Configuring Cisco ACI in the Cisco Nexus Data Center (CACND)

Course Outline

Module 1: Introduction to Cisco ACI

Lesson 1: Examining Cisco ACI Components

• Describe the architecture of a switch fabric
• Explain the basic operation of the Cisco ACI fabric
• Describe the basic elements of the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series of data center switches
• Explain the architecture and purpose of the Cisco APIC
• Describe the purpose and function of application network profiles

Lesson 2: Examining Cisco ACI Operations

• Define the dynamics of virtualizing the network infrastructure
• Explain the basics of a policy-based network management model
• Describe the foundational building blocks of the Cisco ACI Policy Model

Module 2: Cisco ACI Component Architecture

Lesson 1: Examining the Operation of the Cisco ACI Fabric

• Describe the ACI fabric elements and basic operational characteristics of the Cisco ACI fabric
• Review the packet makeup for virtual extensible LAN 
• Describe the forwarding mechanisms used in the Cisco ACI fabric for unicast
• Describe the forwarding mechanisms used in the Cisco ACI fabric for multicast
• Introduce layer 2 and layer 3 gateways
• Describe how the ACI monitors and manages congestion using dynamic load-balancing

Lesson 2: Exploring the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series Switches

• Describe the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switches
• Describe the Cisco Nexus 9500 Series chassis
• Describe the Cisco Nexus 9500 Series switch Supervisor Module
• Describe the Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switch System Controllers
• Describe the Cisco Nexus 9500 Series switch Fabric Modules
• Describe the Cisco Nexus 9500 Series switch Card Modules
• Describe the Cisco Nexus 9500 Series switch Power and Cooling
• Describe the Cisco Nexus 9300 Series switch architecture

Lesson 3: Examining the Cisco APIC

• Describe the modules used by the Cisco APIC including Logical, Resolved and Concrete Models
• Describe the architecture of the Cisco APIC Describe the Cisco APIC DME architecture module
• Configure Cisco APIC nodes in a clustered formation
• Perform first-time setup and configuration on the Cisco APIC
• Demonstrate access to the Cisco APIC using the GUI
• Demonstrate access to the Cisco APIC using the CLI

Lesson 4: Managing Cisco ACI

• Describe the Management Information Model used in Cisco ACI
• Configure and use the Cisco ACI management network to monitor and alter the infrastructure as needed
• Identify faults and perform troubleshooting on the Cisco ACI system

Module 3: Cisco ACI Configuration

Lesson 1: Configuring the Cisco APIC from the GUI

• Describe a Tenant
• Configure and verify tenants in Cisco ACI from the APIC GUI
• Describe a VRF and Bridge Domain
• Configure and verify VRF and bridge domains in Cisco ACI from the APIC GUI
• Describe an Application Profile
• Configure and verify an Application Network Profile in Cisco ACI from the APIC GUI
• Describe an EPG
• Configure and verify an EPG in Cisco ACI from the APIC GUI
• Describe a contract 
• Configure and verify a contract in Cisco ACI from the APIC GUI

Lesson 2: Configuring the APIC from the CLI

• Describe the benefits of a CLI, including scripting and user preference
• Explore the documentation available for the CLI
• Describe the difference between the older object-model CLI mode and the CLI mode of the Cisco NX-OS
• Review an example of a configuration in which the CLI is used.

Lesson 3: Configuring the APIC with the API

• Describe the benefits of an API, including scripting 
• Explore the documentation available for the API
• Use the API Inspector 
• Describe how to save XML or JSON
• Describe an example of a configuration that uses Chrome Postman

Lesson 4: Configuring Fabric Access

• Describe the requirements for adding a device to a leaf cluster
• Configure a VLAN pool on a leaf cluster by using Cisco ACI
• Configure a physical domain (physical, virtual, external, etc.) on a leaf cluster by using Cisco ACI 
• Configure AAEP on a leaf cluster by using Cisco ACI
• Configure an access port policy group on a leaf cluster by using Cisco ACI
• Configure an interface profile or selector on a leaf cluster by using Cisco ACI
• Configure a switch profile on a leaf cluster by using Cisco ACI

