
Consumer
Relationships
Infrastructure &
Security Teams
VLANs
Subnets
Protocols
Ports
Translating Application Requirements into Network Functions is often manual

30. Problem #2.
Services are tightly coupled to Networking Constructs
VLAN 100 VLAN 200 VLAN 300
Subnet
192.168.10.x /
24
Subnet
192.168.20.x /
24
Subnet
192.168.30.x /
24
Security
Network
Services
Routing
This coupling ends up dictating physical and logical topology

31. Apps – More than just a single endpoint
External
Network
App DBWeb
QoS
Filter
QoS
Service
QoS
Filter
ACI Fabric
Consider the Interaction between the endpoints
Non-Blocking Penalty Free Overlay
APIC
APIC
APIC

32. Solution:
Decouple the Applications Requirements from the Network
EPG App EPG DBEPG Web
Application Profile
End Points
Single or Device Groups (EPGs)
Virtual / Physical
Single/Multiple Subnets
Health Monitoring
Network & Security
Quality of Service (QoS)
Contracts & Filters (TCP/UDP)
Redirection
SPAN & Monitoring
L4 – L7 Services
Firewalls
Load Balancers
Orchestration & Management
Network Analysis
QoS
Service
Filter
QoS
Service
Filter
QoS
Service
Filter

33. Application Centric Infrastructure
• Is a network fabric for datacenters.
• Leaf/Spine Topology
• Uses VXLAN and Tunnel Endpoints as
an underlay
• All configuration is done from a controller and
pushed to the switches
• Control plane and data place are separate
• APICs form a cluster for distributed computing
(Scaling)
33

34. Application Centric Infrastructure
• Behaves like a giant policy controlled L3 Switch
• Utilizes concepts we all know
• VRFs (Routing Separation)
• VLANs (EPGs and SVIs)
• VXLANs (Overlay)
• Behaves like an Orchestrator
• Configures Hypervisors/Controllers for Integration
• Configures & Manages L4-L7 devices
• Open North and South-bound API
• Supports Automation
• Partner Ecosystem
• Provides Application-level Health Monitoring
34

35. ACI Constructs
Tenant
Bridge Domain Bridge Domain Bridge Domain
Subnet A
Subnet B
Subnet D
Subnet B
Subnet F
EPG
A
EPG
C
EPG
B
EPG
A EPG
B
EPG
C
Customer/ BU/ Group
L3 Context
L2 Boundary
IP Space(s)
End Point Groups
VRF VRF
Contracts
Contracts

36. Applying Policy to End-Points
VM
1) End Point attaches to
fabric
2) APIC detects End Point and
looks up its designated EPG
(virtual or physical)
3) APIC pushes required policy
(policies with EPG listed as
src/dest) to leaf switch
APIC

37. ACI at 10,000 Feet
 Leverages a Spine/Leaf switching fabric managed by a cluster of controllers
 Brings the focus of application requirements into the network
 Uses many existing concepts you’re familiar with, and adds some new ones.
 ‘Tenants’ provide complete isolation between disparate business units, Departments or
customers
 Virtual & Physical Endpoints are treated identically in terms of policy
 End Point Groups (EPGs) are objects to which security & network policies are assigned
 Hypervisor & OS Agnostic
 Has an open Northbound & Southbound API for integration with 3rd Party software,
management & orchestration

38. Certification and Training
Resources

39. • There’s no single book that will help you gather all the knowledge
required to pass the CCNP Datacenter.
• The knowledge you need to pass this set of exams will come from
multiple resources such as Cisco Product Docs, Videos, Official &
Non-Official Publications combined with Hands-on experience.
• At this level in your career, knowing where to find the information is
almost as knowing the material itself.
Let’s be very clear

40. Dream Lab Topology
FCoE
OTV
FabricPath
VXLAN
FCIP
ACI
Boot From
SAN
VPC
Domain
FC
Zoning
Routing
(OSPF/EIGRP)
FEX
Storage
VDC

41. 41
What if I can’t don’t have all the gear?
Lots of Options for hands on, without having access:
• Rack Rentals (Great for testing datapath)
• Virtual Appliances/Simulators (Often no actual datapath)
• Gold Labs (PEC) for Partners
• dCloud
• Cisco Learning Labs Training

42. 42
Virtual Devices Available for Study
UCSPE – UCS Platform Emulator
https://communities.cisco.com/docs/DOC-57526
APIC Simulator – (available as an appliance)
VIRL/CML – Virtual Internet Router Lab / Cisco Modeling Labs:
OpenFiler –iSCSI/FC Target

43. Virtual Internet Routing Lab
A network orchestration and virtualization
platform that allows you to:
• Design graphically
• Configure automatically
• Visualize and validate
• Interact like it’s real
• Connect to live networks
• Integrate into DevOps

