JNCIE-Cloud study plan

Map the hypervisor type-1 vs type-2 distinction onto Juniper vSRX/vMX deployment models and justify where each fits in a telco cloud

Compare KVM, VMware ESXi, and container runtimes on CPU/memory overcommit, vCPU pinning, and NUMA behavior relevant to VNF performance

Explain SR-IOV, virtio, and PCI passthrough trade-offs for data-plane throughput and live migration capability

Define cloud service models (IaaS/PaaS/SaaS) and deployment models (private/public/hybrid) in the context of a service provider NFV environment

Draft a one-page comparison table of virtualization techniques with a recommendation for a vSRX data-plane use case

Configure a Linux KVM host with bridges, VLAN sub-interfaces, and a vSRX guest, then verify forwarding between two namespaces

Explain overlay vs underlay encapsulation (VXLAN, GRE, MPLS-over-UDP) and where each is appropriate in an NFV data center

Describe Juniper vMX/vSRX control-plane and forwarding-plane separation (VFP, PFE, Junos control plane) and how resources are allocated

Contrast VM live migration requirements with DPDK/SR-IOV-backed interfaces and identify when migration must be blocked

Document the packet path from a tenant namespace through a host bridge to a vSRX and back out to the underlay

Explain NFV MANO (NFVO, VNFM, VIM) roles and the lifecycle of a VNF from onboarding to instantiation to scaling

Compare SDN control-plane models (centralized vs distributed, OpenFlow vs BGP EVPN) and justify EVPN as the control plane for an overlay

Configure VXLAN with EVPN signaling on a two-leaf lab (or simulated equivalent) and verify MAC/IP learning

Describe Contrail/CN2 architecture at a component level (control, config, analytics, vRouter) and how it maps to NFV MANO

Identify how service chaining is implemented with in-network vs service-function-forwarding approaches

Install or access an OpenStack environment and identify the roles of Nova, Neutron, Keystone, Glance, Cinder, and Heat

Create a tenant network with a router, security group, and floating IP, then attach a VM and verify connectivity

Explain how Neutron ML2 drivers and agents map to overlay networks and where Juniper networking integrates

Deploy a Heat template that instantiates two VMs on separate networks with a router between them

Trace a single API call (e.g., server create) through Keystone, Nova, and Neutron and list the state transitions

Explain Kubernetes control-plane and node components (API server, etcd, scheduler, controller manager, kubelet, kube-proxy/CNI) and their failure modes

Deploy a multi-node cluster (kind, k3s, or kubeadm) and verify pod-to-pod and pod-to-service connectivity

Configure a CNI plugin and explain how overlay vs routed pod networking affects MTU and underlay requirements

Create a Deployment, Service (ClusterIP and NodePort), and Ingress, then verify traffic flow end to end

Apply NetworkPolicy to isolate two namespaces and prove the isolation with connectivity tests

Explain OpenShift architecture additions over Kubernetes: Routes, Operators, SCCs, ImageStreams, and the integrated registry

Deploy an application with an OpenShift Route and a BuildConfig, then verify image build and rollout

Compare OpenShift SDN and OVN-Kubernetes network plugins and describe how each handles egress and multi-tenant isolation

Use an Operator (e.g., install one from OperatorHub) and explain the reconcile loop and CRD lifecycle

Map OpenShift networking concepts (Service, Route, EgressIP, NetworkPolicy) onto an NFV service-chaining scenario

Revisit cloud fundamentals gaps identified in weeks 1-6 and close them with targeted lab or reading sessions

Integrate an OpenStack tenant network with an EVPN-VXLAN underlay in a lab and verify end-to-end tenant connectivity

Explain how network virtualization concepts (VRF, VXLAN, EVPN, service chaining) apply across OpenStack, Kubernetes, and OpenShift

Build a cross-domain troubleshooting checklist for overlay connectivity failures spanning hypervisor, underlay, and orchestrator

Practice explaining a full architecture (underlay, overlay, MANO, orchestration) in a 10-minute verbal walkthrough

Complete a timed full-scope practice run covering all seven domains and score each domain separately

Re-drill the two weakest domains with hands-on labs until the domain score improves

Review configuration syntax and CLI workflows for vSRX/vMX, OpenStack CLI, kubectl, and oc that are commonly tested

Consolidate all deliverables into a single indexed study portfolio for rapid review

Write a one-page personal readiness assessment with remaining risks and a post-exam learning plan