Implementing Automation for Cisco Data Center Solutions

Individuals looking to understand how to implement automated solutions in a Cisco Data Center

After completing 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

• Cisco ACI Overview
• Cisco ACI Object Model Hierarchy
• Reasons for Automating Cisco ACI

Describing the Cisco APIC REST API

• Introduction to the Cisco ACI REST API
• Cisco ACI REST API Clients

Using Python to Interact with the ACI REST API

• Python for Cisco ACI Automation
• Cobra SDK and Arya

Using Ansible to Automate Cisco ACI

• Ansible ACI Modules

Describing Cisco ACI Apps Center and Kubernetes

• Cisco ACI Hosting Capabilities
• Cisco ACI Application Types
• Integrating the Kubernetes Infrastructure and Cisco ACI

Understanding Terraform for Cisco ACI

• Construct a Terraform Plan to Use and ACI
• Interpret a Terraform Plan to Use the Cisco Intersight Provider
• Identify the Steps in the Cisco Intersight API Authentication Method
• Manage Cisco UCS Servers Through Cisco Intersight API

Introducing Cisco NX-OS Programmability

• Cisco Nexus Platform
• Cisco NX-OS Programmability

Describing Day-Zero Provisioning with Cisco NX-OS

• Day-Zero Operations
• Describing iPXE
• Power on Auto Provisioning

Implementing On-Box Programmability and Automation with Cisco NX-OS

• On-Box Programmability on Cisco NX-OS

Implementing Off-Box Programmability and Automation with Cisco NX-OS

• NX-API Enhancement
• Model-Driven Programmability on Cisco NX-OS
• Ansible for Cisco NX-OS

Understanding Model-Driven Telemetry

• Model-Driven Telemetry

Automating Cisco UCS Using Developer Tools

• Cisco UCS Overview
• Cisco UCS Manager XML API
• Cisco IMC XML API
• Python SDK
• Cisco UCS Manager Ansible Modules

Describing Cisco NDFC

• Cisco NDFC
• Cisco NDFC API

Describing Cisco Intersight

• Cisco Intersight
• Cisco Intersight APIs

 Labs:

• Discovery Lab 1: Use Cisco APIC Web GUI
• Discovery Lab 2: Discover the Cisco APIC REST API
• Discovery Lab 3: Use Postman with the APIC REST API
• Discovery Lab 4: Use Python with the Cisco APIC REST API
• Discovery Lab 5: Configure and Verify Cisco ACI Using Acitoolkit
• Discovery Lab 6: Use Cobra and Arya to Recreate a Tenant
• Discovery Lab 7: Manage Configuration Using Ansible
• Discovery Lab 8: Set Up a New Tenant the NetDevOps Way
• Discovery Lab 9: Create an Infrastructure Health Report
• Discovery Lab 10: Set Up Power on Auto Provisioning on the Cisco Nexus 9000
• Discovery Lab 11: Use Bash and Guest-Shell on Cisco NX-OS
• Discovery Lab 12: Use Python to Enhance CLI Commands
• Discovery Lab 13: Trigger a Python Script Using Cisco Embedded Event Manager (EEM)
• Discovery Lab 14: Configure and Verify Using NX-API and Python
• Discovery Lab 15: Configure and Verify Using NETCONF/YANG
• Discovery Lab 16: Use Ansible with Cisco NX-OS
• Discovery Lab 17: Connect, Query, and Modify Cisco UCS Manager Objects Using Cisco UCS PowerTool
• Discovery Lab 18: Connect, Query, and Modify Cisco UCS Integrated Management Controller (IMC) Objects Using Cisco IMC PowerTool
• Discovery Lab 19: Utilize Cisco UCS Python Software Development Kit (SDK)
• Discovery Lab 20: Utilize Cisco IMC Python SDK
• Discovery Lab 21: Implement Ansible Playbooks to Modify and Verify the Configuration of Cisco UCS Manager

Attendees should meet the following prerequisites:

• 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

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

Recommended as preparation for the following exam:

• 300-635  -  Automating Cisco Data Center Solutions (DCAUTO) exam

After you pass 300-635 DCAUTO exam, you earn the Cisco Certified DevNet Specialist – Data Center Automation and Programmability certification, and you satisfy the concentration exam requirements for both the CCNP Data Center certification and the Cisco Certified DevNet Professional certification.