The complete introductory primer for everyone who wants to successfully deploy and operate Cisco virtualization in modern data centers.
Introduces and concisely summarizes each virtualization feature, and explains how to deploy it within existing Data Center environments and architectures
Presents realistic case study example solutions and configurations, guiding readers through the key decisions that led to them
Links technology to real use cases
Invaluable for all beginning-to-intermediate Cisco professionals who want to get involved in datacenter virtualization, and all Cisco datacenter certification candidates
For many large IT organizations, today's greatest challenge is to drive more value, efficiency, and utilization from data centers. Virtualization is the best way to meet this challenge. This means thousands of Cisco professionals need and want deeper knowledge of how virtualization can be applied in the data center environment.
Data Center Virtualization Fundamentals thoroughly introduces the sophisticated virtualization features available throughout Cisco's Data Center portfolio of products. Rather than focusing on a single product or technology, it explores these features as interoperable design tools that can be combined -- without silo boundaries, and together with other solutions such as VMware vSphere -- into a highly efficient architecture for new, expanded, or retrofit data center projects.
The authors introduce, define, and thoroughly explore virtualization opportunities made possible by Cisco's Unified Computing System, Nexus switches, MDS 9000 storage switches and directors, Catalyst 6500 switches, and ACE application delivery controllers. They address features including VLAN, VRF, VDC, ACE contexts, vPC, VSS, Fabric Extenders, OTV, VSAN, NPV, NPIV, Unified Fabric (FCoE and DCB), VN-link, virtual services and UCS service profiles. You'll find valuable guidance for:
Virtualizing data center networks, storage, and servers
Building an end-to-end virtualized data center
Smoothly migrating an existing data center towards greater virtualization
'Bursting' the silos that have traditionally made data centers inefficient
Each key concept is illuminated and simplified through realistic use cases, engaging discussions, diagrams, topologies, configuration examples, and verification outputs.
