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Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU)

  • Length 5 days
  • Version 1.1
Course overview
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Why study this course

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, virtualisation, 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:

Digital courseware: Cisco provides students with electronic courseware for this course. Students who have a confirmed booking will be sent an email prior to the course start date, with a link to create an account via learningspace.cisco.com before they attend their first day of class. Please note that any electronic courseware or labs will not be available (visible) until the first day of the class.

Exam Vouchers: Cisco exam vouchers are not included in the course fees but can be purchased separately where applicable.

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What you’ll learn

After completing this course, students will 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 virtualisation, machine virtualisation, and describe network virtualisation

  • 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

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Cisco at Lumify Work

Lumify Work is the largest provider of authorised Cisco training in Australia, offering a wider range of Cisco courses, run more often than any of our competitors. Lumify Work has won awards such as ANZ Learning Partner of the Year (twice!) and APJC Top Quality Learning Partner of the Year.

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Who is the course for?

  • Data center administrators

  • Data center engineers

  • Systems engineers

  • Server administrators

  • Network managers

  • Cisco integrators and partners

  • Data center designers

  • Technical solutions architects

  • Network architects

Course subjects

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 Virtualisation

  • Cisco Nexus Switch Basic Components

  • Virtual Routing and Forwarding

  • Cisco Nexus 7000 VDCs

  • VDC Types

  • VDC Resource Allocation

  • VDC Management

Describing Machine Virtualisation

  • Virtual Machines

  • Hypervisor

  • VM Manager

Describing Network Virtualisation

  • 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 Initialisation 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

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 Cisco courses are recommended to help you meet these prerequisites:

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Terms & Conditions

The supply of this course by Lumify Work is governed by the booking terms and conditions. Please read the terms and conditions carefully before enrolling in this course, as enrolment in the course is conditional on acceptance of these terms and conditions.

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