Configuration Guides

I'm stealing this list of documents from Cisco and posting it here

Install, Config and Troubleshoot Guides
Install, Config and Troubleshoot Guide for Cisco Nexus 7000 NXOS Switch

Install, Config and Troubleshoot Guide for Cisco Nexus 5000 NXOS Switch

Install, Config Guide for Cisco Nexus 2000 NXOS Switch

Install, Configure and Troubleshoot Guide for Cisco Nexus 1000v NXOS Virtual Switch

Install, Config and Troubleshoot Guide for Cisco MDS SAN NXOS Switch

Install, Config and Troubleshoot Guide for Cisco ACE 4710 Appliance

Cisco NX-OS FCoE Configuration Guide for Nexus 7000 and MDS 9500

Install, Config and Troubleshoot guide for Cisco UCS Manager

Install and Config Guide for Data Center Network Manager (DCNM)

Configuration examples
Cisco Nexus 7000 NXOS Config Examples

Cisco Nexus 5000 NXOS Config Examples

Cisco Nexus 1000v NXOS Config Examples

Cisco MDS SAN Switches NXOS Config Examples

Cisco UCS Manager Config Examples

White Papers and Other Useful Online Resources

Cisco Product Support Documentation a central repository for all Cisco Documentation (by product or technology) - formerly known as Documentation CD, or CCO Documentation.

Design and Config white papers for Nexus 7000 series switches

Design and Config white papers for Nexus 5000 series switches

Design and Config white papers for Nexus 1000v switch

Cisco Design Zone for Data Centers

CCIE Data Center Tips

One of my friends forwarded me this e-mail from someone he works with who just passed the CCIE Data Center. I didn't write it but I thought it was useful and insightful:

• Study Items - By the time I decided I was going to pursue the CCIE-DC, It took me just about a year to study and pass the exam.

1. Review the CCIE Data Center Blue Print: Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Focus on your weaknesses will be very critical to helping to reduce your study time.
2. CCIE-DC recommended reading list: I read most of the books cover-to-cover - there is no substitute for hard work. Most of these books are available from Safari Books online:
   https://learningnetwork.cisco.com/thread/60134/&utm_source=cdc&utm_medium=lnk&utm_campaign=cdc-inbnd
3. Software Configuration Guides: I suggest reading the configuration guides for Nexus 5500, Nexus 7000, MDS9222i, and UCS. In addition,there are various best practice documents on VDC, vPC, OTV, Fabric Path that you should Google
4. Cisco Live 365: Make this your favorite study site. There are 200+ topics with presentations and PDFs that are relevant to the CCID DC. In additional, there is a sample CCIE-DC lab with configuration examples that were helpful in my studies:
   https://www.ciscolive.com/online/connect/publicDashboard.ww
5. INE and IPExpert.com: I used the INE All Access Pass monthly subscription ($99/month) to watch CCIE-Nexus, UCS and SAN training videos. These were very helpful and I would consider it a must. I also used the IPExpert CCIE-DC videos
6. CVD: To solidify your knowledge, I suggest reading Nexus, UCS, and SAN Cisco Validated Design (CVD) documents. For example, the following guides are helpful for the lab study and also real world scenarios:
   
   Data Center Deployment Guide: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cisco.com%2Fen%2FUS%2Fdocs%2Fsolutions%2FSBA%2Faugust2012%2Fcisco_SBA_DC_DataCenterDeploymentGuide-Aug2012.pdf&ei=OOWxU5W4J5OcqgaP4oDIBg&usg=AFQjCNEICl2s2ci4w3x85Y-rkF0aCfQVLg&bvm=bv.69837884,d.b2k
   
   Unified Computing System Deployment Guide: http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=4&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CEAQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cisco.com%2Fc%2Fdam%2Fen%2Fus%2Ftd%2Fdocs%2Fsolutions%2FSBA%2Ffebruary2013%2Fcisco_SBA_DC_UnifiedComputingSystemDeploymentGuide-Feb2013.pdf&ei=OOWxU5W4J5OcqgaP4oDIBg&usg=AFQjCNE6zD1lE5iIihqE4NhiuF7MV_vc9g&bvm=bv.69837884,d.b2k
   

• Lab Gear Access

1. Lab every chance you can get at work and at home. Use your projects as an opportunity to learn as much as you can
2. UCSPE: 95% of what is on the test can be configured/practiced on the UCS Platform Emulator. This is an invaluable tool for studying the UCS Section of the exam. Make sure UCSPE is version 2.0 as this is the version in the lab and there are things such as host/management packages that are available in version 2.0 only. Newer versions have changed how BIOS and Mgmt address pools are configured, among other things
3. Cisco Partner Education Connection (PEC): This was my best friend for lab access. If you're CCO account is assigned to partner access, you can get access to Cisco PEC labs which has all of the CCIE-DC gear; however, the limitation is the gear is segmented by topics; therefore you never have access to a full lab; but the good thing is PEC labs have lab guides pertaining to the hardware you will have access to. This was a HUGE part of my studies:
   http://cisco.partnerelearning.com/Saba/Web/Main
4. INE Workbook and INE labs: I used the INE workbooks and INE labs. Major limitation on the INE Lab was access. I could rarely ever get a lab schedule due to how booked they were. I used the INE lab workbooks as a reference to quiz myself and gauge my preparedness 
5. Cisco Tech Talk and labs: Cisco hosts many tech talk sessions with live lab hardware access. I used this many times to get access to lab gear
6. Again, lab every chance you get...

• CCIE-DC Lab Testing Strategy - 

1. Calm your nerves. Know that you have given it your all when studying and be confident that you know your stuff. There is no bigger impediment to your passing than stressing during the test. Clear your mind and be prepared to live with the results - Pass or Fail. 
2. No added pressure: Do NOT tell yourself that you are going to pass the test on the first try. Why add extra pressure on yourself? My hope was to pass on the test on the 1st try but my expectation was to fail and use it as a chance to understand what is on the LAB; thus getting a better idea of what to study. This approach mentally prepared me to not be stressed on the exam and I also know that very few people pass the exam on the first try.
3. READ the entire lab ALL the way through: Everyone intends to do this but most fail to do so. Next to being calm, reading/skimming the lab all the way through is the 2nd most important thing you can do to help ensure your success. Remember, there are many things in the CCIE-DC that require config wipe and device reload. It would be a pain if you configured a bunch of stuff and had to wipe your devices - wouldn't it?  

Starting Somewhere...

I've never been one for blogging but when it comes to my CCIE studies, I can see why a lot of candidates do this. It's a good way to take what you learn and verbalize it in your own words. I think it'll help me in the long run as I'm starting my trek towards the CCIE Data Center and keep me motivated.

I've been route & switch focused for most of my networking career but I chose the CCIE Data Center as my first CCIE for a number of reasons:

• Growth in data center technologies in the industry is unprecedented 
• I felt the recommended reading list was achievable within a year 
• I felt challenged by the topics in a positive way and it excited me 
• I have access to an enormous amount of resources including racks, videos, books, and mentors for this particular track

At the time of writing this, I've completed 4 out of the 7 books recommended by Cisco for the CCIE Data Center and watched half of the INE CCIE Data Center videos that are available. I anticipate that I will finish the remaining books and videos and (hopefully!) pass the written exam by the end of the year. At that point, I'll start heavily labbing every day and probably update this blog regularly at that point with the technologies I'm working on, what I find I'm doing right, and what I find I'm doing wrong. 

Stay tuned...