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Automating Cisco Data Center Networking Solutions
- Categories:
- Infrastructure and Networking Software and DevOps
- Level:
- Intermediate
- Code:
- DCNAUTO
- Exam:
- Yes - Available separately
Overview
Organisations are increasingly adopting automation to simplify data centre operations, improve consistency, and accelerate service delivery. We believe network automation is essential for modern data centre teams, enabling them to reduce manual effort, minimise configuration errors, and respond more quickly to changing business requirements.
This five-day instructor-led course equips learners with the knowledge and practical skills to automate Cisco data centre environments using industry-standard tools and technologies. You'll explore programmability concepts, automation frameworks, APIs, Infrastructure as Code, and model-driven programmability while developing practical skills that can be applied immediately within production environments.
Prerequisites
To gain the maximum benefit from this course, learners should have:
- Good understanding of Ethernet and TCP/IP networking
- Experience working with Cisco Nexus switches and Cisco data centre technologies
- Familiarity with Cisco NX-OS software and basic data centre operations
- Foundational knowledge of Python programming concepts
- Basic understanding of network automation principles and APIs
- Experience with Cisco ACI is beneficial but not essential
Target audience
This course is designed for:
- Network engineers responsible for Cisco data centre infrastructure
- Data centre engineers and administrators
- Systems engineers implementing network automation solutions
- Network architects designing programmable infrastructure
- DevOps engineers working with network automation
- Technical consultants supporting Cisco data centre environments
- IT professionals preparing for the Cisco 300-635 DCNAUTO certification exam
What's included
Select your preferred way to learn:
What is Virtual?
Live, instructor-led training delivered online
Interactive online sessions led by subject matter experts. Learners join live classes, take part in discussions, and complete practical exercises from any location, making it easy to fit collaborative learning into busy schedules.
If you prefer to connect to a course that is taking place in a physical classroom, you can choose our Remote Access option. .
Best for: Teams and individuals who want expert guidance, real-time collaboration, and flexible access.
What's included?
5 Days instructor led course
Exam: Yes - Available separately
Pre-coursework
6 month free access to QA learning platform
Free 6-Month Access: Learning Platform Discovery plan
Included FREE with every instructor‑led course
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What is bespoke training?
Custom instructor-led training designed by QA to fit your needs
Tailored programmes built around your organisation’s goals, challenges, and skill levels. Delivered in the format that suits you to maximise relevance and impact.
Best for: Organisations and teams looking to target specific business priorities and capabilities with QA subject matter expertise.
Find out more about the course:
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course, learners will be able to:
- Describe the principles of network programmability and automation within Cisco data centre environments
- Explain how APIs, data models, and automation frameworks support modern infrastructure management
- Configure and use Cisco NX-API, NETCONF, and RESTCONF to automate network operations
- Create and modify Python scripts to automate routine administrative tasks
- Implement Infrastructure as Code using Ansible and Terraform
- Use YANG data models to interact with programmable network devices
- Deploy and manage automation using Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller
- Validate and test network configurations using Cisco pyATS
- Apply automation techniques to improve operational efficiency and consistency
- Prepare for the Cisco Implementing Cisco Data Center Automation (300-635 DCNAUTO v2.0) certification exam
Course outline
- The evolution of network automation
- Benefits of programmable infrastructure
- Automation use cases
- Day-zero, day-one, and day-two operations
- Automation architecture and workflows
- Overview of Cisco automation solutions
- API fundamentals
- REST architecture
- JSON and XML data formats
- Authentication methods
- Working with REST APIs
- API documentation and testing
- Best practices for API integration
- NX-API architecture
- CLI and REST interfaces
- Sending API requests
- Parsing responses
- Automating operational tasks
- Configuration management
- Troubleshooting NX-API communications
- Introduction to YANG
- Understanding data models
- NETCONF fundamentals
- RESTCONF fundamentals
- Configuration management
- Operational data retrieval
- Schema validation
- Best practices for model-driven automation
- Python fundamentals for network engineers
- Variables and data structures
- Functions and modules
- Working with APIs
- Parsing JSON data
- Error handling
- Building reusable automation scripts
- Automating configuration tasks
- Ansible architecture
- Inventory management
- Playbooks
- Roles
- Variables
- Templates
- Automating Cisco Nexus devices
- Configuration validation
- Operational best practices
- Terraform fundamentals
- Providers
- Resources
- Variables
- State management
- Planning and deployment
- Managing infrastructure lifecycle
- Integrating Terraform into automation workflows
- Platform architecture
- Fabric discovery
- Provisioning
- Policy management
- Configuration automation
- Operational monitoring
- Lifecycle management
- Integration with automation tools
- Introduction to pyATS
- Testbed creation
- Test scripting
- Automated verification
- Configuration compliance
- Troubleshooting automated deployments
- Continuous validation
- Reporting
- Automation strategy
- Change management
- Security considerations
- Source control
- Documentation
- CI/CD concepts for network automation
- Scaling automation across large environments
- Operational governance
- Real-world implementation examples
Exams and assessments
Hands-on learning
- Configure programmable Cisco Nexus environments
- Develop Python automation scripts
- Build Ansible playbooks
- Deploy infrastructure using Terraform
- Interact with devices using NX-API, NETCONF, and RESTCONF
- Validate network configurations using Cisco pyATS
- Complete scenario-based exercises reflecting real operational challenges
Good to know
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