Cisco Data Centers | ACI Core
What you'll learn
- Understand why Cisco ACI is vital for modern data centers.
- Discover the components and benefits of ACI APICs.
- Dive into ACI's N9K switches and their core functions.
- Explore the innovative ACI Leaf-Spine topology.
- Undertand the ACI's data, control, and management plane.
- Learn the essential steps for ACI fabric discovery.
- Master ACI fabric initial setup with detailed guidance.
- Understand the ACI object model and its network relevance.
- Navigate the ACI GUI and efficiently obtain the DN. And utilize the ACI Object Store Browser for data management.
- Differentiate various ACI CLI types and their applications.
- Leverage ACI moquery for advanced querying techniques.
- Understand the ACI APIC clustering and its benefits.
- Explore ACI Access Policies and their implementation such as (Switch profiles, switch policies, interface profiles, interface policy groups .. AEP, VLAN pools)
- Establish ACI Port-Channels (PC) and Virtual Port-Channels (VPC) configurations.
- Manage ACI VLAN Pools for optimized network segmentation. And understand and configure ACI Domains and Attachable Enitiy Profiles (AEP) seamlessly.
- Integrate ACI with Fabric Extenders (FEX) for extended connectivity.
- Understand ACI Tenant Policies and their network impact. And configure ACI Tenants, VRFs, Bridge Domains, and Subnets.
- Develop ACI Application Profiles and Endpoint Groups. And attach endpoints to EPGs and manage ACI Contract
- Understand and deploy ACI Contracts for effective policy enforcement.
- Experience ACI as L2 & L3 Fabric through comprehensive LAB demos.
- Master ACI Packet Encapsulation and Format essentials.
- Learn ACI endpoint types and Servers NIC teaming options.
- Explain ACI VLAN types and VLAN Scope.
- Understand deeply the ACI endpoint learning and forwarding techniques for unicast and BUM traffic.
- Explore the ACI policy security deployment and zoning-rules.
- Implement various ACI policy enforcement options (Full mush contracts, unenforced mode, EPG contract inheritance, Preferred groups, vzAny, and ESGs).
- Explain and differentiate between the external Layer-2 connectivity options (ACI L2Out vs. EPG Out).
- Understand ACI's interaction with Spanning-Tree Protocol (STP) and ACI loop prevention mechanisms.
- Explore ACI L3Out and its main components.
- Learn about L3Out Route types and scope options.
- Master ACI L3Out design considerations and best practices.
- Deploy L3Out configurations through detailed LAB demos.
- Understand the server virtualization and VMM domain concepts. [Coming soon in the first course update].
- Integrate VMware VDS with ACI for enhanced virtualization. [Coming soon in the first-course update].
- Test your knowledge with a comprehensive course practice test.
Requirements
- Basic routing and switching knowledge are required to get benefits from this course.
- Understanding Multicast helps for a better understanding of BUM traffic forwarding.
Description
The Cisco Data Centers | ACI Core course is designed to be an essential resource for network engineers and professionals who want to master Cisco ACI technology and excel in today’s data centers. It's also tailored to help CCIE and CCNP Data Center (v3.1) certification candidates prepare effectively for their exams.
This ACI Core course begins with an introduction to current data center challenges and the evolution of data center fabric. It then dives deep into the various ACI fabric semantics, including Underlay & Overlay, Control plane & Data plane interactions, Fabric initialization, Object model, APIC Clustering, Access Policies, Tenant Policies, Unicast and Multicast Forwarding Flows, Security Policies deployment, L2 and L3 External Data Center connections, and VMM integration.
The Cisco Data Centers | ACI Core content is designed with a broad audience in mind, while specifically targeting Cisco certification candidates, network architects, engineers, and operators. You do not have to be an ACI professional or data center administrator to benefit from this course.
Course Highlights
This professional development and foundational learning course contains the following:
High-quality, technical videos cover the core topics of Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI).
Lab demos that explain the deployment of ACI features.
Quizzes at the end of each section for knowledge review and to confirm understanding.
A practical Test at the end of the course helps you rate your knowledge level after completing the course material.
External Resources and References that allow you to extend your ACI knowledge.
Who this course is for:
- Network engineers, designers, professionals and data center specialists.
- Candidates preparing for their CCIE or CCNP Data Center certifications.
- This course is for anyone who desires a solid ground-based understanding of Cisco ACI.
Instructor
- 4.8 Instructor Rating
- 1,254 Reviews
- 6,814 Students
- 5 Courses
Salman Alhiary, (2xCCIE 56363)
A technical professional who developed his career in networking by working as a Cisco TAC engineer providing support on Nexus and ACI technologies before working as a Senior Network Consultant Engineer, where he continues to design and implement Data Center Networks for Cisco's large projects.
Salman, an experienced instructor in routing, switching, and Data Center technologies such as ACI, holds a bachelor's degree in Computer Engineering and has completed numerous technical certifications:
Data Center Networking Certifications:
✓ CCIE Data Center
✓ CCNP Data Center
✓ Specialist - Data Center ACI Implementation
✓ CCNA Data Center
LAN Enterprise Networking Certifications:
✓ CCIE Enterprise
✓ CCNP Enterprise
✓ Specialist - Enterprise Advanced Infrastructure Implementation
✓ CCNA
Network Design Certifications:
✓ CCDP
✓ Specialist - Enterprise Design
✓ Specialist - Data Center Design
✓ CCDA
Network Security Certifications:
✓ CCNP Security
✓ Specialist - Network Security VPN Implementation
✓ Specialist - Network Security Firepower
✓ CCNA Security
Network Automation & System Administration Certifications:
✓ Cisco DevNet Associate
✓ Microsoft MCSA