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Nokia Data Center
Fabric Fundamentals

Course number: OP004936
Course duration: 4 hours 
Price: €400

Course overview

This web-based training course explores the Nokia Data Center Fabric solution. It starts with a review of modern data center networking architectures and the advantages of using Layer 3 and BGP for routing. It describes the SR Linux architecture and the Nokia 7220/7250 IXR routers and introduces the Nokia Fabric Services System. It shows the use of the SR Linux CLI to configure and verify interfaces, as well as MAC-VRF and IP-VRF network instances. The course covers, in particular, the usage of BGP in a leaf-and-spine data center topology. It also provides a basic introduction to EVPN-VXLAN network overlays. In addition, it describes the use of SR Linux logging, monitoring, and filtering tools. Other topics include user management, TLS certificates to secure gNMI connectivity and for Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP). The course concludes with an overview of the use and capabilities of the Fabric Services System.

Course objectives

After completing the course, students should be able to:

  • List the key characteristics of Nokia’s SR Linux and the Nokia Fabric Services System 
  • Describe the architecture of SR Linux
  • Explain the use and configuration of IP-VRF and MAC-VRF network instances
  • Describe the configuration of network interfaces and sub-interfaces
  • Describe the configuration and verification of IPv4 and IPv6 routing protocols, with a focus on BGP

 

 

  • Describe the configuration of basic Layer 2 and Layer 3 VXLAN-Based EVPN Overlay Networks 
  • Describe the use and configuration of the logging and monitoring tools in SR Linux
  • Describe the capabilities for customizing the SR Linux CLI
  • Explain how an SR Linux router can be configured through the CLI, gNMI or JSON/RPC interfaces
  • Explain the purpose and benefits of the Nokia Fabric Services System 
  • Describe how a data center fabric can be designed and deployed using the Nokia Fabric Services System

Course modules
 

Module 1 – Nokia DC Fabric solution

  • Describe the modern Layer 3 data center architecture
  • Explain the advantages of using Layer 3 with BGP as the routing protocol for the data center network
  • Explain how VXLAN and EVPN provide a multi-tenant network overlay solution  
  • List the key characteristics of SR Linux and the Nokia DC fabric solution
  • Explain how external applications can use the SR Linux API to configure the router
  • Describe the requirements to manage a data center switch fabric
  • List the main operations supported by the Fabric Services System 

 
Module 2 – SR Linux Configuration and Routing

  • Describe the YANG-based, model-driven architecture of the SR Linux CLI
  • Describe how to configure CLI output in a table or JSON format and use CLI filters 
  • Explain the different configuration datastores and modes and make configuration changes
  • Explain the use of configuration checkpoints
  • Explain the benefits and application of CLI aliases and environment variables
  • Describe how to configure network interfaces and sub-interfaces
  • Describe how to show information and statistics about interfaces and sub-interfaces
  • Describe how to verify the IPv4 and IPv6 routing table
  • Explain the use and configuration of IP-VRF and MAC-VRF network instances
  • Describe how MAC move is used to control loops in a MAC-VRF
  • Explain the purpose of next-hop-groups
  • Describe how to configure and verify static routes
  • Explain how ECMP is used to distribute traffic over multiple links in the fabric
  • Describe how to configure and verify BGP peers and route policies
  • Describe how to configure and verify a BFD session between two BGP peers
  • Explain how VXLAN provides tunneling capabilities to support overlay networks
  • Explain how SR Linux uses BGP EVPN routes to distribute MAC and IP addresses
  • Describe L2 EVPN-VXLAN operations
  • Describe how to configure and verify a L2 EVPN-VXLAN network overlay
  • Describe L3 EVPN-VXLAN operations, including the asymmetric and symmetric models
  • Describe how to configure and verify a L3 EVPN-VXLAN network overlay

 

 

Module 3 – SR Linux Logging, Monitoring, and Filtering

  • Describe the logging capabilities of SR Linux and SR Linux log files
  • Describe the purpose and operation of interface ACLs
  • Describe the purpose and operations of system ACLs
  • Describe the purpose and operation of the CPM-filter and its policers
  • Describe how to configure CPM-filter and interface ACLs
  • Describe the capture-filter and how it can be used for traffic monitoring

Module 4 – SR Linux User and System Management

  • Describe the different types of SR Linux users and how privileges are managed through user roles
  • Explain why TLS server profiles may be required and how to configure a TLS profile for gNMI or JSON-RPC
  • List the requirements for zero-touch provisioning (ZTP)
  • Describe the configuration and autoboot process with ZTP
  • Describe common ZTP failure scenarios

Module 5 – Fabric Services System

  • Describe the architecture of the Fabric Services System
  • Explain how the Fabric Services System supports intent-based networking 
  • Explain how the digital sandbox can be used to verify a design and configuration
  • Explain how fabric intents are used to define fabric configuration requirements
  • Describe how the Fabric Services System can be used to generate and examine intents and configuration code
  • Explain how intents are deployed through the deployment pipeline
  • Explain how workload intents are used for standard Layer 2 and Layer 3 EVPN-VXLAN connectivity
  • Describe the handling of intent deviations