For engineers deploying VxBlock converged infrastructure — covering hardware installation, VxBlock 1000 implementation, hardware expansion, RCM upgrades, SDN with VMware NSX and Cisco ACI, and CPSD Technology Extension for Isilon.
Master VxBlock hardware deployment, implementation, hardware expansion, RCM upgrades, SDN concepts, Cisco ACI, VMware NSX, and Isilon CPSD Technology Extension.
Module 01
VxBlock Hardware Installation
›VxBlock System site installation process — unboxing, rack mount, cabling sequence for compute (Cisco UCS chassis), networking (Cisco Nexus switches), and storage components
›Key information in VxBlock System documentation — VxBlock System BOM, cabling matrix, IP address plan, Installation Work Order (IWO)
›Power on and connect the VxBlock System to the customer network — PDU, KVM, initial IP assignment to management components; connect to out-of-band management LAN
›Troubleshooting the installation — common power-on failures; cabling errors; iDRAC/IMC connectivity issues; initial diagnostic steps using VxBlock documentation
Module 02
VxBlock 1000 Implementation
›Locate validation procedures and support documentation — VxBlock Central portal; Dell EMC support site; Release Certification Matrix (RCM) resources; Test Plan documentation
›Connect the VxBlock System to the customer network — configure management VLAN; update DNS entries; establish end-to-end storage path (FC zoning, iSCSI target setup)
›Validate a VxBlock 1000 installation using the LCS and Test Plan — LCS (Lab-Certified Solution) definition; run Test Plan: compute, network, storage health verification; interpret test results
›Perform knowledge transfers — prepare KT documentation; walkthrough of system architecture with customer IT team; handover procedures and support escalation paths
Module 03
VxBlock Hardware Expansion Implementation
›Requirements and considerations for VxBlock hardware expansion — determine scale-out trigger (compute density, storage capacity, network bandwidth); compatibility matrix for adding new blade types
›Required documentation and resources — expansion IWO; updated cabling diagram; updated BOM; RCM version alignment for new hardware additions
›Process to expand the VxBlock system — add new Cisco UCS blades; add disk enclosures to storage array; update Cisco Nexus switch firmware; update vCenter host profiles
›Validate a VxBlock 1000 expansion — run Test Plan sections applicable to new components; verify vCenter cluster integration; validate new storage paths; update VxBlock Central inventory
Module 04
RCM Upgrades on VxBlock
›Phases of an RCM upgrade and responsible parties — pre-upgrade planning (customer, Dell EMC PS); upgrade execution; post-upgrade validation; sign-off with customer team
›Tools used to plan and execute an RCM upgrade — RCM Upgrade Advisor tool; VxBlock Central upgrade dashboard; upgrade pre-check report; backup verification checklist
›Perform an RCM upgrade using the provided documentation — upgrade sequencing: network, compute, storage, management; rolling upgrade to avoid downtime; rollback procedures if upgrade fails
Module 05
Software Defined Networking (SDN) Concepts and CI/HCI Considerations
›Elements that make up an SDN — control plane / data plane separation; SDN Controller; southbound APIs (OpenFlow, NETCONF); northbound APIs for orchestration
›VMware NSX components, functions, and benefits — NSX Manager, NSX Controller cluster, NSX Edge; logical switching, routing, and firewall; micro-segmentation in CI environments
›Cisco ACI components, functions, and benefits — APIC controller; Spine/Leaf fabric topology; Application Centric Infrastructure policy model; benefits over traditional networking
›Considerations for implementing NSX and ACI on CI systems — overlay network impact on converged fabric; VLAN/VXLAN co-existence; VMware and Cisco integration in VxBlock
›Architectural differences between VMware NSX and Cisco ACI — policy model: NSX is VM-centric; ACI is application-centric; APIC vs. NSX Manager; fabric vs. overlay focus
Module 06
Cisco ACI Integration with Dell EMC CI Systems
›ACI use cases, key features, and related hardware — Cisco Nexus 9000 series for ACI fabric; APIC cluster redundancy; hardware requirements for ACI integration in VxBlock
›Cisco ACI Logical Model — Tenant, VRF, Bridge Domain, Application Profile, Endpoint Group (EPG); contracts between EPGs for micro-segmentation; hierarchical policy model
›ACI integration with Dell EMC VxBlock systems — configure APIC connectivity to VxBlock management network; map Cisco UCS server VLANs to ACI Bridge Domains; storage traffic policy enforcement
Module 07
VMware NSX Integration with Dell EMC CI Systems
›Specific use cases for VMware NSX — workload micro-segmentation; DR with stretched layer-2 networking; multi-tenancy isolation in VxBlock for different business units
›How VMware NSX is integrated into Dell EMC CI infrastructure — NSX Manager deployed as VM in vCenter; VXLAN transport zone spans VxBlock compute hosts; Edge gateway for north-south routing
›Procedure for configuring a logical switch using VMware NSX — create Transport Zone; create Logical Switch with VXLAN backing; attach VM vNICs to Logical Switch; verify connectivity with PING test
Module 08
CPSD Technology Extension for Isilon
›CPSD Technology Extension benefits — extend VxBlock with NAS capability via Isilon OneFS; use cases: unstructured data, media workflows, Hadoop analytics on CI
›CPSD hardware components with emphasis on Isilon — Isilon node types (A-series, H-series, F-series); Isilon SmartConnect for DNS-based load balancing; InfiniBand backend cluster fabric
›Network virtualization in Converged Infrastructure — VLAN segmentation for management, data, replication; overlay vs. underlay network design for Isilon on VxBlock
›Transport layer protocols — NFS over TCP for Isilon file access; SMB multi-channel; FCoE for block; 10/25/100 GbE back-end replication; RDMA and NICS for high-speed Isilon back-end
›Network services for Converged Infrastructure — Active Directory integration; DNS, NTP, RADIUS/TACACS+ for authentication; SNMP monitoring integration with VxBlock management
Earn the D-VBX-DY-A-24 Dell Proven Professional certification and validate your ability to install, implement, and validate VxBlock 1000 converged infrastructure with SDN, ACI, NSX, and Isilon extensions.