Modernize your infrastructure with Cisco’s latest computing solutions to meet the ever-changing needs of applications.
Master the design and deployment options focused on Cisco® data center solutions and technologies across network, compute, virtualization, storage area networks, automation, and security. We know you need to say ‘yes’ to new possibilities. The Cisco Unified Computing System (UCS) – developed as an API-data center infrastructure driven business computing platform with convergence, streamlined virtualization, simplified management and seamless automation.
Overview
Demonstrate your mastery of the design and deployment options focused on Cisco data center solutions and technologies across network, compute, virtualization, automation, and security.
The Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID) v7.0 course helps you master design and deployment options focused on Cisco® data center solutions and technologies across network, compute, virtualization, storage area networks, automation, and security. You will learn design practices for the Cisco Unified Computing System™ (Cisco UCS®) solution based on Cisco UCS B-Series and C-Series servers, Cisco UCS Manager, and Cisco Unified Fabric.
You will also gain design experience with network management technologies including Cisco UCS Manager, Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM), and Cisco UCS Director. You can expect theoretical content as well as design-oriented case studies in the form of activities.
This course earns you 40 Continuing Education (CE) credits towards Cisco recertification.
Skills Covered
After taking this course, you should be able to:
- Describe the Layer 2 and Layer 3 forwarding options and protocols used in a data center
- Describe the rack design options, traffic patterns, and data center switching layer access, aggregation, and core
- Describe the Cisco Overlay Transport Virtualization (OTV) technology that is used to interconnect data centers
- Describe Locator/ID separation protocol
- Design a solution that uses Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) for traffic forwarding
- Describe hardware redundancy options; how to virtualize the network, compute, and storage functions; and virtual networking in the data center
- Describe solutions that use fabric extenders and compare Cisco Adapter Fabric Extender (FEX) with single root input/output virtualization (SR-IOV)
- Describe security threats and solutions in the data center
- Describe advanced data center security technologies and best practices
- Describe device management and orchestration in the data center
- Describe the storage options for compute function and different Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) levels from a high-availability and performance perspective
- Describe Fibre Channel concepts, topologies,architecture, and industry terms
- Describe Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
- Describe security options in the storage network
- Describe management and automation options for storage networking infrastructure
- Describe Cisco UCS servers and use cases for various Cisco UCS platforms
- Explain the connectivity options for fabricinter connects for southbound and northbound connections
- Describe the hyper converged solution and integrated systems
- Describe the system wide parameters for setting up a Cisco UCS domain
- Describe role-based access control (RBAC) and integration with directory servers to control access rights on Cisco UCS Manager
- Describe the pools that may be used in service profiles or service profile templates on Cisco UCS Manager
- Describe the different policies in the service profile
- Describe the Ethernet and Fibre Channel interface policies and additional network technologies
- Describe the advantages of templates and the difference between initial and updated templates
- Describe data center automation tools
Prerequisites
Before taking this course, you should be able to:
- Implement data center networking [local area network(LAN) and storage area network (SAN)]
- Describe data center storage
- Implement data center virtualization
- Implement Cisco Unified Computing System(Cisco UCS)
- Implement data center automation and orchestration with the focus on Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and Cisco UCS Director
- Describe products in the Cisco Data Center Nexus and Multi layer Director Switch (MDS) families
To fully benefit from this course, you should have completed the following courses or obtained the equivalent level of knowledge:
Target Audience
IT professionals with five to eight years of experience in these roles:
- Data center engineers
- Network designers
- Network administrators
- Network engineers
- Systems engineers
- Consulting systems engineers
- Technical solutions architects
- Server administrators
- Network managers
- Cisco integrators or partners
Module 1: Describing High Availability on Layer 2
- Overview of Layer 2 High-Availability Mechanisms
- Virtual Port Channels
- Cisco Fabric Path
- Virtual Port Channel+
Module 2: Designing Layer 3 Connectivity
- First Hop Redundancy Protocols
- Improve Routing Protocol Performance and Security
- Enhance Layer 3 Scalability and Robustness
Module 3: Designing Data Center Topologies
- Data Center Traffic Flows
- Cabling Challenges
- Access Layer
- Aggregation Layer
- Core Layer
- Spine-and-Leaf Topology
- Redundancy Options
Module 4: Designing Data Center Interconnects with Cisco OTV
- Cisco OTV Overview
- Cisco OTV Control and Data Planes
- Failure Isolation
- Cisco OTV Features
- Optimize Cisco OTV
- Evaluate Cisco OTV
Module 5: Describing Locator/ID Separation Protocol
- Locator/ID Separation Protocol
- Location Identifier Separation Protocol (LISP) Virtual Machine (VM) Mobility
