Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI)
This course will help candidates understand the Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) solution and teach them to leverages the power of APIC Controller and NEXUS 9000 line of switches to streamline network operations and management to Automate configuration and management.
Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI)
This course will help candidates understand the Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) solution and teach them to leverages the power of APIC Controller and NEXUS 9000 line of switches to streamline network operations and management to Automate configuration and management.
Course Introduction
This is an instructor-led, lab-based, hands-on course. This course introduces learners to the Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) solution, which leverages the power of APIC Controller and NEXUS 9000 line of switches to streamline network operations and management. Automation has been identified as one of the best ways for service providers and large enterprises to reduce cost. This is becoming more and more important in modern business, where the average return per user is diminishing year on year. SDN principles deliver abstractions of existing network infrastructure, which enable faster service development and deployment. Policy driven network infrastructure are currently the driving force behind these abstractions and are enabling a significant improvement in network management.
This 60-hour, instructor led course is customized to provide candidates with extensive knowledge to accomplish their day to day jobs. The key to success is based on the program’s objectives as follows:
- Course contents are based on course outlines defined by Cisco.
- Dedicated Monitoring to evaluate and report candidates progress
- Extensive hands-on lab exercises
- Industry acclaimed, experienced and certified instructors
Course Highlights
- Project manager can be assigned to track candidates’ performance
- Curriculum based on course outlines defined by Cisco.
- This Instructor-led classroom course is designed with an aim to build theoretical knowledge supplemented by ample hands-on lab exercises
- Facility of Lab on cloud available (based on booking)
- Courseware includes reference material to maximize learning.
- Assignments and test to ensure concept absorption.
- Courseware includes reference material to maximize learning.
- Assignments and test to ensure concept absorption.
- Repeating of lectures allowed (based on seat availability)
Course Objectives
- Describe the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switch
- Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI)
- Discuss the ACI fabric
- Configure ACI L4-L7 service integration
- Understand the programmability and orchestration of the ACI network
- Implement ACI management
- Understand APIC Automation Using Northbound API
- Review Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switch hardware
- Configure the ACI controller (APIC)
- Integrate the APIC hypervisor
- Discuss ACI connectivity to outside networks
- Describe migration options with ACI
- Describe fabric use of VXLAN and understand its implementation
Course Topics
Module 1: ACI Architectural Overview
Describe concepts of decoupling of identity from location and why ACI is relevant
- Application policy
- Application mobility
- Application use cases for ACI
Describe basic fabric design concepts - Theory of design leaf spine
- Fabric controller
Describe connectivity for the following
- Bare metal servers
- Appliances
- Networks
- Interoperability
Describe fabric use of VXLAN
Describe the operational model change in data center / orchestration / northbound API
Module 2: ACI Fabric Fundamentals
- Describe ACI VXLAN overlay functionality
- Describe service graphing
- Describe endpoints and endpoint groups
- Describe application workload mobility
- Describe ACI multitenancy model
- Describe Layer 4 to Layer 7 services
- Describe telemetry
- Describe dynamic load balancing
- Describe unicast fast reroute
- Describe multicast fast reroute
- Describe health scores
- Describe anycast gateway
- Describe the object-oriented NX-OS
Module 3: ACI Physical Topology
- Explain 40 Gb and 100 Gb technologies
- Describe spine
- Describe leaf
- Describe fat tree
- Describe federation of policies
- Describe architecture spine, leaf
- Describe FEX placement
- Describe vPC and ACI
- Describe hypervisor networking
- Describe pods
- Describe controller network
Module 4: ACI Design and Configuration
- Describe migration
- Explain ACI scale
- Per fabric
- Per leaf
- Designing Topologies
- Describe ACI external and management tenants / EPGs
- Layer 2
- Layer 3
- Private – Layer 3
- Configure application profile
- Configure contracts
- Configure EPGs
- Configure tenant
Module 5: APIC Automation Using Northbound API
Describe the role of automation and APIs
Compare and contrast the DevOps approach and the ITIL approach
Differentiate the relationship between the following technologies and the ACI operational models
- Python (Cobra, SDK)
- Puppet
- Chef
- Python (Cobra, SDK)
- JSON
- XML
- RESTful API
Module 6: ACI Integration
- Integrating L4-7 Services with ACI
- Describe the Layer 4-7 ACI concepts
- Firewalls
- Load balancers
- IDS
- Integrating existing Cisco and OEM devices
- Describe the automation capabilities
- Implement ACI with fully integrated devices
Hypervisor integration
- Describe how the hypervisor endpoint discovery is accomplished
- Describe how the hypervisor endpoint policy is applied
- Compare and contrast the ACI features of the Cisco AVS to other virtual switch
Integration with Cisco OpenStack
