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Course Overview
Architectural Foundations of Data Center Networking
Core Switching and Routing Paradigms
- Master the transition from traditional hierarchical three-tier architectures to modern spine-leaf (Clos) topologies. Learn how these topologies ensure predictable latency and massive bandwidth scalability across the fabric.
- Understand the role of Layer 2 and Layer 3 boundaries. Explore how to extend Layer 2 domains across a routed fabric using overlay technologies like VXLAN (Virtual Extensible LAN) with BGP EVPN control planes.
- Analyze the mechanisms of Equal-Cost Multi-Path (ECMP) routing, focusing on how flow-based hashing algorithms distribute traffic across all available paths to prevent congestion and maximize utilization.
Network Virtualization and Segmentation
- Gain expertise in implementing Multi-Tenancy through VRF (Virtual Routing and Forwarding) and VLAN segmentation, ensuring logical isolation for different business units or client applications.
- Deep dive into the Data Plane Development Kit (DPDK) and SR-IOV (Single Root I/O Virtualization) for accelerating packet processing in virtualized environments by bypassing the hypervisor kernel.
- Examine the implementation of Distributed Firewalls and micro-segmentation to control east-west traffic patterns between virtual machines and containers.
Storage Networking Infrastructure
Storage Area Network (SAN) Technologies
- Master Fibre Channel (FC) protocol architecture, including the roles of fabric login, name servers, and zoning (hard versus soft) for secure communication between servers and storage arrays.
- Study the implementation of FCoE (Fibre Channel over Ethernet) to converge storage and data traffic on high-speed 10/40/100GbE infrastructures, including the use of Priority Flow Control (PFC) to ensure lossless delivery.
- Evaluate the performance characteristics of NVMe over Fabrics (NVMe-oF). Learn how to use RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) technologies like RoCE (RDMA over Converged Ethernet) to achieve low-latency storage access equivalent to local bus speeds.
Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Object Storage
- Master high-performance file sharing protocols including NFS (Network File System) versions 3, 4.0, and 4.1, focusing on mount options, locking mechanisms, and performance tuning for large-scale deployments.
- Understand the architectural differences between block, file, and object-based storage. Gain proficiency in configuring S3-compatible object stores and managing metadata indexing for petabyte-scale data repositories.
Traffic Management and Performance Optimization
Quality of Service (QoS) and Congestion Control
- Implement Data Center Bridging (DCB) standards to provide a lossless network fabric, specifically through Enhanced Transmission Selection (ETS) and Quantized Congestion Notification (QCN).
- Manage traffic shaping and policing at the ingress and egress points of the network fabric to guarantee bandwidth for mission-critical storage traffic while mitigating the impact of 'noisy neighbors'.
Monitoring and Observability
- Master the use of In-band Network Telemetry (INT) to track packet paths and latency in real-time, providing granular visibility into network performance issues that standard SNMP polling cannot capture.
- Utilize SPAN (Switched Port Analyzer), RSPAN, and ERSPAN for deep packet inspection and traffic analysis to troubleshoot complex connectivity or latency anomalies.
Modern Automation and Fabric Management
Programmable Infrastructure
- Apply Infrastructure as Code (IaC) principles using tools like Terraform and Ansible to provision, configure, and maintain consistency across complex data center fabrics.
- Understand the integration of APIs, such as REST and gRPC, for programmatic interaction with network switches and storage controllers, enabling dynamic configuration changes based on workload demand.
- Implement Zero-Touch Provisioning (ZTP) and automated image management to ensure that large-scale network deployments remain compliant with defined architectural standards and security policies.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For detailed information about our Data Center Networking and Storage Systems course, including what you’ll learn and course objectives, please visit the "About This Course" section on this page.
The course is online, but you can select Networking Events at enrollment to meet people in person. This feature may not always be available.
We don’t have a physical office because the course is fully online. However, we partner with training providers worldwide to offer in-person sessions. You can arrange this by contacting us first and selecting features like Networking Events or Expert Instructors when enrolling.
Contact us to arrange one.
This course is accredited by Govur University, and we also offer accreditation to organizations and businesses through Govur Accreditation. For more information, visit our Accreditation Page.
Dr. Steven Fuentes DVM is the official representative for the Data Center Networking and Storage Systems course and is responsible for reviewing and scoring exam submissions. If you'd like guidance from a live instructor, you can select that option during enrollment.
The course doesn't have a fixed duration. It has 12 questions, and each question takes about 5 to 30 minutes to answer. You’ll receive your certificate once you’ve successfully answered most of the questions. Learn more here.
The course is always available, so you can start at any time that works for you!
We partner with various organizations to curate and select the best networking events, webinars, and instructor Q&A sessions throughout the year. You’ll receive more information about these opportunities when you enroll. This feature may not always be available.
You will receive a Certificate of Excellence when you score 75% or higher in the course, showing that you have learned about the course.
An Honorary Certificate allows you to receive a Certificate of Commitment right after enrolling, even if you haven’t finished the course. It’s ideal for busy professionals who need certification quickly but plan to complete the course later.
The price is based on your enrollment duration and selected features. Discounts increase with more days and features. You can also choose from plans for bundled options.
Choose a duration that fits your schedule. You can enroll for up to 180 days at a time.
No, you won't. Once you earn your certificate, you retain access to it and the completed exercises for life, even after your subscription expires. However, to take new exercises, you'll need to re-enroll if your subscription has run out.
To verify a certificate, visit the Verify Certificate page on our website and enter the 12-digit certificate ID. You can then confirm the authenticity of the certificate and review details such as the enrollment date, completed exercises, and their corresponding levels and scores.