Designing the FlexPod Solution (FPDESIGN)

Course Outline

Module 1: FlexPod Data Center Solutions and Architecture

• Business drivers for new data center architectures
  • Providing on-demand secure, reliable, and simple to use resources
  • Maintaining data security while meeting compliance requirements
  • Expanding to new markets
  • Offering support for mobile users
  • Integrating hybrid cloud solutions
  • Achitectures with applications that are responsive to the demands
  • Architecture design for shared infrastructures
• FlexPod solutions and key features
• Cisco Validated Designs and NetApp Verified Architecture
• FlexPod models
  • Datacenter
  • Express
  • Select
• FlexPod primary design principles
  • Application availability
  • Scalability
  • Flexibility
  • Manageability
• Customer requirements
• Characterize the existing environment
  • Tools that help in auditing the existing network

Module 2: FlexPod Hardware and Software Selection and Sizing Considerations

• Cisco UCS features and key business benefits
• Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server options
  • Features
  • Categories of blades
• Cisco UCS C-Series options
  • Features
  • Categories of C-Series Rack Servers
• Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnect options
  • Function
  • Key features
• Cisco UCS Mini options
  • Overview
  • Ideal Cisco UCS Mini solution
• Cisco Interoperability Matrix tool
• UCS Sizer for Enterprise applications
• Key features of the NetApp solutions
• NetApp storage controllers series
• Disk options
• Key features of the NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP
• Hardware and software selection process
• Sizing tools
• Performance Modeler
• Cisco Nexus family of products
• Key features and benefits of the Cisco Nexus NX-OS
• Cisco ACI architecture
  • Reducing TCO
  • Automating IT tasks
  • Accelerating data center application deployments
• Mapping process
• Connectivity best practices
• FlexPod LAN
• FlexPod SAN
• VLAN and VSAN
• vPC role and function
• ACI architecture
  • Shift from box-centric to application-centric network management
  • Automation that is simplified through the application policy model
  • Scalability, high performance, and multi-tenancy done in hardware
  • Centralized, holistic visibility of infrastructure with real-time application monitoring
  • Architecture openness
  • The use of central control point for the data center—Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)
• FlexPod design high availability
• Challenges of centralized automation and management of the FlexPod
• FlexPod validated management solutions
• UCS Director centralized automation
• Infrastructure Automation components

Module 3: FlexPod Designs Based on Platforms

• Customer profile
• Customer challenges and goals
• Customer existing environment
• VMware virtualization characteristics
• IP-based storage characteristics
• Design tools
• Customer requirement topology
• Customer use case
• Customer challenges and goals
• Existing customer environment
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack characteristics

Labs:

• General Lab Setup
• Case Study 1-1: Letitgo Insurance Company Upgrade Overview
• Review the Customer’s Upgrade Scenario
• Document the Customer’s Current Challenges
• Document the Customer’s Design Requirements
• Present Reasons to Support the FlexPod Solutions
• Discuss the Customer’s Upgrade Scenario
• Case Study 2-1: Letitgo Insurance Company FlexPod Computing Design
• Review the Microsoft Exchange Application Design Criteria
• Select a Server and CPU Type
• Complete the Microsoft Exchange 2010 Sizing Questionnaire for Cisco UCS Sizer Form
• Use the Cisco UCS Sizer Tool to Create a Bill of Materials
• Discuss Your Cisco UCS Build Configuration
• Case Study 2-2: Letitgo Insurance Company FlexPod Storage Design
• Review the Microsoft Exchange Server Role Requirements Calculator Spreadsheet
• Use the NetApp System Performance Modeler to Create a Bill of Materials
• Discuss Your NetApp Sizing Results
• Exercise 3: Explore Cisco Nexus Switches Capabilities
• Case Study 2-4: Letitgo Insurance Company FlexPod Connectivity Design
• Review the Customer’s Scenario
• Create a Connectivity Diagram
• Answer Connectivity Diagram Questions
• Case Study 3-1: Acme Motorcycle Company FlexPod Design
• Review the customer’s upgrade scenario
• Review the design criteria
• Use any tool to create a FlexPod Bill of Materials
• Use the Cisco UCS Sizer and NetApp SPM tools to build the FlexPod Bill of Materials
• Case Study 3-2: APEX SAAS Provider Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack FlexPod Design
• Review the customer’s upgrade scenario.
• Review the design criteria.
• Use the sizing tools to create a FlexPod Bill of Materials