Implementing Automation for Cisco Data Center Solutions Training

Before taking this course, you should have the following knowledge and skills:

• Basic programming language concepts
• Basic understanding of virtualization and VMware
• Ability to use Linux and command line interface (CLI) tools, such as Secure Shell (SSH) and bash
• CCNP level data center knowledge
• Foundational understanding of Cisco ACI

The following Cisco courses can help you gain the knowledge you need to prepare for this course:

• Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA)
• Introducing Automation for Cisco Solutions (CSAU)
• Implementing and Operating Cisco Data Center Core Technologies (DCCOR)

After taking this course, you should be able to:

• Review Cisco ACI fundamental concepts, GUI workflows, and create the case for implementing automation
• Introduce the Cisco ACI REST API, the tools already available on the Cisco APIC, and understand basic API interaction using Postman
• Understand the functionality provided by the Python ACI libraries and write scripts that apply configuration and verify state on the Cisco ACI fabric
• Understand Cisco ACI Ansible modules, build playbooks that apply Infrastructure-as-Code concepts to Cisco ACI tenant configuration, and generate a health report using Ansible
• Understand Cisco ACI Apps Center integration and the benefits of integrating Kubernetes infrastructure with Cisco ACI
• Understand the API types and capabilities available on Cisco Nexus product family
• Understand Day 0 operations and how ZTP, POAP, and iPXE fulfill these goals with their respective tooling
• Understand functionality provided by the on-box tooling on the Cisco Nexus series switches and implement simple solutions to improve daily operations
• Use Python and Ansible to leverage the NX-API to implement and verify configuration state using modern workflows
• Understand the paradigm shift of Model-Driven Telemetry and explore a fully set up pipeline for data collection and analysis
• Understand the Cisco UCS developer tools and implement management workflows leveraging Cisco UCS APIs, Python, and Ansible modules
• Review Cisco NDFC product capabilities and understand how its API can be leveraged to automate the Cisco Data Center
• Understand the advantages of using Cisco Intersight and how to implement automation tasks using its REST APIs via Python and Ansible
• Describe Terraform plans for Cisco ACI deployments

• Describing the Cisco ACI Policy Model
• Describing the Cisco APIC REST API
• Using Python to Interact with the Cisco ACI REST API
• Using Ansible to Automate Cisco ACI
• Introducing Cisco NX-OS Programmability
• Describing Day-Zero Provisioning with Cisco NX-OS
• Implementing On-Box Programmability and Automation with Cisco NX-OS
• Implementing Off-Box Programmability and Automation with Cisco NX-OS
• Automating Cisco UCS Using Developer Tools
• Describing Cisco Intersight