BENEFITS
• Easy to consume 4-hour chunks allow the student to digest contents and ask questions each week
• Modular approach allows students to consume the topics more relevant to their job function and deployment
• Driven by real world scenarios and requirements
• Delivered by an expert on the topic
• After attending this class you will have the required knowledge to deploy and operate an ACI fabric
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
• Describe ACI components and policy model
• Explain ACI packet forwarding
• Describe ACI fabric configuration
• Describe ACI logical constructs
• Explain how ACI uses contracts to allow for secure communication between endpoints
• Explain how ACI connects to other switched and routed networks
• Explain how to troubleshoot an ACI fabric
• Describe Multi-site and Multi-pod solutions, and how they fit in a multi-DC/multi-cloud design
FEATURES
• Live Instructor-led virtual training with hands-on lab practice
• Deep-dive into ACI through 14 self contained, 4-hour sessions
• Runs weekly
• No prior ACI knowledge needed
• For people that need real-world training on ACI
• First class instructors
Session 1ACI Overview
Lecture
• What is ACI
• ACI’s benefits
• Overview of Switch and APIC models
• APIC Architecture Fabric bring up
process
• ACI Object Model
• ACI MGMT
• RBAC
• Syslog
• SNMP
• Upgrade
Process
• BGP Policy
Labs
• Instructor demo GUI Overview
• Instructor demo Intro to cli
• Creating Users and assign
Permissions
• Software Upgrades
Syslog, SNMP and config
rollbacks
Audience
Architects or Engineers doing design
work
Duration
4 hours
Session 2 Fabric Forwarding
Lecture
• VxLan refresher
• Understanding Bridge Domains
> B ridge Domain as a layer 2 boundary
> Difference between Vlans and Bridge Domains
> Bridge Domain configuration knobs
+ Limit Learning to IP subnet
> Encapsulation and multicast group
• Coop
> O racles and Citizens
> Endpoint tables
> Lookup process
• Layer2 and Layer3 forwarding
> A RP handling packet walk
> L2 packet walk
> L3 packet walk
> BUM traffic packet walk
> VxLan Encapsulations
+ Intro to Fd_Vlans and BD_Vlans
+ VRF encapsulation
> EP move and bounce entries
> Rogue endpoint detection
> Silent hosts
> Endpoint table vs Mac and Routing Table
Labs
• Intro to endpoint reachability troubleshooting
> Understanding show endpoint command
> Validate coop entries (GUI and CLI)
> Using Iping, Elam and Ftriage
(App not CLI)
Audience
Operations teams
Duration
4 hours
Session 3 Fabric Configuration Part 1
Lecture
Overview of interface configurations
> Physical and VMM domains overview
+ Deployment immediacy (VMM)
+ Resolution immediacy (VMM)
> VLAN Pools
+ Static and Dynamic Pools
+ Base encap value
> AEPs
+ Used as a way to tie VLANs to an Interface
+ Used to define EPG membership
> Policy Groups
> Interface Profiles
Overview of switch configurations
> VPC in ACI
> Switch
Profiles
VLANs in the ACI world
> PI, HW, Access Encap, BD and FD
> Physical Domain, AEP and VLAN Pool relationship to FD_VLAN and VxLAN encap
Labs
• Create a physical Domain to connect endpoints to the ACI Fabric
> Create VLAN Pool and AEP
• Create a VMM domain to connect endpoints to the ACI fabric
> Create VLAN Pool and AEP
> Create VMM integration
• Create VPCs explicit protection groups
• Create Interface Profiles and Policy Groups
• Create Switch Profiles
• Understanding the output
> Show VLAN brief
> Show VLAN extended
> Show system internal eltmc info VLAN brief (vsh_lc shell)
Audience
Operations teams
Duration
4 hours
Session 4 Fabric Configuration Part 2
Lecture
• Overview of interface configurations
> Physical and VMM domains overview
+ Deployment immediacy (VMM)
+ Resolution immediacy (VMM)
> VLAN Pools
+ Static and Dynamic Pools
+ Base encap value
> AEPs
+ Used as a way to tie VLANs to an Interface
+ Used to define EPG membership
> Policy Groups
> Interface Profiles
• Overview of switch configurations
> VPC in ACI
> Switch Profiles
• VLANs in the ACI world
> PI, HW, Access Encap, BD and FD
> Physical Domain, AEP and VLAN Pool relationship to FD_VLAN and VxLAN encap
Labs
• Create a physical Domain to connect endpoints to the ACI Fabric
> Create VLAN Pool and AEP
• Create a VMM domain to connect endpoints to the ACI fabric
> Create VLAN Pool and AEP
> Create VMM integration
• Create VPCs explicit protection groups
• Create Interface Profiles and Policy Groups
• Create Switch Profiles
• Understanding the output
> Show VLAN brief
> Show VLAN extended
> Show system internal eltmc info VLAN brief (vsh_lc shell)
Audience
Operations teams
Duration
4 hours
Session 5 ACI Logical Constructs Part 1
Lecture
• Tenants
• VRFs
• Bridge Domains
• Application Profiles
• EPGs and Endpoint
• Security Groups
> VMM and Physical Domains
• Intro to Contracts
Labs
• Create a tenant
• Create an Application Profile
• Create a set of EPGs and establish L2 and L3 connectivity between endpoints
> Create required BDs, EPGs and Contracts
Audience
Operations teams
Duration
4 hours
Session 6 ACI Logical Constructs Part 2
Lecture
Tenants
VRFs
Bridge Domains
Application Profiles
EPGs and Endpoint
Security Groups
> VMM and Physical Domains
Intro to Contracts
Labs
Create a tenant
Create an Application Profile
Create a set of EPGs and establish L2 and L3 connectivity between endpoints
> Create required BDs, EPGs and Contracts
Audience
Operations teams
Duration
4 hours
Session 7 Contracts
Lecture
• Contract Scope
• Subjects
• Filters
> Directives (Log and Policy Compression)
• Verifying L2 and L3 permit and denies from the GUI Subject Labels
> Apply both ways and reverse filter ports
• EPG Labels
• Deny Contracts
> Taboo Contracts
> Regular contracts with Deny Filter
• VRF Enforced and Unenforced
• Preferred Group VZ_ANY
• Consumed contractinterfaces (Intro to leaking)
Labs
> Enable EPG to EPG communication using Subject Labels and EPG Labels
> Enable EPG to EPG communication using Preferred Group and VZ_Any VRF options
> Block specific traffic using Taboo contracts and deny filters
Audience
Architects or Engineers doing design work
Duration
4 hours
This ACI Elite Series will provide value for anyone deploying or operating an ACI fabric. However some topics will be more relevant to specific audiences
• Sessions 1, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, and 14 are more focused for Architects or Engineers doing design work
• Sessions 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 11 are more focused for operations teams