FlexPod Training and Demonstration
Resources
Marcos Hernandez
Solutions Architect, Cisco Systems
CCIE #8283
November, 2012
Agenda
Existing FlexPod Training
and Demo Resources
FY12: A Year in Review
 As of October 2012:

700+ participants from ~400 Partner
Companies have attended
instructor-led FlexPod events

300+ demo events were scheduled
during FY12

550+ self-paced trainings were
scheduled on the FlexPod Labs

4.41 average user satisfaction score
Configure
Deploy
Demonstrate
Cisco | NetApp FlexPod Resources
 FlexPod Demo/Training Lab
(aka, DCV Lab)

Internet Accessible

Full Stack Training

Business Value Demo’s
 Fully Scripted

“The” Customer Demo Resource
 Challenge Labs

Local Hands-On Experience

Able to accommodate local needs

In Cisco Facilities

Great for Customer Tours
 Blinking lights and rack/stack view
FlexPod Training & Demonstration Lab
 The FlexPod Demo Lab offers remote access to self-paced …
 Post-install training covering detailed configuration steps
based on the FlexPod Implementation Guide and CVD
 FlexPod demonstration PODs
 Technologies include …






Nexus 5548
Nexus 1000v
UCS B Series Servers
NetApp 3240
VMware vSphere 4.1
Unified Fabric
FlexPod Training & Demonstration Lab

• Remotely deliver polished,
seamless FlexPod Demos
• All tasks tied to business value
•
Note: this is not a training
resource
• Very little configuration, no CLI
used


• Language is plain and simple


Demonstrating Rapid Deployment, Scaling and Virtual Desktops

Describe the UCS Manager and Service profiles

Provision a New Blade Server from a Service Template

Provision Virtual Desktops using the Virtual Storage Console

Provision New Storage Using the Virtual Storage Console

Resize Storage Using the Virtual Storage Console
Simple System Administration and Management

Demonstrate Server and Chassis Administration with UCS Manager

Demonstrate Network Visibility with Data Center Network Manager
Improved End User Experience

Network Persistence after a vMotion Event

NetApp Flash Cache

Desktop Re-deployment Using the Virtual Storage Console
Reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Storage Deduplication

FlexPod Scalability - Server and Chassis
Security and Compliance

Nexus 1000v Port Profiles

Role Based Access Control with UCS Manager

Storage Virtualization: vFiler and IP Spaces – NetApp Multistore
FlexPod Demo Script Options
 Long Demo Script

Illustrations, detailed steps and
thorough explanations

Intended for presenters learning
the FlexPod value proposition
 Fast Track Demo Script

Shortened and summarized with
a list of elemental tasks

Conveys business benefits in the
quickest possible manner
Scheduling Interface
http://dcv-labs.labgear.net
 Simple User
Interface
 Integrated lab
Request and
Schedule
 Event Summary
Reporting for users
 Training and
Demonstration
Guide
Signing Up
 Select sign up for access
on home page
 Use company email
address (personal email
will not be approved)
 Complete request form
NOTE - If you move to a new
company you must request a
new account using your new
company email address
Scheduling Interface Continued
Scheduling the Lab Activity
3 Easy Steps

