A great way to start the Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center (DCUFD) preparation is to begin by properly appreciating the role that syllabus and study guide play in the Cisco 642-996 certification exam. This study guide is an instrument to get you on the same page with Cisco and understand the nature of the Cisco CCNP Data Center exam.
Our team of experts has composed this Cisco 642-996 exam preparation guide to provide the overview about Cisco Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric exam, study material, sample questions, practice exam and ways to interpret the exam objectives to help you assess your readiness for the Cisco DCUFD exam by identifying prerequisite areas of knowledge. We recommend you to refer the simulation questions and practice test listed in this guide to determine what type of questions will be asked and the level of difficulty that could be tested in the Cisco CCNP Data Center certification exam.
Cisco 642-996 Exam Overview:
|
Exam Name
|
Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric |
| Exam Number | 642-996 DCUFD |
| Exam Price | $300 USD |
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Number of Questions | 65-75 |
| Passing Score | Variable (750-850 / 1000 Approx.) |
| Recommended Training | Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFD v5.0) |
| Exam Registration | PEARSON VUE |
| Sample Questions | Cisco 642-996 Sample Questions |
| Practice Exam | Cisco Certified Network Professional Data Center Practice Test |
Cisco 642-996 Exam Topics:
| Section | Weight | Objectives |
|---|---|---|
| Describe the Design Methodology | 6% |
1 Describe developing business trends
2 Identify business requirements driving the Data Center design
3 Determine the requirements needed to create a Data Center solution
4 Describe the tools/process to characterize an existing Data Center
5 Describe the top down approach to network design
|
| Describe Data Center Structure and Modularity | 7% |
1 Describe network architectures for the Data Center
a) LAN
b) SAN
2 Describe the Modular Approach in Network Design
3 Describe the data center core layer
4 Describe the data center aggregation layer
5 Describe the data center access layer
6 Identify Design Considerations for connectivity between Data Centers
7 Identify the environments that use a Cisco data center virtualization solution
8 Identify the migration plan from existing to new infrastructure
|
| Describe the technologies used within the Data Center | 13% |
1 Describe switching protocols used in a data center network
2 Describe IPv4/IPv6 Addressing
3 Identify Routing Protocol Considerations in an Data Center
4 Describe how various data center protocols impact the design of a data center network
5 Describe data center server deployment topologies
6 Describe how traffic flows may impact the design of a data center network
7 Describe methods for deploying a Energy Efficient Data Center
8 Describe Data Center virtualization technologies
9 Determine when to use each technology within a Data Center solution
10 Describe high availability design in the data center
|
| Design the Core Layer of a Data Center | 10% |
1 Select the appropriate platforms and modules for use in the data center core layer
2 Identify scalability, availability, performance and connectivity requirements in the data center core layer.
3 Design for traffic flows in the data center core layer
4 Design for a collapsed data center core layer
|
| Design the Aggregation Layer of a Data Center | 11% |
1 Select appropriate platforms and modules in the data center aggregation layer
2 Identify scalability, availability, and performance requirements in the Data Center aggregation layer
3 Design for traffic flows in the data center aggregation layer
4 Design virtualization into the data center aggregation layer
|
| Design the Access Layer of a Data Center | 22% |
1 Select appropriate platforms and modules in the data center access layer
2 Identify scalability, availability, performance and connectivity requirements in the Data Center access layer
3 Design for traffic flows in the Data Center access layer
4 Design a cabling plan and topology for the Data Center access layer
5 Design virtualization into the data center access layer
|
| Design Storage and SAN Solution | 15% |
1 Consult with internal leading storage vendor experts for design criteria for proper LUN sizing and data protection.
2 Given a particular set of data center applications and servers, identify the storage requirements to create a Cisco virtualized data center solution.
3 Describe block vs. filter
4 Describe different SAN topologies
5 Describe and select SAN Services
6 Describe Data replication
7 Connect the SAN Unified Fabric
|
| Design Security Considerations into a Data Center | 8% |
1 Identify Cisco technologies to mitigate security vulnerabilities
2 Secure Data center network connectivity
3 Secure the Data center infrastructure
|
| Design Network Management Considerations into a Data Center | 8% |
1 Describe the common industry and Cisco-specific data center network management tools.
2 Design a network data collection strategy for a data center.
|
Cisco DCUFD Exam Description:
The 642-996 (DCUFD v5.0) Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric exam validates a candidate's knowledge of designing a Cisco data center unified fabric solution, including reference network topologies, routing protocols, traffic design concepts, storage and storage networking architectures, scalability, availability, and security and management architectures. Candidates can prepare for this exam by taking the Designing Cisco Data Center Unified Fabric (DCUFD v5.0) course.