Cisco Multilayer Director Switch (MDS) Administration

Objective

Key Learning Areas:

• Overview and setup of Cisco MDS fabric and director-class switches (9124V, 9148V, 9700 series)
• Cisco Smart Licensing for scalable, centralized license management
• Integration and policy management through Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC)
• Deep packet visibility, telemetry streaming, and real-time SAN Analytics
• Advanced congestion management with Dynamic Ingress Rate Limiting (DIRL) and Fabric Performance Impact Notifications (FPINs)
• SAN security features including secure boot, encryption, zoning, and RBAC
• Best practices for VSAN segmentation, virtualized environment integration, and disaster recovery using FCIP
• Troubleshooting methodologies using analytics-driven root cause analysis tools

Who Should Attend

Outline

Module 1: Cisco MDS Intent-Based SAN Automation

Introduces self-healing SAN operations and AI-powered network automation.

• Lesson 1: Cisco MDS Intent-Based SAN Automation
• Lesson 2: Automated SAN Network Analytics

Module 2: Overview of Cisco MDS SAN Switches

Explores the MDS product line and switch capabilities for modern SAN architectures.

• Lesson 1: Cisco MDS Switching Portfolio Overview
• Lesson 2: MDS 9124V and MDS 9148V Fabric Switches
• Lesson 3: MDS 9700 Series Director-Class Switches
• Lesson 4: Key Features of Cisco MDS Switches
• Lesson 5: High Availability, Reliability, and Redundancy
• Lesson 6: Use Cases for Cisco MDS SAN Switches

Module 3: Cisco (NDFC) Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller Overview

Demonstrates NDFC’s role in automation, analytics, and policy enforcement.

• Lesson 1: NDFC Overview
• Lesson 2: NDFC Architecture & Integration
• Lesson 3: NDFC Connectivity & Deployment
• Lesson 4: Deploying NDFC on ND
• Lesson 5: NDFC VMM Integration
• Lesson 6: Monitoring Fabric and Intended State

Module 4: Cisco Smart Licensing Model

Covers Smart Licensing Policies and transition from traditional licensing.

• Lesson 1: Feature-Based Licensing and On-Demand Port Activation License
• Lesson 2: Smart Licensing Model
• Lesson 3: Smart Software Licensing Model using Policy (SLP)
• Lesson 4: Enabling SLP
• Lesson 5: SLP Deployment Models
• Lesson 6: Example of SLP on 9124V and 9148V
• Lesson 7: Converting Traditional Mode Licenses to Smart Mode
• Lesson 8: SLC Reports and Alerts

Module 5: Designing & Implementing SAN Fabrics 

Focuses on SAN design, VSANs, zoning, and NDFC operations.

• Lesson 1: SAN Fabric Design Principles & Topologies
• Lesson 2: VSANs and Inter-VSAN Routing
• Lesson 3: Use Case and Benefits of Using Multiple VSANs
• Lesson 4: Implementing VSAN Fabric in NDFC
• Lesson 5: Zone, Zonesets and CFS Distribution
• Lesson 6: Configuring Zones, Autozones, Smart Zones and Zonesets in NDFC/CLI
• Lesson 7: Configuring ISL Trunking, Port Channeling and Load-Balancing in NDFC
• Lesson 8: Other NDFC Features: Device Alias, Image Managements, Event Analytics, Programmable Reporting, Alarms, Templates

Module 6: Automated SAN Analytics & Telemetry

Provides insight into SAN performance with telemetry and analytics.

• Lesson 1: SAN Analytics Architecture and Solution Components
• Lesson 2: SAN Fabric Analytics Deployment
• Lesson 3: SAN Analytics Configuration and Verification using NDFC/CLI
• Lesson 4: Core Capabilities and Benefits of SAN Analytics
• Lesson 5: Key Performance Metrics in SAN Analytics/SAN Insights
• Lesson 6: NDI App Integration with Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller
• Lesson 7: Use Cases for SAN Analytics/SAN Insights
• Lesson 8: Automated Proactive Fabric Monitoring, Predictive Analytics, Predicting and Avoiding Congestion

Module 7: CLI-based Troubleshooting

Teaches congestion mitigation, DIRL, and FPIN-based acceleration.

• Lesson 1: SAN Analytics & Troubleshooting
• Lesson 2: Automated Detection of SAN Congestion
• Lesson 3: Detection & Alerting of SAN Congestion
• Lesson 4: Automated Alerting of SAN Congestion on MDS using PMON
• Lesson 5: Automated Congestion Prevention
• Lesson 6: Congestion Prevention using DIRL
• Lesson 7: Congestion Prevention using FPIN
• Lesson 8: Troubleshooting SAN Congestion

Module 8: Cisco MDS SAN Security 

Focuses on fabric and link-layer security, TrustSec, and secure boot.

