Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU)

What you’ll learn in this course

The Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU) 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, virtualization, 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 also earns you 30 Continuing Education (CE) credits towards recertification.

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:

Courses	Exams
Implementing and Operating Cisco Data Center Core Technologies (DCCOR)	350-601 Implementing Cisco Data Center Core Technologies (DCCOR)
Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID)	350-610 Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID)
Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCIT)	350-615 Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCIT)
Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (DCACI)	350-620 Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (DCACI)
Introducing Cisco NX-OS Switches and Fabrics in the Data Center (DCINX)	n/a
Configuring Cisco Nexus Switches (DCCNX)	n/a

Sorry, no results matched your search criteria(s). Please try again.

Course duration

Instructor-led training: 5 days in the classroom with hands-on lab practice
Virtual instructor-led training: 5 days of web-based classes with hands-on lab practice
E-learning: Equivalent of 5 days of instruction with videos, practice, and challenges

How you'll benefit

This course will help you:

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

This course earns you 30 Continuing Education credits towards recertification.

Who should enroll

Data center administrators
Data center engineers
Systems engineers
Server administrators
Network managers
Cisco integrators and partners

Technology areas

Data center

Course details

Objectives

After taking this course, you should 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 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

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

Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA)
Introducing Cisco Data Center Networking (DCICN)
Introducing Cisco Data Center Technologies (DCICT)

Outline

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

Resources

Download the course overview (PDF - 259 KB)
Cisco Learning Credits