Designing the FlexPod Solution (FPDESIGN)

The goal of this course is to evaluate the FlexPod solution design process in regards to the contemporary data center challenges. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of the reconnaissance and analytics to assess computing solution performance characteristics and requirements. In addition this course will describe the hardware components of the FlexPod and the process for selecting proper hardware for a given set of requirements.

Retail Price: $2,022.00

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Course Days: 2


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About this Course

Designing the FlexPod Solution is a 2-day instructor-led course where you will learn to evaluate the FlexPod solution design process with regard to the contemporary data center challenges. The course provides a comprehensive understanding of the reconnaissance and analytics assess computing solution performance characteristics and requirements. In addition, this course will describe the hardware components of the FlexPod and the process for selecting proper hardware for a given set of requirements.

This course uses the ONTAP 8.3 environment.

Updated features:

  • Cisco UCS
  • Cisco ACI Architecture
  • Nexus 9k
  • Microsoft Hyper-V and VMware 6
  • Red Hat Linux OpenStack

Audience Profile

  • Network Engineers
  • Network Administrators
  • System Engineers
  • Server Administrators

 

Course PreRequisites

  • Basic understanding of storage operations
  • Basic knowledge of server and server virtualization
  • General knowledge of networking technologies

 

At Course Completion

Upon completing this course, the learner will be able to meet these overall objectives:

  • Describe the FlexPod data center solutions and architecture
  • Identify FlexPod workload sizing and technical specificationsDescribe the FlexPod Solution
  • Identify FlexPod Design Requirements
  • Identify the supported Cisco UCS components
  • Identify the supported NetApp storage components
  • Identify the supported Cisco Nexus components
  • Describe the FlexPod topology options
  • Describing FlexPod validated management solutions
  • Describe the FlexPod use case with VMware vSphere 6.0 and IP-Based Storage
  • Describe the FlexPod use case with Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack
  • Describe the FlexPod deployment and management strategies

Course Outline

Module 1: FlexPod Data Center Solutions and Architecture

  • Business drivers for new data center architectures
    • Providing on-demand secure, reliable, and simple to use resources
    • Maintaining data security while meeting compliance requirements
    • Expanding to new markets
    • Offering support for mobile users
    • Integrating hybrid cloud solutions
    • Achitectures with applications that are responsive to the demands
    • Architecture design for shared infrastructures
  • FlexPod solutions and key features
  • Cisco Validated Designs and NetApp Verified Architecture
  • FlexPod models
    • Datacenter
    • Express
    • Select
  • FlexPod primary design principles
    • Application availability
    • Scalability
    • Flexibility
    • Manageability
  • Customer requirements
  • Characterize the existing environment
    • Tools that help in auditing the existing network

Module 2: FlexPod Hardware and Software Selection and Sizing Considerations

  • Cisco UCS features and key business benefits
  • Cisco UCS B-Series Blade Server options
    • Features
    • Categories of blades
  • Cisco UCS C-Series options
    • Features
    • Categories of C-Series Rack Servers
  • Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnect options
    • Function
    • Key features
  • Cisco UCS Mini options
    • Overview
    • Ideal Cisco UCS Mini solution
  • Cisco Interoperability Matrix tool
  • UCS Sizer for Enterprise applications
  • Key features of the NetApp solutions
  • NetApp storage controllers series
  • Disk options
  • Key features of the NetApp Clustered Data ONTAP
  • Hardware and software selection process
  • Sizing tools
  • Performance Modeler
  • Cisco Nexus family of products
  • Key features and benefits of the Cisco Nexus NX-OS
  • Cisco ACI architecture
    • Reducing TCO
    • Automating IT tasks
    • Accelerating data center application deployments
  • Mapping process
  • Connectivity best practices
  • FlexPod LAN
  • FlexPod SAN
  • VLAN and VSAN
  • vPC role and function
  • ACI architecture
    • Shift from box-centric to application-centric network management
    • Automation that is simplified through the application policy model
    • Scalability, high performance, and multi-tenancy done in hardware
    • Centralized, holistic visibility of infrastructure with real-time application monitoring
    • Architecture openness
    • The use of central control point for the data center—Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC)
  • FlexPod design high availability
  • Challenges of centralized automation and management of the FlexPod
  • FlexPod validated management solutions
  • UCS Director centralized automation
  • Infrastructure Automation components

Module 3: FlexPod Designs Based on Platforms

  • Customer profile
  • Customer challenges and goals
  • Customer existing environment
  • VMware virtualization characteristics
  • IP-based storage characteristics
  • Design tools
  • Customer requirement topology
  • Customer use case
  • Customer challenges and goals
  • Existing customer environment
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack characteristics

Labs:

  • General Lab Setup
  • Case Study 1-1: Letitgo Insurance Company Upgrade Overview
  • Review the Customer’s Upgrade Scenario
  • Document the Customer’s Current Challenges
  • Document the Customer’s Design Requirements
  • Present Reasons to Support the FlexPod Solutions
  • Discuss the Customer’s Upgrade Scenario
  • Case Study 2-1: Letitgo Insurance Company FlexPod Computing Design
  • Review the Microsoft Exchange Application Design Criteria
  • Select a Server and CPU Type
  • Complete the Microsoft Exchange 2010 Sizing Questionnaire for Cisco UCS Sizer Form
  • Use the Cisco UCS Sizer Tool to Create a Bill of Materials
  • Discuss Your Cisco UCS Build Configuration
  • Case Study 2-2: Letitgo Insurance Company FlexPod Storage Design
  • Review the Microsoft Exchange Server Role Requirements Calculator Spreadsheet
  • Use the NetApp System Performance Modeler to Create a Bill of Materials
  • Discuss Your NetApp Sizing Results
  • Exercise 3: Explore Cisco Nexus Switches Capabilities
  • Case Study 2-4: Letitgo Insurance Company FlexPod Connectivity Design
  • Review the Customer’s Scenario
  • Create a Connectivity Diagram
  • Answer Connectivity Diagram Questions
  • Case Study 3-1: Acme Motorcycle Company FlexPod Design
  • Review the customer’s upgrade scenario
  • Review the design criteria
  • Use any tool to create a FlexPod Bill of Materials
  • Use the Cisco UCS Sizer and NetApp SPM tools to build the FlexPod Bill of Materials
  • Case Study 3-2: APEX SAAS Provider Red Hat Enterprise Linux OpenStack FlexPod Design
  • Review the customer’s upgrade scenario.
  • Review the design criteria.
  • Use the sizing tools to create a FlexPod Bill of Materials


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