44. VIRL Supported Platforms
• IOSv / v-L2
• IOS XRv / 9000v
• NX-OSv / 9000v
• CSR1000v
• Generators
• ASAv
• Servers
• LXCs
• Docker
• 3rd-Pary Appliances
Virtualized platforms are NOT representations of a particular hardware
platform – no fans, no switch fabric, no ASIC models `

45. 45
VIRL – Routing & Switching Hands on Practice
NXOSv (Based on N7K & N9K now) Features Available:
802.1x, AAA, AMT, BGP, CDP/LLDP, EIGRP, FHRP-HSRP, GLBP, VRRP, ICMP, IGMP,
IPv4, IPv4/6, IPv6, ISIS, L3 Routing Protocols, LDAP, LISP, MLD, MSDP, NTP, OSPF,
PIM/PIM6, Radius, RIP, SNMP, Syslog, TACACS+, VRF, XML/Netconf, NX-API
Not Yet Supported:
OTV, QinQ, ACL's, vPC, BFD CoPPS, UDLD, Hardware TCAM Related Features,
Cisco TrustSec, Port Security, HA-ISSU Software Upgrades
Personal Edition 199.99 USD/yr
Supports up to 20 nodes
Community Based Support
For More Information: http://virl.cisco.com/work/

46. • Free to use demonstration platform for multiple Cisco products &
Solutions. Reservations for up to 5 days (can be extended)
• Datacenters available in US-East, US-West, EMEAR, APJ, GC
(If capacity not available, try another DC).
• Requires CCO Account (free)
• Structured Labs ready for use with downloadable (pdf) or guidance
based (pop up) based instructions.
• https://dcloud2.cisco.com
Cisco dCloud

47. Cisco dCloud

48. Cisco dCloud Offerings for CCNP Study
Technology Lab Name
Nexus Switching Cisco Nexus 7000: Introduction to Cisco NX-OS v1
Cisco Nexus 9000: NX-OS Programmability v1
Charming the Python on Nexus 7000 Switch v1
Cisco Nexus 1000V: Installation and Basic Configuration Lab
v2
Cisco Nexus Fabric Manager 1.1 v1
Unified Computing Cisco Unified Computing System 2.2 v2
Automation & Orchestration Cisco UCS Director 6.0 Installation and Configuration Lab v1
Cisco UCS Director 6.0 with VMware v1
Cisco UCS Central 1.4 v1
Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Introduction to Application Centric Infrastructure Lab v1

49. 49
UCSM Learning Resources
• UCSM External Web Page
• http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/servers-unified-computing/ucs-manager/index.html
• UCSM Community Page
• https://communities.cisco.com/community/technology/datacenter/compute-and-
storage/ucs_management
• Live & previously recorded UCSM Tech Talks
• UCSM Getting Started & Common Practice Guides
• http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/servers-unified-computing/ucs-
manager/whitepaper_c11-697337.html
• Learning Network DC CCIE Technical VoDs
• https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/learning_center/ccie_datacenter_tech_seminars

50. Recommended Reading

51. • Cisco Campus Network Design Fundamental (ISBN-10: 1-58705-282-2)
• Cisco Top-Down Network Design 3d Ed. (ISBN-10: 1-58720-283-2)
• Data Center Fundamentals (ISBN-10: 1-58705-023-4)
• NX-OS and Cisco Nexus Switching: Next-Generation Data Center Architectures, 2nd Edition
• Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) (ISBN-10: 1-58714-193-0)
• I/O Consolidation in the Data Center (ISBN-10: 1-58705-888-X)
• Storage Networking Fundamentals (ISBN-10: 1-58705-162-1)
• Data Center Virtualization Fundamentals (ISBN-10: 1-58714-324-0)
• Operating Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (free online)
• ACI Troubleshooting Guide (free online)
Recommended Study Books

52. • Exam topics
• CCNP Data Center Exam Topic Updates
• CCNP Data Center Exam Migration Tool
for those currently underway
• Study materials
• Study groups and discussion forums
• IT training videos and tech seminars
• Cisco subject matter experts and VIPs
Cisco Learning Network
Certification Resources

53. • CCNP Data Center Revision Blog
• Data Center Training Videos
• SDN Training Videos
• ACI Training Videos
• Python Programming Language Training Videos
• Data Center Developers Center
• Cisco UCS PE Emulator
• VIRL (For use with the Emulator)
Cisco Learning Network
Certification Resources - continued

54. Considering finishing your
certification on the newer exams
CCNP Data Center
Exam Topic Highlights
• Skills, technologies, industry best practices; less on
product usage
• Validate skills on virtualization and automation (DCVAI)
• 642-xxx are valid for 3 years from the date it’s passed
towards completing certification

55. What’s next
• Attend CCNP Data Center: Centralized
Management and Automation using Cisco Data
Center Technologies webinar
• Join the Cisco Learning Network Data Center
community
• Prep for certification:
• Instructor-led training: Cisco Learning
Locator
• Self study resources listed earlier
• Get certified

56. Q&A Session…