Cisco CCNA Data Center

Get Started on Your Data Center Career

February 15, 2017

Learning@Cisco
Today’s Speakers
Karen Louie
Portfolio Manager for Cisco Data Center certification and training

Chad Hintz
Principal Systems Engineer, author

Matt Saunders
Community Manager for Cisco Learning Network Data Center and Security
Agenda
Overview of Data Center
Environment

CCNA Data Center Overview

More on Skills and Technology

Certification and Training

Resources

© 2017 Cisco and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Cisco Public
The Value of Cisco Certification

37% more 34% higher 75% of data 25% of data

effective quality center jobs that center
than their than their require professionals
non-certified non-certified certification list earn $100,000–
coworkers1 coworkers1 CCNA, CCNP2
140,000

1 2016Value of Certifications Survey, 2 BestData Center Certifications Stratoscale survey of 310 IT

Cisco Systems, August 2016 for 2017, Tom’s IT Pro professionals worldwide
Overview of Data Center
Environment
Modern Data Center Infrastructure Is
Key for New Business Models
According to the 2016 Cisco Global Cloud Index:

By 2020, data generated The data stored in Big Data needs will reach
by Internet of Things data centers globally 247 EB by 2020,
workloads will reach will grow up almost

10x
0101101

600 ZB
5x
1011010
0110011
1100010
1011011

A YEAR 0010110

by 2020 from 2015

Data Center global growth of IP traffic 3x 2015 to 2020

Source: Cisco Global Cloud Index: Forecast and Methodology
Data Centers for
Digital Business Transformation

Applications Mobility
ASAP DATA CENTER
CONTENT ACCESS
• Hybrid-Cloud
• Mobile Apps • Web
• Open
• Web 2.0 • Wireless
• Automation and Orchestration
• Cloud Services • Device Explosion
Big Data/ • Containers/Microservices
Cloud • Big Data
Analytics • SDN/Programmability
• Virtualization
• Secure

Security Everywhere
Data Center Job Roles Evolving
Information-Era Network ASAP Data Center Infrastructure
From Device-Centric To Automated, Flexible, Networkwide

Product/Hardware-Centric Open, Programmable, Software-Driven

Box-by-Box Management DC infrastructure, Policy-Driven Automation

Focused Roles Expanded Roles

71% enterprise IT will increase

investment in DC professionals 2015 – 2018 1

1 AFCOM State of Data Center Survey, 2015

Data Center New Skills Required for
Digital Business Transformation
Streamline operational tasks through automation

Manage policy-driven infrastructure across physical

and virtual resources

Secure the data center

Job roles have evolved:
expanded responsibilities,
deep knowledge, Implement unified computing
and skills

Leverage flexible deployment models (hybrid, cloud,

on-premises)
Manage data center infrastructure (network, servers,
storage ...)
CCNA Data Center
Overview
Data Center Certification Portfolio

Completely revised Provides validation of Offers role-based, Lets businesses

certification skills and certification extensive hands- achieve greater
portfolio for the latest data center on training and ROI
from entry-level to infrastructure industry-leading and faster results
expert technologies, skills, and certification
industry best practices
 A Rich Career Path – Job Roles
CCNA CCNP CCIE
Associate-level roles Professional-level roles Expert-level roles
Early career Career-level Technical leader
Career expansion

• Network administrator • Data center administrator • Data center architect

• Network engineer
• Systems administrator
• Systems engineer
• Data center engineer
• Senior network engineer
• Pre-sales engineer
• Design engineer
• Senior systems engineer
• Senior IT consultant
• Senior network engineer
• Senior systems engineer
• Senior data center engineer
• Senior design engineer

1 Years of Relevant Experience 8+

CCNA Data Center Certification Exams
• Two exams required for CCNA Data Center certification
• Select 640-xxx or 200-xxx exams, based on career needs

Introducing Cisco Data Introducing Cisco Data

Center Networking + Center Technologies
(DCICN) (DCICT)

• 640-911 until April 11, 2017 • 640-916 until April 11, 2017
or or
• 200-150 available January 17, 2017 • 200-155 available January 17, 2017

CCNA Data Center Overview

CCNA Data Center Exam Topic Updates
Exams available through Pearson VUE test centers
CCNA Data Center Topics
Introducing Cisco Data Center Networking (Exam 200-150)
• Data Center Physical Infrastructure
• Basic Data Center Networking Concepts
• Advanced Data Center Networking Concepts Latest skills and
• Basic Data Center Storage technologies
• Advanced Data Center Storage

Introducing Cisco Data Center Technologies (Exam 200-155)

• Unified Computing
Corresponding
• Network Virtualization
CCNA Data Center
• Cisco Data Center Networking Technologies certification
• Automation and Orchestration training
• Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure
CCNA Data Center Major Topics Added
DCICN (200-150) DCICT (200-155)
Increased data center networking concepts: networking Compute and network virtualization
architectures; authentication, authorization, and increased
accounting; first-hop redundancy protocols
Automation and orchestration of data center
Increased high-availability switching concepts: port infrastructure
channel, virtual Port Channel, control plane and data
Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure,
plane separation
policy-driven deployment, ACI logical model
Increased data center storage concepts (from DCICT):
Cloud computing basics
Fibre Channel operations and design, IP storage
protocols Overlay and underlay, control and data plane
Added basic understanding of Fibre Channel over
Ethernet

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/ccna-dc-certification-exam-topic-updates
CCNA Data Center Major Topics Removed
DCICN (in 640-911, not in 200-150) DCICT (in 640-916, not in 200-155)
Product topics (examples: Cisco Nexus, Cisco Data center fundamentals
IOS router) to instead focus on skills and
technologies Network design models

Ethernet low-level functionality, specifications Network services (load balancers, Cisco

of platform components Application Control Engine, Cisco Wide Area
Application Services)

https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/community/ccna-dc-certification-exam-topic-updates
Questions
CCNA Data Center Exam
Topics – More on Skills and
Technology
Data Center Physical
Infrastructure and Networking

Cisco QSFP BiDi Transceiver

 Data Center Networking Technologies

Virtual Port
ACI Channel (vPC)
Traditional Spanning Tree-Based Network Cisco FabricPath-Based Network

Blocked Links

Network Fabric
Data Center Unified Computing
Uplinks

Cisco Unified Computing System

Data Center Automation & Orchestration

UCS Manager

Cisco UCS Director

Questions
Certification and Training
Resources
CCNA Data Center Training Courses
Acronym Version Course Name
DCICN 6.0 Introducing Cisco Data Center Networking
DCICT 6.0 Introducing Cisco Data Center Technologies

• Instructor-led training
• DCICN and DCICT
• Extensive hands-on learning: configuration, usage
• Taught by certified Cisco Learning Partners specializing in data center
• Good option for focused learning with instructor expertise
Cisco Press CCNA Data Center Official
Certification Guides
Launch special: Save 35% (plus, free U.S. Shipping)
CISCOPRESS.COM | Code: CCNADC35
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Get Started Today
• Attend the upcoming CCNA
Data Center Fundamentals webinar
• Join the Cisco Learning Network Data Center
community
• Pick your preferred method of training:
• Instructor-led training: DCICN and DCICT
• CCNA Data Center Official Cert Guides
• Cisco Learning Network certification
resources (see slide 23)
• Get certified
Questions