Onward to CCNP: Data Center!!

I can finally focus back on Data Center. So now its time for CCNA/CCNP: Data Center!

I've been keeping a lot of Data Center notes in Evernote, and I am in the process of migrating those to my Blogs, got the page started: CCIE: Data Center Study Links | CCIE or Null! but there is much more to come.

Since I am huge fan of design, (and having just designed and re-designed a few new Data Centers) I figured I am going to start with 642-996 Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric , I am probably book this exam at Cisco Live, since it's a free exam I won't lose too much sleep if I fail. Once I get back from Cisco Live, I'll circle back around and knock out my CCNA: Data Center.

For a bit of background, I've been pretty vested in Data Center for 8 months or say, been through INE's CCIE Data Center bootcamp, and have been actively working with Nexus/UCS (VPC, OTV, VDCs, 7k, 5k, 2k, Storage, DCNM, and so forth).

I am probably try and keep this thread updated as study for this along with the page on blog (and probably some extra DC related blogs posts)

A few of the Books I've read so far:

NX-OS and Cisco Nexus Switching: Next-Generation Data Center Architectures, 2nd Edition - Good primer for NX-OS and some Data Center features, but in my opinion does not go very in-depth.

Storage Networking Protocol Fundamentals - I like this for the nitty gritty details of the FC, however it does spend some time talking about the operations of TCP/IP.

All the design guides list on my blog page: CCIE: Data Center Study Links | CCIE or Null!

Been through probably all of the INE CCIE: Data Center Videos. Got the access pass when I went to the CCIE: Data Center boot camp last year.

So here we go! (Again)

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SteveO86

got slammed with a bunch of stuff lately (work/personal) so I got a bit distracted but...

I've taken some time this morning to consolidate my study material, and I've updated my study page as well. (Still primary Nexus focused, with some SAN/MDS material) Luckily work has been rather Data Center focused this last week. (and will probably continue to be for the next week anyway)

I'm going to try and Schedule the 642-997 DCUFI this week. (Whenever I can disappear from work for a few hours.) I think I've spent enough time hammering away at Nexus.

SteveO86

Passed 642-997 this morning! That wraps up my two Nexus exams.

I will say 642-997 was definitely tougher the 642-996 (design fabric) but it was not too bad.

However, you will definitely want to know your Nexus technologies (OTV, FabricPath, Security, vPC+, FCoE/FC, and the rest)

After you configure them a few times and spend some time to know what the commands/features do the exam shouldn't be that tricky.

Now, onto UCS.. battle plan pending (although, I will probably be borrowing some links from Iris' blog & thread lots of good in there!)

Iristheangel

Congrats! I think it's funny how we're doing the exact opposite of the other (UCS first for me, Nexus first for you).

My recommendation is to use the following resources in order:
- CBT Nuggets videos for 642-999 and 642-035 - This will get your feet wet
- Implementing UCS book with UCS Emulator v2.0 spun up on your computer
- INE UCS videos w/ UCS Sandbox Gold Lab if you have access
- UCS Gold Labs (VM-FEX, UCS Sandbox, Advanced Service Profiles, etc)
- Go through the UCS GUI Configuration Guide B-Series v2 and C-Series

After that, you should be solid enough to blast through both exams in a week.

SteveO86

Thank you Iris!

You know I was thinking that same thing! I think we're keeping a good pace to, since we both passed two exams and if I remember right we started at around the same time.

Thanks for the quick list of resources!

I'll start up the UCS studying this weekend. INE Videos (again), UCS Configs guides, then next week I'll start messing around with the B-chassis in lab at work. And get the UCS Simulator going again , almost forgot about that thing

SteveO86

Started re-watching the the UCS videos from INE. I went through a lot of these more towards the end of last year (boy how time flies) but more is always a good thing. I'll probably spend this next week going through the videos, maybe the next week and half that might be a more appropriate time frame due to work and life. (As I mess around with UCSM & the emulator.)

Every time hear how UCS practically abstracts the hardware always amazes me. Pure genius!

SteveO86

Moving on the INE videos, I'm gonna be going browsing through some of the CiscoLive 365 videos.

I'll probably be going through this material for the next week, list will be coming soon.

First one

UCS Fabric Interconnect Fundamentals,

filkenjitsu

Thanks for this thread! I am not studying these technologies, but it is a real interesting read!

dsgm

Really love this and Iris's threads and blogs/guides, really am interested in this track and will tackle it after i have finished tackling the VCP-DV and will continue to follow you guys.

