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Building AI-Ready Data Centers with Cisco
The rapid evolution of AI technologies is transforming enterprise operations and reshaping the data center landscape. As businesses look to harness AI's full potential, critical questions around data center performance and capacity arise.
Join WWT Senior Practice Manager for High-Performance Architecture Jeff Fonke as he talks with Cisco Fellow and Chief Architect of Global Solutions Engineering Matt Gillies as they discuss how you can unify networking, compute, security and observability to deliver AI-ready data centers.​ Jeff and Matt also talk about AI Pods that can accelerate AI model deployment with ​pre-validated, full stack systems; and other Cisco innovations making an impact on the AI landscape. ​
High-Performance Architecture: An Engine to Drive Your AI Strategy Forward | Experts
Generative AI initiatives are taking flight across the world as organizations of all kinds explore new and innovative ways to put the disruptive technology to use. But has anyone stopped to think if their IT infrastructure is ready to meet the intense data demands required of advanced AI solutions?
Join Derrick Monahan, WWT's data strategy and high-performance architecture practice manager, as he talks about the vital nature of high-performance architecture — the merger of high-performance computing (HPC) and AI and machine learning (ML) workstreams into one architectural framework with the core IT infrastructure components needed to unlock the seemingly unlimited world of possibilities made possible by AI. Derrick also talks about the role of data and data governance, real world use cases being used in today's business landscape and ways you can put all of it into action.
Investing in Innovation: Data Centers, AI and Energy
The AI revolution demands power, space, and cooling that most data centers weren't designed to handle. Watch WWT CTO Mike Taylor as he leads an executive fireside chat with Jeffrey Holzschuh (Chairman of Morgan Stanley's Institutional Securities Group), Joe Dominguez (President and CEO of Constellation Energy) and Aidan Kehoe (Managing Partner at Nadia Partners) that touches on the critical decisions and investments needed in energy to power innovations with data and AI.
6 Steps to Understanding Cisco ACI
When understood, these six concepts will help anyone new to ACI to understand a more detailed technical discussion.
Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 1
This lab is the Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 1, and after completion, the student can launch Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 2 to complete the entire lab. The lab uses the ACI virtual simulator based on ACI Version 6, emulating an APIC, 2 leafs, and a spine. Part 2 uses a shared physical ACI fabric to complete the policy and verify data plane connectivity.
The ACI Virtual Simulator was needed to demo the building of the ACI fabric from scratch, bootstrapping the APIC, adding the spine and leafs, fabric discovery, and completing VMM integration. Since the Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab, Part 2 is a shared on-demand environment, to decouple the APIC build process from the APIC policy creation. Due to limitations, the virtual ACI fabric is a control plane-only simulator, and no data plane testing (Ping, SSH) can get done for validation. Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 2 uses a Tenant inside of a physical ACI, and data plane functionality can get tested ( Ping, SSH)
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Hands-On Lab Workshop: Exploring Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights
Join us for the Virtual Lab Workshop! During this exclusive session, the host will explore Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights.
Monitoring datacenter networks with Cisco NEXUS Dashboard and Insights
Cisco Nexus Dashboard provides a unified and seamless experience for common data center services (Figure 2) on your networks, whether Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (Cisco ACI), Cisco NX-OS (through its Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller service and/or running in standalone mode), or even some third-party switches. The Cisco Nexus Dashboard Admin Console (Figure 4) informs the operator of the health of the various clusters, fabrics, and infrastructure services to quickly detect issues and their root cause, allowing users to toggle between the different Cisco Nexus Dashboard services as needed. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator, and Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights services are being integrated as part of simplifying the overall consumption experience for our customers. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) consolidates management for multiple NX-OS‒based switches, bringing automation and monitoring for LAN, EVPN VXLAN, and SAN fabrics.
Building VXLAN Fabrics using Cisco DCNM and NEXUS Dashboard Fabric Controller
Data Center Network Manager (DCNM), now superseded by Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC), is Cisco's version of an EVPN fabric controller. DCNM, or NDFC, has three essential primary components. Spines that act like physical aggregation points for all of the leaves. Leaves provide endpoint aggregation and link to the spine. The last essential component is the controller, which in the case of DCNM is a single device or HA pair, and for NDFC, it is a Nexus Dashboard cluster with a loaded NDFC application.
In most cases, DCNM or NDFC will utilize OSPF for the underlay and VXLAN EVPN with MP-BGP as the overlay on Nexus 9000 switches. These fabric controllers are easier to use than similar fabric technologies on smaller to medium size networks, as most variables work out of the box without needing to change them. To what is known in the industry as a point and click your way to happiness.
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) and Nexus Dashboard Insights Workshop (NDI)
The Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) is a centralized solution designed to simplify the management of modern data center fabrics. NDFC streamlines the deployment, monitoring, and management of complex networking environments, making it an essential tool for organizations adopting advanced network architectures such as VXLAN EVPN, or traditional IP fabrics. With its intuitive interface and robust automation capabilities, NDFC allows administrators to define and enforce consistent policies, configure devices with ease, and ensure seamless fabric connectivity, significantly reducing the complexity associated with large-scale fabric management.