Choose Lab activity and POD

Choose Time on Calendar

Provide Event Details
Lab/Demo Interface
Logging into POD PC
Quick 3-minute Videos
http://youtu.be/WNT_IUzKD5g
Building Your Own
Training/Demo
Environment
Training POD Topology
Using the reference topology below, partners and distributors can build their own demonstration
platform. Cisco can provide you with a self contained-packaged that includes some preconfigured
VM’s listed here. NOTE: Customization will still be required to accommodate your environment
High Level Automation Approach
The labs consists of 12 independent training PODs and two independent Demo
PODs. Each POD can be individually recycled, to provide a personalized
experience.
PODs are brought up in the following sequence:
1
2
3
4
5
UCSM Suborganization
reset, including
local password
rewrite
NetApp vFiler
(volume)
reversion from
snapshot
Management
PC reboot
(non-persistent
disk today,
snapshot soon)
NetApp
Simulator
reboot (nonpersistent disk)
AD policy
rewrite (future)
Automation Workflow: The Details
VLANs
Global
(Admin
controlled)
UCS
UCS
•
•
•
•
Training Server Pool
Demo Server Pool
Locales and Organizations
Users/AD Integration
Service
Profile
•
•
Power-off Service Profile
SSH/CLI
Sub-org
•
•
Delete sub-org (removes pools, templates, profiles, etc.)
Create empty sub-organization
User
•
•
Change user password
Local domain (AD planned)
NetApp
Revert
Volumes
VMware
Revert
VMs
POD specific
(user
controlled)
Universal VLAN sets
Overlapping IP subnets
Server
Pools
RBAC
FlexPod Lab
Automation
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Boot Volume: FlexClone, Boot LUN, unique per POD
DS and DS_2 (clones), Windows (POD VMs)
POD VMs: vCenter, N1KV VSM, DHCP Server and AD
RDP VM
Data ONTAP Simulator
Sample Configuration Scripts
UCSM
scope org /US
delete org POD01
commit-buffer
scope org /
enter org US
commit-buffer
scope org /US
enter org POD01
up
commit-buffer
www.cisco.com/go/flexpodpartner
NetApp Volumes
### Create the volume that will later be exported to the ESXi
### servers as an NFS datastores
vol create VDI_VFILER1_ROOT -s none aggr1 20m
vol create VDI_VFILER1_DS -s none aggr1 500g
vol create VDI_VFILER1_SWAP -s none aggr1 200g
### Create the volume that will hold the ESXi boot LUNs for each
### server.
vol create POD1_BOOT_A -s none aggr1 200g
### Clone WINDOWS volume.
vol clone create VDI_VFILER1_WINDOWS -b LAB_WINDOWS clone_base_snap
### (optional) Create a master volume for pre-configured VM’s.
### Will be used to clone out to all vfilers.
#vol create LAB_WINDOWS -s none aggr1 500g
Sample Configuration Scripts (continued)
Modify NetApp Volumes
### Disable automatic snapshot option for the SWAP volumes.
### Leaves snap schedule in place.
vol options VDI_VFILER1_ROOT nosnap on
vol options VDI_VFILER1_DS nosnap on
vol options VDI_VFILER1_SWAP nosnap on
vol options VDI_VFILER1_WINDOWS nosnap on
vol options POD1_BOOT_A nosnap on
priority set volume VDI_VFILER1_ROOT level=VeryHigh
priority set volume VDI_VFILER1_DS level=VeryHigh cache=keep
priority set volume VDI_VFILER1_SWAP level=Medium cache=reuse
priority set volume VDI_VFILER1_WINDOWS level=VeryHigh cache=keep
priority set volume POD1_BOOT_A level=VeryHigh cache=keep
www.cisco.com/go/flexpodpartner
NetApp Volumes Snapshots
## Create NetApp Volume Snapshots
snap reserve VDI_VFILER1_DS 0
snap reserve VDI_VFILER1_SWAP 0
snap reserve VDI_VFILER1_WINDOWS 0
snap reserve VDI_VFILER1_ROOT 0
snap reserve POD1_BOOT_A 0
snap create VDI_VFILER1_DS Default
snap create VDI_VFILER1_SWAP Default
snap create VDI_VFILER1_WINDOWS Default
snap create VDI_VFILER1_ROOT Default
snap create POD1_BOOT_A Default
Sample Configuration Scripts (continued)
Enable Deduplication
sis on /vol/VDI_VFILER1_DS
sis config -s 0@sun-sat /vol/VDI_VFILER1_DS
www.cisco.com/go/flexpodpartner
Reset a Volume
snap restore -f -t vol -s clone_base_snap POD1_BOOT_A
vol options POD1_BOOT_A nosnap on
snap create POD1_BOOT_A Default
vfiler run lab-vfiler2 exportfs -p
rw=10.1.111.0/27:10.1.212.0/27,root=10.1.112.0/27:10.1.212.0/27,nosuid
/vol/LAB_VFILER1_SWAP
vfiler run lab-vfiler2 exportfs -p
rw=10.1.111.0/27:10.1.212.0/27,root=10.1.111.0/27:10.1.212.0/27,nosuid /vol/LAB_VFILER1_DS
vfiler run lab-vfiler2 exportfs -p
rw=10.1.111.0/27:10.1.212.0/27,root=10.1.111.0/27:10.1.212.0/27,nosuid /vol/POD1_WINDOWS
snap delete POD1_BOOT_A Default
snap create POD1_BOOT_A Default
snap restore -f -t vol -s Default POD21BOOT_A
Automation Scripts - Telnet/SSH
Example using expect
#!/bin/bash
xyz="show banner"
prompt="*#"
promptconf="*(config)#"
expect -c "
spawn ssh -l admin 10.2.16.145
sleep 2
expect {
"*word:"
{
send "password12"\r
}
}
sleep 2
expect {
"*"
{
send "en"\r
}
}
sleep 2
expect {
"*word:"
{
send \"passwordenable\"
send \r
}
}
.
.
.
Automation Scripts - Telnet/SSH
Example using Probit’s Polyscript GUI*
* This is not an endorsement or recommendation. Please carefully assess the risks of running
shareware tools on your infrastructure. Cisco and/or NetApp are not responsible for problems
derived from their use.
Demo POD Topology
Using the reference topology below, partners and distributors can build their own demonstration
platform. Cisco can provide you with a self contained-packaged that includes some preconfigured
VM’s listed here. NOTE: Customization will still be required to accommodate your environment
Building Your Own FlexPod Demo
Some best practices are listed here:
 Management PC

