Course Overview
The Understanding Cisco Data Center Foundations (DCFNDU) v1.1 course helps you prepare for entry-level data center roles. In this course, you will learn the foundational knowledge and skills you need to configure Cisco® data center technologies including networking, virtualization, storage area networking, and unified computing. You will get an introduction to Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (Cisco ACI), automation and cloud computing. You will get hands-on experience configuring features on Cisco Nexus Operating System (Cisco NX-OS) and Cisco Unified Computing System (Cisco UCS). This course also earns you 30 Continuing Education (CE) credits towards recertification.
This course does not lead directly to a certification exam, but it does cover foundational knowledge that can help you prepare for several CCNP and other professional-level data center courses and exams:
- Implementing and Operating Cisco Data Center Core Technologies (DCCOR)
- Designing Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCID)
- Troubleshooting Cisco Data Center Infrastructure (DCIT)
- Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (DCACI)
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This course will help you:
- Prepare for entry-level job roles in the high-demand area of data center environments
- Prepare for courses that support the Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center certification exams
- Gain knowledge and hands-on skills through Cisco’s unique combination of lessons and hands-on practice using enterprise-grade Cisco learning technologies, data center equipment, and software
- Earn 30 CE credits toward recertification
Who should attend
- Data center administrators
- Data center engineers
- Systems engineers
- Server administrators
- Network managers
- Cisco integrators and partners
Prerequisites
To fully benefit from this course, you should have the following knowledge and skills:
- Good understanding of networking protocols
- Good understanding of the VMware environment
- Basic knowledge of Microsoft Windows operating systems
These are the recommended Cisco courses that may help you meet these prerequisites:
- Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA®)
Course Objectives
After taking this course, you should be able to:
- Describe the foundations of data center networking
- Describe Cisco Nexus products and explain the basic Cisco NX-OS functionalities and tools
- Describe Layer 3 first-hop redundancy
- Describe Cisco Fabric Extender (FEX) connectivity
- Describe Ethernet port channels and virtual port channel (VPCs)
- Introduce switch virtualization, machine virtualization, and network virtualization
- Compare storage connectivity options in the data center
- Describe Fibre Channel communication between the initiator server and the target storage
- Describe Fibre Channel zone types and their uses
- Describe N-Port Virtualization (NPV) and N-Port Identifier Virtualization (NPIV)
- Describe data center Ethernet enhancements that provide a lossless fabric
- Describe Fibre Channel over Ethernet FCoE
- Describe data center server connectivity
- Describe Cisco UCS Manager
- Describe the purpose and advantages of APIs
- Describe Cisco ACI
- Describe the basic concepts of cloud computing