- Describe the role of the Cisco OpenStack controller
- Describe the Interaction with the ACI fabric: the ACI neutron plugin
- Describe the OpFlex concept and advantages into an easy integration to the ACI fabric
Module 7: ACI Day 2 Operations
- APIC management
- Explain controller overview
- Explain controller clustering
- Describe cluster communication
- Explain scalability
- Monitoring and Troubleshooting
- Troubleshooting the ACI fabric
Lab Topics
- Configuring Management Protocols
- CDP
- LLDP
- NTP
- DNS
- Role Based Access Control
- User Roles
- Security Domains
- Creation of Security Domains
- Adding Users
- Remote Authentication
- Import Export Polices
- Adding Remote Location(SCP)
- Create a One time Export Policy
- Verify Export Policy was Successful
- Extract and View Configuration Files
- Configuration Import (Restore/ Merge)
- Upgrading and Downgrading Firmware
- Downloading Firmware Image
- Upgrading the APIC Controller Software
- Upgrading Switch Software Using the GUI
- Upgrading the APIC Controller Software using CLI
- Upgrading Switch Software Using CLI
- Fabric Configuration
- Creating VLAN Pool (SPINE)
- Creating Physical Domain
- Create an Attachable Access Entity Profile(AEP)
- Create Interface Policies
- Create CDP interface Policies
- Create LLDP interface Policies
- Create LACP interface Policy
- Create LACP member Profile(Optional)
- Create STP interface Policy (Optional)
- Create Strom Control Policy (Optional)
- Create a Layer 2 Interface Policy to enable per-port VLAN
- Create Interface Policy Group
- Create Access Port Policy group
- Create Port Channel Interface Policy Group
- Create VPC Interface Policy Group
- Interface Profile
- Create Interface Profile
- Create Interface Selector
- Create Interface Profile for Port Channel
- Port Channel Policy Group
- Create Interface Profile for Virtual Port Channel
- Create a vPC Domain for virtual Port Channel
- EPG AND VM
- Publishing EPGs To a VMM Domain
- Connecting VMs to EPG Port Group on vCenter
- Verifying Virtual endpoint Learning GUI and CLI
- Deploying Application Virtual Switch
- Installing AVS VIB
- DHCP Relay Configuration
- Attachable Access Entity Profile and AVS
- Create New AEP
- Modify Exisiting AEP
- VMM Domains for vCenter
- Create the VMM Domains for AVS
- Verify AVS Deployment on vCenter
- Add vSphere Hosts to the AVS
- Verify AVS on ESX
- VXLAN load Balancing
- IGMP Snooping for AVS
- Extending Endpoints Groups Outside the ACI Fabric
- Assigning Layer 2 connection statically on ACI leaf port to an EPG
- Creation of an external Layer 2 domain
- Integrating Layer 3 through tenant network with OSPF/NSSA
- Tenant Configuration
- New Application Profile
- Modify Application Profile
- Remove Application Profile
- End Point Group
- Create an Endpoint Group
- Modify an Endpoint Group
- Remove and Endpoint Group
- Private Network
- Creating a New Private Network
- Modify Private Network
- Remove private Network
- Creating Bridge Domain
- Modify Bridge Domain
- Remove Bridge Domain
- Contracts
- Create Contracts
- Modify Contracts
- Remove Contracts
- Apply EPG Contracts
- Remove EPG Contracts
- Apply External Network Contracts
- Remove External Network Contracts
- Apply Private Network Contracts
- Remove Private Network Contracts
- Create Filters
- Modify Filters
- Remove Filters
- Taboo Contracts
- Create Taboo Contracts
- Modify Taboo Contracts
- Remove Taboo Contracts
- Delete Taboo Contracts
- Apply Taboo contract to an EPG
- Remove Taboo contract from EPG
- Inter-Tenant Contracts
- Export Contract
- Modify Exported Contracts
- Remove Exported Contracts
- Layer 4 and Layer 7 Services
- Create Later 4 Layer 7 Service Graph Template
- Apply a service Graph Template to EPG
- Monitoring and Resolving Service Graph Faults
- Monitoring a Virtual Device
- ASAv VM configuration
- Create a Layer 4 to Layer 7 Device
- Create a Layer 4 to Layer 7 Graph Template
- Apply Graph Template
- Health Monitor
- Hardware Expansion and Replacement
- Add Connected Switch
- Decommission Existing Switch
- Identify Hardware Failure
- Resolve Leaf Hardware Failure
- Resolve APIC Hardware Failure
Virtual Classroom
- Instructor led online training is an ideal vehicle for delivering training to individuals anywhere in the world at any time.
- This innovative approach presents live content with instructor delivering the training online.
- Candidates will be performing labs remotely on our labs on cloud in presence of an online instructor.
- Rstforum uses microsoft lync engine to deliver instructor led online training.
- Advances in computer network technology, improvements in bandwidth, interactions, chat and conferencing, and realtime audio and video offers unparalleled training opportunities.
- Instructor led online training can helps today’s busy professionals to perform their jobs and upgrade knowledge by integrating self-paced instructor led online training in their daily routines.
Miscellaneous
- Minimum batch size required for batch is 10 participants in the this course.
- The RST Forum reserves the right to cancel/postpone the class.
- Course schedule will be provided before commencement of the course.
- Certificate of participation will be awarded to participants with a minimum 90% attendance.
- All attendees are to observe the Copyright Law on intellectual properties such as software and courseware from respective vendors.
- The RST Forum reserves the right to include external participants in the program either for the entire course or individual courses.
- The RST Forum reserves the right to change/alter the sequence of courses. RST FORUM published Book would be given at 50% discounted rate to the forum students.