ExtremeCloud IQ Site Engine (XIQ-SE) study plan

Diagram the XIQ-SE server components (application server, database, client/Admin UI, optional remote engines or collectors) and explain which traffic flows cross which boundaries.

Map each license tier and add-on to the specific features it unlocks, and list what stops working when a license expires or is missing.

List the supported deployment topologies (single server, distributed/remote engine, virtual appliance sizing) and record the minimum CPU, RAM, and disk figures for each.

Write the ordered pre-installation checklist: DNS, NTP, certificates, ports, database prerequisites, and admin credentials.

Perform a clean installation in a lab VM and log every prompt and default you accepted.

Configure initial system settings (NTP, DNS, SMTP, syslog destinations, certificate replacement) and verify each one took effect.

Run discovery using at least three different methods (subnet sweep, seed device with SNMP credentials, and import from a file or CSV) and compare results.

Create device credential sets and profiles, then assign them so newly discovered devices land in the correct group automatically.

Explain the difference between discovered, managed, and unmanaged inventory states and demonstrate moving a device between them.

Document the upgrade path and rollback steps for a minor and a major version upgrade.

Define the policy model vocabulary (roles, rules, services, profiles, and where each is applied) and sketch how a policy is evaluated for a connecting endpoint.

Build a wired access-control policy that assigns a role based on 802.1X identity and a second rule that falls back to MAC authentication.

Build a guest or captive-portal style role with restricted network access and verify the restriction with a live test.

Apply a policy to a device group and confirm inheritance and override behavior across parent and child groups.

Capture and interpret the authentication and policy evaluation logs for one successful and one failed connection.

Build a site hierarchy that reflects physical locations and device groups, and explain when to use sites versus groups.

Create a topology map from discovered links and correct at least two links that were inferred incorrectly.

Add a custom map image, place devices on it, and set up a link to a sub-map.

Extend the week 3 policy so it is scoped per site and verify that a device in site A does not receive site B's role.

Review fabric concepts at a high level and note which policy features differ when fabric is enabled.

Onboard a wireless controller and access points into inventory and confirm they appear with correct model and firmware data.

Describe how XIQ-SE and ExtremeCloud IQ differ in management model, and configure the integration or data-sharing touchpoints that apply to your deployment.

Create a wireless SSID and policy profile, push it, and verify clients associate and receive the intended role.

Compare device inventory views for wired versus wireless gear and identify which fields drive compliance and firmware reporting.

Run a firmware compliance check across the inventory and stage an upgrade for one device class.

Configure alarm and event thresholds for at least three device classes and trigger one deliberately to confirm notification delivery.

Set up an email or syslog notification target and prove an alarm reaches it.

Build a scheduled report and a dashboard view that answer a specific operational question, such as top alarm sources.

Trace one event from raw syslog through the event viewer to the alarm it raised.

Tune one noisy alarm to reduce false positives without hiding real failures.

Create role-based admin accounts with least privilege and verify a restricted account cannot reach a forbidden area.

Configure external authentication (RADIUS or LDAP) and test a login with an external account.

Perform a full backup, restore it into a clean lab instance, and compare key configuration to the source.

Explain and, if supported in your lab, configure high-availability or redundancy options and describe failover behavior.

Use built-in diagnostics (ping, traceroute, tech support or log bundles, database health checks) to investigate one simulated fault.

Automate one repetitive task (inventory export, bulk config push, or scripted report) and document the inputs and outputs.

Work through a timed mixed-domain practice set and log every missed question by domain.

Re-study only the two weakest domains from that log and re-test those areas.

Rehearse explaining the policy evaluation path and the discovery-to-inventory flow out loud, since both span multiple domains.

Build a final one-page recall sheet of ports, license tiers, and default behaviors.