Administering Cisco UCS with Intersight (DCUCAI)

At Course Completion

Upon completing this course, the learner will be able to meet these overall objectives:

• Understand the B-Series and C-Series product line similarities and differences
• Claiming resources in Intersight
• Managing UCS domains in Intersight
• Describe the Intersight support for C-Series standalone and UCS managed architectures
• Understand the process for upgrading B-Series and
  C-Series Firmware with Intersight
• Administering service profiles, pools, and policies with Intersight running UCS natively
• Understanding RBAC with Active Directory integration
• Administering backup and restores in UCS Manager
• Learn and discuss the various management tools for Cisco UCS including Intersight
• Perform basic troubleshooting of B-Series and
  C-Series in normal operations with UCSM and Intersight
• Describe how to get started with Intersight programmability

Audience Profile

The primary audience for this course is as follows:

• Systems Administrators and Engineers
• Technical Solutions Architects
• Systems Integrators
• Channel Partners
• Value-Added Resellers

Prerequisites

The knowledge and skills that the learner should have before attending this course are as follows:

• Basic knowledge of Cisco routing and switching
• Basic knowledge of Cisco Unified Computing Systems
• Basic knowledge of servers and storage
• Familiarity with Cisco UCS and Hyperflex

Outline

Module 1: UCS Infrastructure Components with Intersight and IMM

Objective: Gain comprehensive knowledge of Cisco UCS components and management through Intersight and IMM transition tools.

• Lesson 1: Reviewing the Cisco UCS Product Line, Use Cases, and Components
• Lesson 2: Introduction to Cisco Intersight and IMM Best Practices
• Lesson 3: Exploring Cisco UCS Intersight User Interfaces with IMM Integration
• Lesson 4: Cisco UCS Intersight Management Framework and IMM Features
• Lesson 5: UCS Intersight Use Cases in IMM Environments
• Lesson 6: UCS Intersight Deployment Options with IMM Considerations

Module 2: Administering Cisco  Servers with Intersight and Automation Tools

Objective: Master administration of Cisco X-Series servers using Intersight and integrate with automation tools.

• Lesson 1: Cisco UCS Servers and Components
• Lesson 2: Intersight RBAC, Organizations, and Active Directory Integration
• Lesson 3: Configuring Compute Node Network Connectivity with Intersight
• Lesson 4: Creating Identity and Resource Pools
• Lesson 5: Creating Intersight Server Profiles
• Lesson 6: Creating Templates and Cloning Server Profiles
• Lesson 7: Managing Server Profiles
• Lesson 8: Operating System Installation Options and Workflow
• Lesson 9: Upgrading UCS X/C-Series Firmware
• Lesson 10: Troubleshooting Cisco UCS X-Series Configuration
• Lesson 11: Troubleshooting Cisco UCS B-Series Operation

Module 3: Intersight Orchestration and Programmability with ICO

Objective: Explore orchestration and programmability in Intersight, including ICO, Terraform, PowerShell, Python, and Ansible.

• Lesson 1: Intersight Orchestrator: Mastering Workflow Automation in UCS
• Lesson 2: Navigating the Workflow Designer in Cisco Intersight
• Lesson 3: Harnessing the Power of REST API with Intersight
• Lesson 4: Python Scripting for Enhanced UCS Management
• Lesson 5: Seamless Ansible Integration in the Intersight Environment
• Lesson 6: Utilizing Terraform Provider for Efficient Intersight Operations
• Lesson 7: ICO Integration: Bridging Intersight with Terraform and PowerShell

Module 4: Administering UCS Management Tools with IMM and Automation Integrations

Objective: Master administration of UCS tools using IMM best practices and automation via PowerShell and Terraform.

• Lesson 1: UCS Management Ecosystem Overview with IMM Best Practices
• Lesson 2: Intersight UCS Element Managers UI Launch
• Lesson 3: Inserting infrastructure calls via the Intersight Framework with PowerShell and Terraform

Module 5: Operating Intersight with Advanced Security and Automation

Objective: Gain proficiency in managing Cisco UCS using Intersight, focusing on advanced security, IMM integration, and system monitoring.