An essential complement to NDFC is Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI), which provides in-depth analytics and operational intelligence for data center fabrics. While NDFC excels at fabric provisioning and policy enforcement, NDI enhances visibility into the operational state of the network. It identifies potential issues, enables predictive analysis, and offers actionable recommendations for troubleshooting and optimization. Together, NDFC and NDI create a unified solution that not only simplifies fabric management but also ensures the ongoing health and performance of the network, providing closed-loop assurance that aligns with business needs.
The combination of NDFC and NDI delivers powerful benefits for data center operations, including enhanced efficiency, improved reliability, and reduced downtime. NDFC automates routine tasks, enabling IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives, while NDI proactively monitors the fabric for anomalies, helping to resolve issues before they impact services. This synergy between NDFC's fabric management and NDI's operational intelligence empowers organizations to maintain secure, scalable, and high-performing data center networks, meeting the demands of modern workloads and applications. Together, they ensure a comprehensive and resilient network management experience.
Cisco ACI and Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI) Workshop
Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) is a software-defined networking (SDN) solution designed to simplify, optimize, and automate data center networks by unifying physical and virtual environments under a centralized, policy-driven framework. It enables dynamic application provisioning, centralized policy management, and real-time network visibility, making it ideal for modern IT environments. Complementing ACI, Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights provides advanced analytics, health monitoring, and predictive insights to enhance network performance and reliability. By detecting anomalies, identifying root causes, and anticipating potential disruptions, Nexus Dashboard Insights minimizes downtime and ensures smooth operations. Seamlessly integrating with ACI, it offers actionable intelligence to maintain compliance, optimize application delivery, and secure network operations. Together, ACI and Nexus Dashboard Insights create a powerful ecosystem for managing and optimizing complex data center networks, driving operational efficiency and resilience.
Building AI-Ready Data Centers with Cisco
The rapid evolution of AI technologies is transforming enterprise operations and reshaping the data center landscape. As businesses look to harness AI's full potential, critical questions around data center performance and capacity arise.
Join WWT Senior Practice Manager for High-Performance Architecture Jeff Fonke as he talks with Cisco Fellow and Chief Architect of Global Solutions Engineering Matt Gillies as they discuss how you can unify networking, compute, security and observability to deliver AI-ready data centers.​ Jeff and Matt also talk about AI Pods that can accelerate AI model deployment with ​pre-validated, full stack systems; and other Cisco innovations making an impact on the AI landscape. ​
eBPF is the Bee's Knees for Enterprise Environments
At its core, eBPF Programs are at the heart of how eBPF views and controls traffic. The eBPF technology is composed of bytecode that the kernel executes in response to specific events (a.k.a event-driven execution). Meaning the eBPF programs can be attached to various hook points in the kernel, allowing them to run in response to a specific event in the kernel. There's a lot of possibilities that stem from this event-driven execution. So many in fact, that eBPF was dubbed by Brendan Gregg as "superpowers for Linux!"
Exploring Cisco NEXUS Dashboard Insights
The NEXUS Dashboard Insights service is a powerful tool that revolutionizes network telemetry utilization. Transforming raw data into actionable insights significantly reduces downtime and enhances overall network performance. This service leverages advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to provide visibility for real-time network operations. This means that IT administrators can see what's happening in the network as it happens, allowing them to address issues before they escalate.
One key benefit of NEXUS Dashboard Insights is its ability to resolve issues proactively. Instead of waiting for problems to occur and then reacting, the tool identifies potential issues early on and provides recommendations for resolution. This proactive approach not only minimizes disruptions but also ensures that the network runs smoothly and efficiently.
Moreover, NEXUS Dashboard Insights offers a comprehensive understanding of the network. It analyzes various aspects of the network, from performance metrics to security threats, and presents this information in an easy-to-understand format. This holistic view enables IT administrators to make informed decisions and optimize network performance.
By empowering IT administrators with these capabilities, NEXUS Dashboard Insights ensures that networks are managed efficiently. The tool's real-time visibility, proactive issue resolution, and comprehensive network understanding contribute to optimal performance and reduced disruptions, making it an invaluable asset for any organization.
Investing in Innovation: Data Centers, AI and Energy
The AI revolution demands power, space, and cooling that most data centers weren't designed to handle. Watch WWT CTO Mike Taylor as he leads an executive fireside chat with Jeffrey Holzschuh (Chairman of Morgan Stanley's Institutional Securities Group), Joe Dominguez (President and CEO of Constellation Energy) and Aidan Kehoe (Managing Partner at Nadia Partners) that touches on the critical decisions and investments needed in energy to power innovations with data and AI.
