DCNP study plan

Explain the purpose and topology differences of spine-leaf, three-tier, and super-spine architectures, including when each is appropriate.

Diagram a Clos-based data center fabric and label oversubscription ratios at each tier.

Compare east-west versus north-south traffic patterns and identify which architecture choices each drives.

Describe the roles of ToR, leaf, spine, border leaf, and core switches in a modern data center.

List the main data center standards and design considerations (power, cooling, cabling, rack density) and explain how they influence network design.

Configure VLANs, trunk ports, and 802.1Q tagging on a virtual or physical switch lab.

Compare STP, LACP, and MLAG/VPC approaches for loop prevention and link aggregation in the data center.

Explain the purpose of an underlay network and how routed CLOS replaces large L2 domains.

Configure OSPF or BGP as an underlay routing protocol in a multi-switch lab topology.

Explain the difference between overlay and underlay and describe VXLAN encapsulation and VTEP behavior.

Compare VXLAN, NVGRE, and Geneve encapsulation formats and their typical use cases.

Describe EVPN route types (Type 2, Type 3, Type 5) and how they support MAC and IP learning in an overlay.

Explain the control-plane and data-plane separation in SDN and compare centralized versus distributed control models.

Describe how a network controller (e.g., an SDN controller) programs overlay and underlay devices via APIs.

Differentiate network virtualization concepts: VRFs, virtual networks, and tenant isolation.

Compare overlay-based segmentation (VXLAN-EVPN) with traditional VLAN-based segmentation for multi-tenancy.

Configure a VRF and a virtual network in a lab to isolate two tenants' traffic.

Explain micro-segmentation and how policy is enforced at the hypervisor or host level versus at the switch.

Describe common data center security controls: ACLs, stateful firewalls, security groups, and zero-trust principles.

Identify segmentation strategies for east-west traffic and explain why traditional perimeter firewalls are insufficient.

Write a Python script using a REST API to retrieve device or fabric information from a network controller.

Explain infrastructure-as-code concepts and the role of Ansible or Terraform in network automation.

Describe intent-based networking and how declarative configuration differs from imperative CLI commands.

Identify common automation pitfalls (idempotency, error handling, secrets management) and how to mitigate them.

Use a monitoring tool (SNMP, streaming telemetry, or syslog) to collect and visualize interface and device health metrics.

Explain the difference between polling-based monitoring and streaming telemetry and when each is appropriate.

Describe a structured troubleshooting methodology for overlay and underlay issues (e.g., ping, traceroute, VXLAN VTEP checks, routing table verification).

Analyze a simulated failure scenario and identify the root cause using logs and counters.

Review weak areas identified in prior weeks and re-explain key concepts without notes.

Complete a timed practice assessment covering all six domains and score each domain separately.

Reconfigure a broken lab scenario (underlay, overlay, or segmentation) within a set time limit.

Summarize the most common design trade-offs across architecture, overlay, security, and automation.