I have the UCS emulator, titanium and the 1000V in my lab that i am currently building.

Do you guys think there is a market for this track, are employers looking for people with this specialization ?

SteveO86

The UCS Emulator is great for getting the look and feel of UCS, knowing where everything and how to configure it. I'd say its good for getting 75-80% the way there, if only you could boot VM's in there to verify.

Titanium on the other hand is a bit too flaky for my liking. It may work for some features but not all.

I can't say I've seen CCNP: Data Center showing up on job descriptions recently or if there is even a demand for it right now, but it is still a relatively new track from Cisco so it is not as well known the regular CCNP R/S.

However with UCS now #1 server infrastructure now and Nexus devices getting more and more adopted by different companies it will definitely be a good knowledge base to have gong forward.

Good luck on the VCP-DV studies!

SteveO86

Gotta give props to CiscoLive video. Definitely worth watching for those that need to troubleshoot UCS

https://www.ciscolive.com/online/connect/sessionDetail.ww?SESSION_ID=78528&backBtn=true

SteveO86

Wrapped up the INE Videos, Finished up the Cisco UCS book again.

Re-watching some more Cisco Live videos:

UCS Networking Deep Dive, slow start but it gets good:
https://www.ciscolive.com/online/connect/sessionDetail.ww?SESSION_ID=78503&backBtn=true

Might be shooting for a UCS exam attempt in Sept. (and get some UCS blog posts out)

SteveO86

It's been a while but I one more exam to go. Implementing Cisco UCS, knocked out the UCS Design exam last week. Banking on taking this exam in the next two, hoping to go into 2015 with the CCNP: DC.

Got a side-tracked with a few other projects as of late.

dsgm

SteveO86 wrote: »

It's been a while but I one more exam to go. Implementing Cisco UCS, knocked out the UCS Design exam last week. Banking on taking this exam in the next two, hoping to go into 2015 with the CCNP: DC.

Got a side-tracked with a few other projects as of late.

I see earlier you said you havent even gotten your CCNA DC, have you gotten it as yet, you have been getting those CCNP DC exams though, my job where i am at wants me to consider CCNP before i go for the vcp-dcv, i haven't decided and i dont think its feasible to study both at the same time.

This reply was supposed to be about asking if you have CCNA DC as yet

Also i see you are in FL

Alex90

I thought if you had passed the CCIE written/lab then you could take any CCNP exam without first passing relevant CCNA for that track?

dsgm

Alex90 wrote: »

I thought if you had passed the CCIE written/lab then you could take any CCNP exam without first passing relevant CCNA for that track?

That i didn't know, thanks for clearing that up

SteveO86

dsgm wrote: »

I see earlier you said you havent even gotten your CCNA DC, have you gotten it as yet, you have been getting those CCNP DC exams though, my job where i am at wants me to consider CCNP before i go for the vcp-dcv, i haven't decided and i dont think its feasible to study both at the same time.

This reply was supposed to be about asking if you have CCNA DC as yet

Also i see you are in FL

Yea I did it a bit backwards. I started with the Nexus Design exam first and then took the first half of the CCNA Data exam (Actually took both of those exams at Cisco Live San Fran earlier this year), then kept studying Nexus and eventually took the Implementing Nexus exam. After that went back and took the second half of my CCNA: DC few months ago. So I did finish my CCNA: DC

Yep in FL, I'm down here in Sarasota/Bradenton just south of Tampa.

Alex90 wrote: »

I thought if you had passed the CCIE written/lab then you could take any CCNP exam without first passing relevant CCNA for that track?

I'm pretty sure that applies for just passing lab, not the written. (Could be wrong but I don't think so)

SteveO86

Forgot to post an update but I passed the last exam for the CCNP: DC mid-last month, Finally knocked that one out.

Since then I've been doing off-the-books studying on SDN for a networking field day event coming up.

Now I'm just kind of feeling out what my next big project is at work. Thinking it's going to be voice, which might be interesting.

I ended up doing the track the a bit backwards I did in this order:

Implementing Fabric
First half of the CCNA: DC
Designing Fabric
Second half of the CCNA: DC
Design Compute
Implementing Compute

Kind of all over the place, but hey got the job done. Something I must admit the toughest part to taking a certification test is sneaking away from the office for half a day.