DCMDS: Configuring Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switches v3.1

DCMDS (Configuring Cisco MDS 9000 Series Switches) v3.1 is designed as a comprehensive hands-on experience to familiarize data center systems engineers, field engineers, architects, and Cisco partners who implement storage-networking solutions with the Cisco MDS 9000 Series switch platform.

During this course you will learn to implement, manage, and troubleshoot Cisco® MDS 9000 Series Switches, to build highly available, scalable storage networks. Through expert instruction and extensive hands-on practice, you will learn how to deploy and use capabilities such as virtual storage area networks (VSANs), Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), N-Port Virtualization (NPV) fabric security, zoning, automation with NX-API, Slow Drain Analysis, Fibre Channel over TCP/IP (FCIP) tunnels, and more. You will learn how to configure and implement platform features and learn troubleshooting techniques pertaining to Fibre Channel (FC) domains, firmware upgrades, zones, and zone mergers.

This course prepares you for Cisco CCNP Data Center and Cisco Certified Specialist - Data Center SAN Implementation certifications (DCSAN).

What's Included

• Official Cisco courseware
• Remote lab access

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of data storage hardware components and protocols, including Small Computer System Interface (SCSI) and Fibre Channel
• Basic understanding of networking protocols, including Ethernet and IP
• Basic routing and switching knowledge

Course Objectives

After completing this course, you should be able to:

• Discover and describe the Cisco Multilayer Director Switch (MDS) platform of multilayer switches and directors. Describe the MDS hardware, NX-OS operating system, Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) management software, and key architectures of the platform, such as FC and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE)
• Describe key product features of the MDS platform, including VSANs, RBAC, NPV, port channels, zoning, device aliases, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), and fabric security
• Configure and implement the Cisco MDS switches and platform features, such has initial configuration, building a fabric, building a SAN extension, and configuring inter-VSAN routing for that purpose
• Configure FCIP tunnels
• Resolve issues and troubleshoot FC domains, zones and zone merges, and switch boot and firmware upgrades

Course Outline

Module 1: Describing Cisco MDS Platform

• Lesson 1: Cisco MDS 9700/9300/9200/9100 Hardware
• Lesson 2: Cisco NX-OS
• Lesson 3: Cisco DCNM
• Lesson 4: Fibre Channel Architecture
• Lesson 5: FCoE Architecture

Module 2: Describing Key Product Features

• Lesson 1: Cisco DCNM 10.x
• Lesson 2: RBAC and Authentication, Authorization, and Accounting (AAA)
• Lesson 3: Virtual SANs
• Lesson 4: NPV and NPIV
• Lesson 5: Port Channels and VSAN Trunking
• Lesson 6: Zoning and Smart Zoning
• Lesson 7: Device Aliases
• Lesson 8: Inter-VSAN Routing
• Lesson 9: Fibre Channel Fabric Security

Module 3: Describing New Product Features

• Lesson 1: 32-Gb Fibre Channel
• Lesson 2: Cisco MDS NX-API
• Lesson 3: Power-On Auto-Provisioning
• Lesson 4: Slow Drain Analysis
• Lesson 5: Analytics and SAN Telemetry Streaming
• Lesson 6: Cisco Secure Boot

Module 4: Deploying Cisco MDS Features

• Lesson 1: Installation and Initial Setup
• Lesson 2: Building a Fabric: FC Domains and FC Services
• Lesson 3: Building SAN Extensions

Module 5: Troubleshooting Common Cisco MDS Issues

• Lesson 1: Fibre Channel Domains
• Lesson 2: Zones and Zone Merges
• Lesson 3: Boot and Upgrade Issues

Labs

• Lab 1: Set Up DCNM
• Lab 2: Explore DCNM-SAN Client and DCNM Device Manager
• Lab 3: Configure and Use RBAC
• Lab 4: Configure and Use RBAC with DCNM-SAN Client and Device Manager
• Lab 5: Manage VSANs and FC Domain
• Lab 6: Configure NPV and N-Port Identification Virtualization (NPIV)
• Lab 7: Configure Interfaces
• Lab 8: Configure Device Aliases and Zoning
• Lab 9: Explore and Automate with NX-API
• Lab 10: Perform Slow Drain Analysis with Cisco DCNM
• Lab 11: Configure FCIP Tunnels and FCIP High Availability (HA)
• Lab 12: Configure IVR for SAN Extension
• Lab 13: Troubleshoot Zoning and Zone Merges