Lesson 5: Configuring vPCs

• Describe a traditional vPC deployment
• Describe vPC in an ACI environment
• Configure the vPC domain in ACI
• Configure the vPC policy group

Lesson 6: Configuring ACI Connectivity to External Networks

• Explain inside and outside network policies in Cisco ACI
• Describe a Layer 3 external connection
• Configure a Layer 3 external connection
• Describe considerations that exist for external Layer 3 routing 
• Describe a Layer 2 external connection
• Configure a Layer 2 external connection
• Describe considerations that exist for external Layer 2 routing 

Lesson 7: Troubleshooting Cisco ACI

• Describe the approach to troubleshooting in Cisco ACI
• Use the troubleshooting tools available in Cisco ACI
• Configure and use the technical support features available in Cisco ACI

Module 4: Cisco ACI Advanced Features Configuration

Lesson 1: Configuring Microsegmentation and Intra-EPG Isolation

• Describe how ACI enables segmentation
• Explain how microsegmentation works within the Cisco ACI fabric
• Provide use-case examples for microsegmentation
• Describe the attributes of microsegmentation 
• Configure microsegmentation with Cisco ACI
• Describe intra-EPG isolation enforcement that uses Cisco ACI
• Configure intra-EPG isolation enforcement

Lesson 2: Examining Transit Routing

• Describe the purpose of transit routing
• Describe the capabilities of transit routing
• Describe how MP-BGP is used to route traffic through the fabric
• Describe how the fabric controls transit traffic
• Describe the security features of transit traffic

Lesson 3: Configuring Policy-Based Redirect

• Describe the purpose of Policy-Based Redirect
• Describe physical topology examples for Policy-Based Redirect
• Describe the function of a service graph
• Configure a service graph template and a service graph provider endpoint group

Lesson 4: Configuring IP Multicast

• Describe the use case for Layer 3 multicast functionality across bridge domains
• Explain how PIM is used in the fabric
• Describe the traffic flow of multicast traffic within the fabric
• Configure multicast by using the web interface

Lesson 5: Examining ACI Multi-fabric Options

• Define the Cisco ACI multifabric design options
• Describe the Cisco ACI Stretched Fabric
• Describe the site-to-site connectivity options
• Describe the Cisco ACI Multi-Pod solutions
• Describe the Cisco ACI software and hardware and the limitations for running Multi-Pod
• Describe the relationship between the APIC and  Inter-Pod Network 
• Describe how data is shared across APICs
• Describe zones and autopod configuration

Module 5: Cisco ACI vCenter Plug-in

Lesson 1: Examining VMware Fundamentals 

• Describe how the VMware servers connect to the ACI fabric
• Describe the key components of VMware
• Describe the properties of ESX-based virtual machines
• Describe how networking works within the VMware environment
• Describe how VMware uses virtual switches and VLANs 

Lesson 2: Configuring VM Connectivity

• Configure a virtual switch in VMware
• Describe network redundancy in VMware
• Configure network redundancy, using NIC teaming in VMware
• Connect a virtualized server to an access network based on Cisco Nexus switches

Lesson 3: Performing and Verifying vMotion Migrations

• Describe the migration options that are available in virtual machines
• Describe how to use the Storage vMotion feature
• Configure VMware for Server vMotion
• Describe how to use the Server vMotion feature

Lesson 4: Configuring ACI Integration with VMware 

• Describe the relationship between ACI components and VMware
• Configure ACI to integrate with VMware

Lab Outline

• Lab 1: Exploring the Cisco ACI Fabric
• Lab 2: Exploring the Cisco APIC
• Lab 3: Operational Element Configuration from the GUI
• Lab 4: Operational Element Configuration from the CLI
• Lab 5: Cisco APIC API Configuration
• Lab 6: Endpoint Physical Connectivity
• Lab 7: Virtual Port Channels
• Lab 8: Cisco ACI External Connectivity
• Lab 9: Cisco ACI Troubleshooting
• Lab 10: VM Integration with Cisco ACI