• Lesson 1: Cisco MDS SAN Management Security
• Lesson 2: Fabric Target Access Security
• Lesson 3: Fabric Control Plane Security
• Lesson 4: FC & FCIP Link Security
• Lesson 5: Secure Boot & Anti-Counterfeit Technology
• Lesson 6: Secure Erase

Module 9: SAN/MDS Programmability and Automation

Introduces MDS automation tools including Python, NX-API, and Ansible.

• Lesson 1: MDS 9000 Programmability Options
• Lesson 2: NX-API
• Lesson 3: MDS Python API
• Lesson 4: Cisco MDS SDK
• Lesson 5: Ansible
• Lesson 6: NDFC Automation

Module 10: Appendix FC SAN Concepts 

Provides a foundational overview of SAN protocols and operations.

• Lesson 1: Why FC Today
• Lesson 2: FC SAN Overview
• Lesson 3: FC-0
• Lesson 4: FC-1
• Lesson 5: FC-2
• Lesson 6: Login Parameters, Flow, and Class
• Lesson 7: FC Switch Fabric
• Lesson 8: Error Management
• Lesson 9: FC Zoning Concepts
• Lesson 10: FC SAN Flow Control
• Lesson 11: FC SAN Topology and Port Types
• Lesson 12: FC Services
• Lesson 13: NPV and NPIV
• Lesson 14: Device Alias
• Lesson 15: Port Channel
• Lesson 16: Introduction to SCSI and NVMe

LAB Outline

Lab 1: Lab Access    

• Task 1: Access the lab

Lab 2: Initial Setup of Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switch     

• Task 1: Perform the Initial Setup Procedure on the Cisco MDS 9148V Series Switch
• Task 2: Perform the Initial Setup Procedure on the Cisco MDS 9124V Series Switch

Lab 3: Perform the ISSU Upgrade on Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switch   

• Task 1: Perform the ISSU Upgrade on Cisco MDS 9148V Series Switch
• Task 2: Perform the ISSU Upgrade on Cisco MDS 9124V Series Switch
• Task 3: Perform the ISSU Upgrade on Cisco MDS 9710 Director Series Switch

Lab 4: Install vND (Virtual Nexus Dashboard)  for SAN Single-node Cluster   

• Task 1: Deploy and Install vND Cluster for SAN Controller with SAN Insights
• Task 2: Verify/Troubleshoot the vND Cluster for SAN

Lab 5: Configure FC VSANs, FC Port Types and ISLs, VSAN Trunking Links on MDS 9000 Series Switches using CLI  

• Task 1: Configure VSAN on MDS 9000 Series Switches
• Task 2: Configure F Ports to ESX Hosts and to Storage Array
• Task 3: Configure E/TE Ports on MDS 9000 Series Switches
• Task 4: Verify E/TE, Trunking VSAN  Ports on MDS 9000 Series Switches
• Task 5: Verify F Ports on MDS 9000 Series Switches

Lab 6: Configure Basic and Enhanced Zoning on MDS 9000 Series Switches using CLI       

• Task 1: Configure Zones and Zonesets on MDS 9000 Series Switches in different VSANs using Basic Zoning Mode using CLI
• Task 2: Verify Zoneset and Zones on MDS 9000 Series Switches in different VSANs using Basic Zoning Mode using CLI
• Task 3: Delete  Basic Zoneset and Zones on MDS 9000 Series Switches in different VSANs using CLI
• Task 4: Configure Enhanced Zoning Mode on Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switches in different VSANs using CLI
• Task 5: Verify Enhanced Zoning Mode on Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switches using CLI

Lab 7: Configure  VM Disk Partition on the FC Storage Array with Multipathing Access       

• Task 1: Configure the Host Disk Partition basedo on MPIO across the Primary and Secondary VSAN to FC LUN

Lab 8: Configure Device-Aliases on Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switches using NX-OS CLI      

• Task 1: Configure the Device Aliase Database using CLI
• Task 2: Abort, Commit, Verify the Device Aliase Database  Session and CFS Sesssion Lock

Lab 9: Configure CFS Application Distribution on Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switches using CLI       

• Task 1: Configure CFS Application Distribution for NTP using CLI
• Task 2: Verify the CFS Application Distribution for NTP using CLI

Lab 10: Discover FC SAN Fabric and Configure VSAN in Nexus Dashboard for SAN            

• Task 1: Initialize POD MDS Fabric Switches in ND for SAN
• Task 2: Discover POD FC SAN Fabric in Nexus Dashboard for SAN
• Task 2: Configure VSANs on POD Switches in ND for SAN
• Task 3: Configure E Ports and VSAN Trunking ISLs in POD VSAN