SDN for the Data Center Briefing
Software-defined networking (SDN) for the data center has been popular for over ten years. SDN streamlines and consistently enforces policies, offering a unified management point for data centers. It enhances automation, reduces human error, simplifies troubleshooting, and boosts security. In this one-hour briefing, we'll discuss the leading OEMs in this space, helping you determine if SDN is a viable option for your data center's future.
Cisco ACI and Day 2 Operations Briefing with Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI)
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI) is included with all Nexus licensing and is compatible with both ACI and NDFC. The platform offers extensive insights functionality, such as dynamic correlation, impact analysis, proactive alerts, failure prediction, and remediation. By leveraging advanced alerting, baselining, correlation, and forecasting algorithms, NDI provides deep insights into network behavior through telemetry data from networking components. This accelerates troubleshooting, rapid root-cause analysis, and early remediation, ensuring compliance with operator intent and simplifying audits. Additionally, it supports multi-site environments, enabling effective monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting across multiple data center sites. Overall, Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights enhances network visibility, optimizes performance, and ensures a more reliable and efficient data center operation. This briefing will introduce you to the Nexus Dashboard platform and demonstrate the benefits of NDI.
Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO) - ACI Anywhere Briefing
Cisco ACI extends its capabilities beyond a single data center. This briefing will introduce you to the architectural options for leveraging a single point of management through the Cisco ACI Manager across multiple data centers.
Data Center Network Modernization Briefing
The Data Center Network (DCN) is essential for supporting high-performance workloads, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). This briefing will explore next-generation data center architectures, highlighting the advantages of using an underlay/overlay topology and controller-based management. As DCN architectures become more complex, day-two operations software becomes increasingly necessary. This session will provide an overview of DCN hardware, architectures, and day-two operations, along with a brief introduction to the most commonly seen DCN OEMs in enterprise data centers.
Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) Briefing
The most common protocols used in a modern Data Center Network (DCN) are EVPN/VXLAN, while there are many benefits to this underlay/overlay technology, it is extremely complex to implement. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) can streamline the process for EVPN/VXLAN campus or DCN networks as well as traditional networks. The platform's user-friendly interface and streamlined workflows simplify the process of fabric management, from initial setup to ongoing maintenance. NDFC supports both greenfield and brownfield deployments, allowing for seamless integration with existing fabrics as well as the creation of new ones. By providing a centralized point of control, NDFC reduces the complexity associated with managing multiple fabrics and sites, ensuring that network operations are efficient and straightforward.
Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI) Briefing
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI) is included with all Nexus licensing and is compatible with both ACI and NDFC. The platform offers extensive insights functionality, such as dynamic correlation, impact analysis, proactive alerts, failure prediction and remediation. By leveraging advanced alerting, baselining, correlation, and forecasting algorithms, NDI provides deep insights into network behavior through telemetry data from networking components. This accelerates troubleshooting, rapid root-cause analysis, and early remediation, ensuring compliance with operator intent and simplifying audits. Additionally, it supports multi-site environments, enabling effective monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting across multiple data center sites. Overall, Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights enhances network visibility, optimizes performance, and ensures a more reliable and efficient data center operation. This briefing will introduce you to the Nexus Dashboard platform and demonstrate the benefits of NDI.
Hands-On Lab Workshop: OSPF
Join us for the Virtual Lab Workshop! During this exclusive session, the host will introduce the Open Shortest Path Foundations (OSPF) Learning path.
This learning path on foundational Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) provides a comprehensive introduction and deep dive into the core aspects of OSPF. It starts by explaining the basics of OSPF, including its purpose, operation, and fundamental concepts such as OSPF Neighbors, advertising routes, authentication, OSPF network types, and many others. This learning path aims to equip network professionals with the foundational knowledge needed to manage and optimize OSPF in real-world environments, emphasizing best practices and common pitfalls.
NSX-T Virtual Lab 7: Configure Logical Switching
Logical switching is configured as "segments" within NSX-T. Previously known as "logical switches," segments represent Layer 2 broadcast domains within the NSX-T environment. These segments can be deployed on both the N-VDS and native vSphere Distributed Switch (vDS) and will be backed by either a VLAN or Overlay transport zone.
NSX-T Virtual Labs 9-11: Configure VMs, Explore Routing and Test 3-Tier App
In these labs, you will be migrating the three-tier app virtual machines to your new NSX segments. Then you will verify that all the application components are reachable and that BGP is peering correctly. Lastly, you will confirm that the three-tier app is working appropriately.
NSX-T Virtual Lab 12: Tags & Groups
VMware NSX-T provides a robust tagging mechanism that allows metadata to be applied to nearly every logical object created within the system. Tags can also be applied to workloads that are part of the NSX environment, such as virtual machines.
NSX-T Virtual Lab 13: Distributed Firewall
The NSX-T Distributed Firewall is a powerful feature that provides robust security at the vNIC level, allowing for segmentation of workloads in a myriad of ways. In this lab, you will utilize the groups you created using tags (in Lab 12) to deploy firewall rules.