Migrating Cisco FabricPath and Classic Ethernet Environments to VXLAN BGP/EVPN over a 400Gb-based Clos Topology, part 1 – the why
Posted inCornerstone Content Data-Center

Migrating Cisco FabricPath and Classic Ethernet Environments to VXLAN BGP/EVPN over a 400Gb-based Clos Topology, part 1 – the why

During the past three years, I have spent a good portion of my time testing, planning, designing, and then migrating our DC network from Cisco FabricPath and Classic Ethernet environments to VXLAN BGP/EVPN. And simultaneously, from a hierarchical classic two-tier architecture to a more modern Clos 400Gb-based topology.

The migration is not yet 100% completed, but it is well underway. And I have gained significant experience on the subject, so I think it’s time to share my knowledge and experiments with our community.

Cisco DCAUTO exam study resources
Posted inCornerstone Content Data-Center Learning & Certifications

Cisco DCAUTO exam study resources

I just passed the Cisco DevNet DCAUTO (300-635) exam (Yay!). This is my 3rd Cisco exam on network automation after NPDESI in 2018 (replaced now by the DevNet program), and DevNet CORE (DEVCOR) in 2020. But this time, I documented everything I read, so I could report it here and build a Cisco DCAUTO exam study resources. By doing this, I hope to help anyone who wants to study for this certification. And, as I have already passed the DevNet CORE exam, I am now Cisco certified DevNet Professional.

HDD
Posted inCornerstone Content Data-Center

NVMe, NVMe over Fabrics and RDMA for network engineers

In the past, the evolution of network-based storage was not really a problem for network engineers: the network was fast and the spinning hard drives were slow. Natural network upgrades to 10Gb, 40Gb, and 100Gb Ethernet were more than sufficient to meet the networking needs of storage systems.
But now, with the introduction of ultra-fast solid-state disks (SSDs) and Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe), this is no longer true! Storage teams now have the ability to potentially saturate the network with incredibly fast devices.

Linux Networking tips and tricks: ip and nmcli commands
Posted inCornerstone Content Linux Networking

Linux Networking tips and tricks: ip and nmcli commands

We have all heard, at one time or another, a system administrator blaming the network. Then, it is up to the network engineers to prove that the network is not in cause. To do this, a minimum of network troubleshooting skills on Linux systems could be required.

For the first post in the series: many examples of how to use the ip and nmcli commands.

100Gb-Ethernet
Posted inCornerstone Content Data-Center Enterprise Network

100Gb Ethernet transceivers, modules and form factors on Cisco products

At the time of the 400Gb Ethernet interfaces introduction, here is a summary of the different form-factors, transceivers and modules available for 100Gb Ethernet on Cisco devices.

As you will see below, there are many different types of 100Gb Ethernet transceivers. And each type have its own functional mode. In a next article, I will try to explain the differences between them and will give more details about the most common: the QSFP-28.

Multicast lab 5: Source-Specific Multicast (SSM)
Posted inCornerstone Content Enterprise Network Learning & Certifications

Multicast lab 5: Source-Specific Multicast (SSM)

After giving a two-days training to a customer on multicast technology, I take the opportunity to have my lab and the configurations ready to share with you a suite of five different multicast configurations examples. And, how to make some tests and troubleshooting. These examples are based on the labs I used to practice the CCIE R&S practical exam.

Multicast lab 4: Any-Source Multicast with Bootstrap Router (BSR)
Posted inCornerstone Content Enterprise Network Learning & Certifications

Multicast lab 4: Any-Source Multicast with Bootstrap Router (BSR)

After giving a two-days training to a customer on multicast technology, I take the opportunity to have my lab and the configurations ready to share with you a suite of five different multicast configurations examples. And, how to make some tests and troubleshooting. These examples are based on the labs I used to practice the CCIE R&S practical exam.