Lab 11: Configure ISLs and FC Port Channel in ND for SAN      

• Task 1:  Configure E Ports / ISLs between POD Fabric Switches
• Task 2:  Configure FC Port Channel in ND for SAN

Lab 12: Perform ISSU on MDS 9000 Series Switch using  ND Image Policy     

• Task 1: Manually Downgrade the MDS 9000 Series Switch
• Task 2: Upload the NX-OS Kickstart and System Image for the ISSU Upgrade to the ND
• Task 3: Create Image Policy for the ISSU Upgrade in the ND for SAN
• Task 4: Attach the Image Policy for the ISSU Upgrade in the ND to MDS 9000 Series Switch
• Task 5: Monitor the ISSU and Verify the Result in ND for SAN

Lab 13: Configure F Ports and Device Aliases with CFS Distribution in ND for SAN 

• Task 1:  Configure F Ports and connect FC Initiator and  FC Storage Target in ND for SAN
• Task 2:  Configure Device Aliases in ND for SAN

Lab 14: Configure Alarm Policies, Generate Events and Programmable Reports in ND for SAN     

• Task 1:  Configure an Alarm Policy in ND for SAN
• Task 2:  Verify an Alarm Policy in ND for SAN
• Task 3:  Configure  and Generate Programmable Reports in ND

Lab 15: Configure Zoning in ND for SAN  

• Task 1:  Verify the Initial Fabric State
• Task 2:  Configure Basic Zoning and Activate Zoneset in ND for SAN
• Task 3:  Verify the Activated Zoneset in the Basic Zoning and in ND for SAN

Lab 15: Integration of VMM and Storage Array with Nexus Dashboard for SAN         

• Task 1:  Configure IP Routes to VMWare  vCenter Server and Esxi Hosts on Cisco Nexus Dashboard for SAN
• Task 2:  Adding vCenter Visualization by Integrating VMWare  vCenter Server and ESXi Hosts in Cisco ND for SAN
• Task 3:  Integrating Storage Array with Cisco ND for SAN (Optional/Informational Task)

Lab 16:  Enable the Enhanced Zoning Mode in ND for SAN       

• Task 1:  Configure Enhanced Zoning Mode

Lab 17:  Configure Smart Zoning in ND     

• Task 1:  Configure Smart Zoning in ND for SAN
• Task 2:  Verify Smart Zoning in ND for SAN

Lab 18:  Performance Analytics, Congestion Detection and  Root Cause Analysis using ND with SAN Insights          

• Task 1:  Verify the Initial State of the Fabric
• Task 2:  Enabling FC SAN Analytics/Insights in ND
• Task 3:  Generate SCSI/FC IO Workload using the Storage Performance Tool
• Task 4: Monitor  Fabric Performance Metrics DAL, ECT and other SAN Analytics IO Flow Metrics and Detect the  Congestion in ND with SAN Insights
• Task 5: Root Cause Analysis of Congestion in ND with SAN Insights

Lab 19:  Configuring DIRL and FPIN For Automated Proactive Congestion Control  

• Task 1:  Initialize the Fabric Topology – POD Y
• Task 2:  Initialize the Fabric Topology - POD X
• Task 3:  Configure a new Smart  Zoneset - POD Y
• Task 4:  Enable Performance Analytics and SAN Insights - POD X and POD Y Switches
• Task 5:  Configuring  PMON Policy with DIRL using CLI (Informational)
• Task 6:  Configuring  PMON Policy with DIRL in ND for SAN
• Task 7:  Verify DIRL in ND for SAN
• Task 8:  Configure FPIN using CLI

Lab 20:  Review Cisco ND Journey  and Configure Fabric Backup       

• Task 1:  Configure the Journey in ND for SAN

Lab 21: Enabling VM  Visibility and SAN Analytics for VM using ND integration with VMM Manager (vCenter)        

• Task 1:  Initialize the POD X and POD Y Fabric
• Task 2:  Enable VMM integration with ND for SAN
• Task 3:  Configure VSANs, Zonning and Device Aliases
• Task 4:  Configure LUN Masking on the Storage Array
• Task 5:  Configure POD VM FC HBA in NPIV Mode
• Task 6:  Configure LUN Masking on the Storage Array
• Task 7:  Configure SAN Analytics and Perform per-VM Traffic Flow Analytics

Lab 22: Inter-VSAN Routing Lab with NAT            

• Task 1:   Initialize the Fabric
• Task 2:   Enable VSAN and VSAN Trunks on your POD
• Task 3:   Configure IVR Zone and IVR Zoneset in ND for SAN
• Task 4:   Configure IVR Zone and IVR Zoneset using CLI
• Task 5:   Verify IVR Zone and IVR Zoneset