• Lesson 1: Setting up Intersight SaaS and On-Prem Appliance with IMM Integration
• End Host Mode, VLAN Configuration in UCS Manager
• Lesson 2: Implementing Security (PCI/HIPPA) Connectors with IMM Compliance
• Lesson 3: Connected TAC and Proactive Support with Smart Call Home in IMM Environments
• Lesson 4: Advanced Monitoring, Fault Reporting, and Server Actions in Intersight
• Lesson 5: Server HCL, CVE, Contract Status Management using IMM
• Lesson 6: Firmware Upgrades with Automated IMM Processes
• Lesson 7: Standalone Management for UCS C-Series with Intersight and IMM Insights

Module 6: Intersight Orchestration and Programmability with ICO and Scripting Tools

Objective: Learn Intersight orchestration and programmability using ICO, Terraform, PowerShell, and Python for enhanced UCS management.

• Lesson 1: Mastering Intersight Orchestrator and Workflow Designer for UCS Automation
• Lesson 2: Utilizing REST API with Intersight for Enhanced UCS Management
• Lesson 3: Python Scripting for Advanced Intersight Operations
• Lesson 4: Integrating UCS with Ansible in the Intersight Environment
• Lesson 5: Deploying the Intersight Terraform Provider for Infrastructure as Code
• Lesson 6: ICO Integration Strategies with Terraform and PowerShell in UCS Management

Module 7: Advanced Intersight UCS Operations with AI and IMM

Objective: Learn the intricacies of firmware operations in Cisco UCS-X using Intersight, including managing firmware bundles and standalone firmware management.

• Lesson 1: Intersight Platform Firmware Operations Overview
• Lesson 2: Intersight Firmware Bundles
• Lesson 3: Cisco Stand-Alone Firmware Management

Lab Outline:

Labs are designed to assure learners a whole practical experience, through the following practical activities:

Lab 0: Connecting to the Lab Environment

• Basics of accessing and setting up the lab environment for Intersight and IMM exercises.

Lab 1: Exploring Cisco Intersight Interface

• Familiarize with the Intersight dashboard and basic navigation.

Lab 2: Setting Up IMM in Cisco Intersight

• Implement IMM and understand its role in UCS management.

Lab 3: Implementing and Troubleshooting RBAC using the Intersight API

• Setting up role-based access control and integrating with Active Directory using IMM best practices.

Lab 4: Nutanix Integration in Cisco UCS

• Configure and manage Nutanix solutions within a Cisco UCS setup.

Lab 5: Cisco UCS X-Series Configuration with Intersight

• Deploy and configure the UCS X-Series using Intersight, focusing on IMM features.

Lab 6: Designing LAN and SAN Connectivity for UCS

• Set up and validate LAN and SAN connectivity configurations in a UCS environment.

Lab 7: Managing UCS-X in IMM Mode

• Configure and manage UCS-X in IMM mode, including server profiles and policies.

Lab 8: Firmware Management in Cisco UCS-X with Intersight

• Perform firmware updates in UCS-X using Intersight, applying IMM methodologies.

Lab 9: Utilizing Intersight Workload Optimizer (IWO)

• Explore and apply the Intersight Workload Optimizer in UCS management scenarios.

Lab 10: Orchestrating Workflows with Intersight Cloud Orchestrator (ICO)

• Create and manage  workflows in ICO, utilizing Terraform and Ansible for automation..

Lab 11: Implementing Automation with Intersight API and Ansible

• Introduce the use of Ansible playbooks for automation in UCS with Nutanix. Provide examples where Ansible can simplify repetitive tasks.

Lab 12:  Objective: Using the Intersight API for Automation Tasks, Focusing on Python Scripting

• Focus on Python scripting to use the Intersight API for automation, providing use cases such as deploying a Nutanix cluster or performing health check

Lab 13: Troubleshooting Connectivity and Performance in Intersight-Managed UCS Environments

• Techniques for diagnosing and resolving connectivity and performance issues in UCS environments managed by Intersight, with an emphasis on IMM and ICO tools.

Lab 14: AI-Powered Systems Management

• Hands-on lab with scenarios for implementing AI-driven forecasting and optimization.
• Using Intersight and IMM to manage a simulated data center environment.