Configuring Cisco NX-OS Switches and Fabrics in the Data Center (DCCNX) 1.0

The Configuring Cisco Nexus Switches (DCCNX) v1.0 course shows you how to install, configure, and manage Cisco Nexus® Series Switch platforms using Cisco® NX-OS to support highly available, secure, scalable virtualized data centers. Through expert instruction and hands-on practice, you will learn how to deploy Cisco NX-OS software features including networking, virtualization, security, storage services, system management, and monitoring. You will also be introduced to automating Cisco Nexus devices using Cisco NX-OS Software programmability features.

For a technical overview of Cisco Nexus Switches, consider taking the Introducing Cisco NX-OS Switches and Fabrics in the Data Center (DCINX) course.

Objectives

This course will help you:

• Gain the knowledge and skills to deploy advanced capabilities of Cisco Nexus NX-OS Software and Cisco Nexus Series data center switches
• Learn through Cisco’s unique combination of lessons and hands-on practice using enterprise-grade Cisco learning technologies, data center equipment, and software
• Succeed in today’s demanding data center operations roles

After taking this course, you should be able to:

• Describe the Cisco Nexus devices routing and forwarding
• Describe Overlap Transport Virtualization (OTV)
• Describe and configure Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN)
• Describe Locator/ID Separation Protocol (LISP)
• Describe the key features of Cisco Nexus devices
• Describe Cisco Intelligent Traffic Director
• Describe Quality of Service (QoS) on Cisco Nexus devices
• Understand Cisco Nexus storage services
• Configure device alliances and zoning
• Configure Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
• Configuring N-Port Identifier Virtualization (NPIV) and N-Port Virtualization (NPV) Modes
• Describe NX-API and network orchestration solutions, and program Cisco NX-OS with Python
• Explain system management, monitoring, and troubleshooting processes
• Explain the troubleshooting processes

Prerequisites

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

• Familiarity with Cisco data center technologies
• Understand networking protocols, routing, and switching

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

• Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA®)
• Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU)
• Implementing and Operating Cisco Data Center Core Technologies (DCCOR)
• Introducing Cisco NX-OS Switches and Fabrics in the Data Center (DCINX)

Who should attend?

• Data center systems engineers
• Data center field engineers
• Data center architects
• Technical decision makers
• Network architects
• Cisco integrators and partners

Course Outline

Describing the Cisco NX-OS Routing and Forwarding

• Routing Overview
• Multicast Routing
• Cisco NX-OS Routing and Forwarding
• Unicast and Multicast Routing Information Base (RIB) and Forwarding Information Base (FIB)

Describing Overlay Transport Virtualization

• Cisco OTV Overview
• Cisco OTV Control and Data Planes
• Failure Isolation
• Cisco OTV Features
• Optimizing Cisco OTV

Describing Virtual Extensible LAN

• VXLAN Benefits over VLAN
• Layer 2 and Layer 3 VXLAN Overlay
• VXLAN Multiprotocol-Border Gateway Protocol (MP-BGP) Ethernet VPN (EVPN) Control Plane
• VXLAN Data Plane

Describing Locator/ID Separation Protocol

• Locator/ID Separation Protocol
• LISP VM Mobility
• LISP Embedded Syslog Manager (ESM) Multihop Mobility
• LISP VPN Virtualization

Explaining Cisco Nexus Security Features

• Access Control Lists
• Port Security
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DCHP) Snooping
• Dynamic Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) Inspection
• IP Source Guard
• Unicast Reverse-path Forwarding (RPF)
• Traffic Storm Control
• Control Plane Policing

Cisco Intelligent Traffic Director

• Cisco ITD Overview
• Cisco ITD Deployment Models
• Cisco ITD Configuration and Verification

Describing QoS on Cisco Nexus Devices

• QoS on Cisco Nexus Devices
• Configure QoS on Cisco Nexus Devices
• Monitor QoS Statistics

Introducing Cisco Nexus Storage Services

• Fibre Channel
• Fibre Channel Flow Control
• Fibre Channel Domain Initialization
• Fibre Channel Addressing
• Fabric Shortest Path First (FSPF) Protocol

Describing Device Aliases and Zoning

• Distributed Device Alias Services Overview
• Zoning Overview
• Zone Merging
• Recovering from Zone Merge Failures
• Enhanced Zoning Overview

Configuring Fibre Channel Over Ethernet

• Fibre Channel Over Ethernet
• FCoE Requirements
• Data Center Bridging
• FCoE Addressing Scheme
• FCoE Initialization Protocol
• FCoE Port Types
• Storage Virtual Device Context (VDC)

Configuring NPIV and NPV Modes

• Cisco NPV Mode
• N-Port ID Virtualization

Managing Automation and Programmability of Cisco Nexus Devices

• Cisco NX-OS Representational State Transfer (RESTful) API
• Network Orchestration
• Programming Cisco NX-OS with Python

Configuring System Management and Monitoring

• System Management Overview
• System Monitoring Tools

Troubleshooting Cisco Nexus Switches

• Cisco Nexus Troubleshooting Tools
• Shell Access and Linux Containers
• Troubleshooting Memory and Packet Flow Issues

Lab outline

• Configure Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)
• Configure Cisco OTV
• Configure VXLAN
• Configure Cisco Nexus Security Features
• Configure Basic Fibre Channel Features
• Configure Device Aliases and Zoning
• Configure FCoE
• Configure NPV
• Manage Switch over Cisco NX-API
• Program a Switch with Python
• Configure System Management and Monitoring
• Troubleshoot Cisco Nexus Switches CPU and Memory Issues