- LISP Extended Subnet Mode (ESM) Multi hop Mobility
- LISP VPN Virtualization
Module 6: Describing VXLAN Overlay Networks
- Describe VXLAN Benefits over VLAN
- Layer 2 and Layer 3 VXLAN Overlay
- Multi protocol Border Gateway Protocol (MP-BGP) Ethernet VPN (EVPN) Control Plane Overview
- VXLAN Data Plane
Module 7: Describing Hardware and Device Virtualization
- Hardware-Based High Availability
- Device Virtualization
- Cisco UCS Hardware Virtualization
- Server Virtualization
- SAN Virtualization
- N-Port ID Virtualization
Module 8: Describing Cisco FEX Options
- Cisco Adapter FEX
- Access Layer with Cisco FEX
- Cisco FEX Topologies
- Virtualization-Aware Networking
- Single Root I/O Virtualization
- Cisco FEX Evaluation
Module 9: Describing Basic Data Center Security
- Threat Mitigation
- Attack and Countermeasure Examples
- Secure the Management Plane
- Protect the Control Plane
- RBAC and Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting(AAA)
Module 10: Describing Advanced Data Center Security
- Cisco Trust Sec in Cisco Secure Enclaves Architecture
- Cisco Trust Sec Operation
- Fire walling
- Positioning the Firewall Within Data Center Networks
- Cisco Firepower® Portfolio
- Firewall Virtualization
- Design for Threat Mitigation
Module 11: Describing Management and Orchestration
- Network and License Management
- Cisco UCS Manager
- Cisco UCS Director
- Cisco Intersight
- Cisco DCNM Overview
Module 12: Describing Storage and RAIDO options
- Position DAS in Storage Technologies
- Network-Attached Storage
- Fibre Channel, FCoE, and Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI)
- Evaluate Storage Technologies
Module 13: Describing Fibre Channel Concepts
- Fibre Channel Connections, Layers, and Addresses
- Fibre Channel Communication
- Virtualization in Fibre Channel SAN
Module 14: Describing Fibre Channel Topologies
- SAN Parameterization
- SAN Design Options
- Choosing a Fibre Channel Design Solution
Module 15: Describing FCoE
- FCoE Protocol Characteristics
- FCoE Communication
- Data Center Bridging
- FCoE Initialization Protocol
- FCoE Design Options
Module 16: Describing Storage Security
- Common SAN Security Features
- Zones
- SAN Security Enhancements
- Cryptography in SAN
Module 17: Describing SAN Management and Orchestration
- Cisco DCNM for SAN
- Cisco DCNM Analytics and Streaming Telemetry
- Cisco UCS Director in the SAN
- Cisco UCS Director Workflows
Module 18: Describing Cisco UCS Servers and Use Cases
- Cisco UCS C-Series Servers
- Fabric Interconnects and Blade Chassis
- Cisco UCS B-Series Server Adapter Cards
- Stateless Computing
- Cisco UCS Mini
Module 19: Describing Fabric Interconnect Connectivity
- Use of Fabric Interconnect Interfaces
- VLANs and VSANs in a Cisco UCS Domain
- Southbound Connections
- Northbound Connections
- Disjoint Layer 2 Networks
- Fabric Interconnect High Availability and Redundancy
Module 20: Describing Hyper converged and Integrated Systems
- Hyper converged and Integrated Systems Overview
- Cisco HyperFlex™ Solution
- Cisco HyperFlex Scalability and Robustness
- Cisco HyperFlex Clusters
- Cluster Capacity and Multiple Clusters on One Cisco UCS Domain
- External Storage and Graphical Processing Units on Cisco HyperFlex
- Cisco HyperFlex Positioning
Module 21: Describing Cisco UCS Manager System wide Parameters
- Cisco UCS Setup and Management
- Cisco UCS Traffic Management
Module 22: Describing Cisco UCS RBAC
- Roles and Privileges
- Organizations in Cisco UCS Manager
- Locales and Effective Rights
- Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting
- Two-Factor Authentication
Module 23: Describing Pools for Service Profiles
- Global and Local Pools
- Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) Suffix and Media Access Control (MAC) Address Pools
- World Wide Name (WWN) Pools
- Server and iSCSI Initiator IP Pools
Module 24: Describing Policies for Service Profiles
- Global vs. Local Policies
- Storage and Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) Policies
- Boot and Scrub Policies
- Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) and Maintenance Policies
Module 25: Describing Network-Specific Adapters and Policies
- LAN Connectivity Controls
- SAN Connectivity Controls
- Virtual Access Layer
- Connectivity Enhancements
Module 26: Describing Templates in Cisco UCS Manager
- Cisco UCS Templates
- Service Profile Templates
- Network Templates
- Designing Data Center Automation
Module 27: Model-Driven Programmability
- Cisco NX-API Overview
- Programmability Using Python
- Cisco Ansible Module
- Use the Puppet Agent
Lab Outline
*Note, paper labs, no hardware
- Design Virtual Port Channels
- Design First Hop Redundancy Protocol (FHRP)
- Design Routing Protocols
- Design Data Center Topology for a Customer
- Design Data Center Interconnect Using Cisco OTV
- Design Your VXLAN Network
- Create a Cisco FEX Design
- Design Management and Orchestration in a Cisco UCS Solution
- Design a Fibre Channel Network
- Design and Integrate an FCoE Solution
- Design a Secure SAN
- Design Cisco UCS Director for Storage Networking
- Design a Cisco UCS Domain and Fabric Interconnect Cabling
- Design a Cisco UCS C-Series Server Implementation
- Design Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnect Network and Storage Connectivity
- Design System wide Parameters in a Cisco UCS Solution
- Design an LDAP Integration with a Cisco UCS Domain
- Design Pools for Service Profiles in a Cisco UCS Solution
- Design Network-Specific Adapters and Policies in a Cisco UCS Solution
Dates & Locations
August 10, 2026 - August 14, 2026
August 10, 2026 - August 14, 2026
November 16, 2026 - November 20, 2026
November 16, 2026 - November 20, 2026
Exam & Certification
Training & Certification Guide
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