Procure a Windows 7 64-bit workstation to run all the necessary software required by the demonstration infrastructure.
You should also ensure that this station has full IP connectivity (no firewall) to the NetApp FAS controller and the NetApp
simulator (SIMBOX), preferably, a network interface in the same layer 2 domain as the NetApp components.
 UCS Manager (UCSM)
•
Provision a user with specific administrative control over the blade(s) that are used in the demo. Doing this implicitly
shows a nice application of the roles and access control built into UCSM.
•
Create sub-organizations, pools and policies specific to this specific demo user.
•
Pre-provision a lower-rights user to show the Role-based Access Control (RBAC) demos.
 vCenter

Preferably, you should deploy vCenter as a separate VM serving only the blade (or blades) that will be used for the
demonstration. Do not aggregate other PODs under the same vCenter instance, as this can cause collisions or unplanned
disruptions in connectivity.
Building Your Own FlexPod Demo (cont.)
 NetApp Data ONTAP Simulator
The NetApp Simulator is a very powerful tool that replicates almost all the required features in a FlexPod
deployment. When using the simulator as part of this demo, don’t forget to:

Use the NetApp simulator is 7-mode, not cluster mode.

By default, the simulator is offered as a VMware Player compatible format. To install it on your
virtualized environment, vCenter converter can be used to import it into your ESXi host.

The simulator offers 4 that can be connected to the Nexus 1000V vDS (e0a, e0b, e0c and e0d). Use
them appropriately:
•
Dedicate one interface for management (SSH, Web)
•
Dedicate one interface for NFS integration between the default controller and the NFS VMKernel port
•
Dedicate one interface for NFS integration between a vFiler and the NFS VMKernel port

Using the license add command, license the following features using the license keys provided with
the package: Deduplication, NFS, Multistore, Operations Core, Provisioning Manager and Protection
Manager.

Do not configure a management host IP address in the simulator, so all source IP’s are allowed for
admin tasks.
Building Your Own FlexPod Demo (cont.)
 Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM)

Install DCNM on the Management PC and use the default operation mode to conduct the DCNM
demonstrations. No paid licenses are necessary to show the tasks associated with the Nexus 1000V, but a
license has to be applied. Contact with your Cisco representative for additional details.
 NetApp Data Fabric Manager (DFM)

NetApp Data Fabric Manager (DFM) should be installed on the management PC for ease of use and
administration. DFM will automatically discover the storage controller and simulator if the management PC is on
the same subnet as one of the controller/SIMBOX interfaces. If not, you can define discovery rules within DFM
to discover controllers across multiple subnets or network hops. It is recommended that you also do the
following:
•
Enter Administration credentials in DFM to list the configurable options
•
Enable Performance Advisor under Option in DFM
•
License Operations Core, Provisioning Manager and Protection Manager.
 NetApp Management Console (NMC)

The NetApp Management Console (NMC) can be downloaded from within DFM and should be installed on the
management PC for ease of use and administration. The NMC Hosts section must be configured with the
administration credentials of the NetApp FAS controllers and the NetApp SIMBOX. This will allow the correct
administration and configuration rights, as well as performance monitoring for some of the demonstration tasks.
Roadmap and Upcoming Updates
 Power-Shell automation
 Technologies include …






Nexus 5548
Nexus 1000v
UCS B Series Servers
NetApp 3240
VMware vSphere 4.1
Unified Fabric
FlexPod Training and Demonstration
Summary
www.cisco.com/go/flexpodpartner
Feedback: WE ARE LISTENING!
 Provide comments at www.cisco.com/go/flexpodpartner
 Technologies include …






Nexus 5548
Nexus 1000v
UCS B Series Servers
NetApp 3240
VMware vSphere 4.1
Unified Fabric
Thank You