Description
Bootcamp Details
Cisco ACI Hands-On Masterclass: Zero to Hero is an immersive 5-week lab-intensive online bootcamp that enables engineers, managers, and decision-makers to fully experience Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) and its associated technical innovations.
This class is most suitable for network and security engineers who have minimal knowledge of Cisco ACI and software-defined networking (SDN) as well as more established data center architects who have knowledge gaps and need to more effectively manage or design ACI fabrics.
This bootcamp addresses ALL of the exam topics for the Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (300-620 DCACI) exam and is delivered by the author of the official Cisco Press certification guide for the exam.
As a student attending this bootcamp, you typically participate in all-day virtual classes on Saturdays. You gain hands-on practice outside of class hours by doing the more than 80 self-paced labs documented within the course portal. At the end of each week, you gauge your understanding of the concepts for that week through quizzes and challenge labs.
All students receive the instructor's contact details and can request feedback or ask questions about the labs during the week. The instructor typically responds within 24 hours.
This bootcamp has a maximum class size of 10 students. All announced classes are guaranteed to run.
Before purchasing this bootcamp, please review the Class Dates and Times tab above to confirm the exact timing and timezone of your instructor-led sessions.
Target Audiences
This solution is perfect for network or security engineers who:
- Want to learn how to implement and manage Cisco ACI through hands-on practice and deployment scenarios
- Want to prepare for the Implementing Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (DCACI) exam (300-620)
- Want to understand how to use Cisco ACI to solve common business challenges
- Need to fill knowledge gaps related to Cisco ACI single-fabric concepts
- Need to develop an understanding of the fundamentals of ACI Multi-Pod and ACI Multi-Site
- Need a deep dive into ACI concepts to prepare for a data center design engagement with a value-added reseller (VAR)
- Want to advance their careers by obtaining data center networking expertise
Bootcamp Outline
This bootcamp provides scenario-based training. Instead of listing out technologies, we provide an agenda for each session and go over a sample realistic use case and demonstrate how such a use case might be configured. The instructor will provide challenge labs to allow you ample practice during the week outside of bootcamp hours.
Week 1: Understanding the Basics
- Initializing an ACI Fabric
- Understanding and Implementing Access Policies
- Implementing Basic Tenant Policies
- Understanding Network-Centric Policies
- Working with Faults, Event Logs, and Audit Logs
- Understanding the ACI Object Model
- Automating Tasks Using JSON and XML Files
- Using Postman with Cisco ACI
Challenge Lab 1: Multi-Tier App Policies Challenge Lab
Week 2: Multitenancy and Migration Deep Dive
- Implementing L3Outs
- Implementing route control
- Implementing route leaking
- Implementing transit routing
- Extending Layer 2 Outside the Fabric
- Implementing VMM Integration
- Migrating Workloads into ACI
- Automating ACI Using the Python SDK and Arya
Challenge Lab 2: Data Center Migration Challenge
Week 3: Security Enforcement in Depth
- Locking Down East/West Communication via Contracts
- Whitelisting North/South Traffic
- Intra-EPG Isolation
- Intra-EPG Contracts
- VzAny
- Microsegmentation
- Contract Optimizations
- Contract Inheritence
- Cisco ACI and TrustSec integration
- Endpoint Security Groups (ESGs)
- Automating ACI with Ansible
Challenge Lab 3: Zero-Trust Security Enforcement Challenge
Week 4: L4-L7 Service Insertion and PBR
- Integrating firewalls into ACI
- Integrating load-balancers into ACI
- Utilizing the common tenant
- Implementing service graphs
- Implementing service chaining
- Implementing Policy-Based Redirect (PBR)
- Multi-Node Service Insertion
- Automating Tenant Configurations Using Terraform
Challenge Lab 4: Firewall and Load-Balancer Integration Challenge
Week 5: ACI Anywhere
- Implementing Management
- Understanding ACI Multi-Pod
- Understanding ACI Multi-Site
- ACI Multi-Site Demo
Challenge Lab 5: Multitenancy Design and Implementation Challenge
Bootcamp Delivery Method
All bootcamp classes will be delivered live via Zoom. The instructor will email invitations to Zoom sessions to all students prior to bootcamp commencement. Content for each week of the bootcamp will be made available at the beginning of the week.
Class Dates and Times
Class Dates and Times
Currently announced guaranteed-to-run bootcamps are as follows. Please note that the schedule of each bootcamp may be optimized for students in different time zones.
March/Apr 2025 Cohort:
- Session 1: Understanding the Basics - Mar 24 from 9AM - 5PM CST
- Session 2: Multitenancy and Migration Deep Dive - Mar 25 from 9AM - 5PM CST
- Session 3: Security Enforcement in Depth - Mar 26 from 9AM - 5PM CST
- Session 4: L4-L7 Service Insertion and PBR - Mar 27 from 9AM - 5PM CST
- Session 5: ACI Anywhere - Mar 28 from 9AM - 5PM CST
Students of the March/April 2025 bootcamp retain lab access until 12 PM CST on April 25, so that students who have fallen behind can complete their labs.
Pre-Requisite Knowledge
Pre-Requisite Knowledge
This bootcamp has been designed for IT practitioners who have the following minimum pre-requisite knowledge:
- A Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) level of understanding of networking concepts.
Although not required, we do recommend that you obtain the official Cisco Press book for the DCACI exam to use in conjunction with this bootcamp. Each video and lab lists out the pages in the book where the topic has been addressed. The book can be purchased below:
Refunds and Retakes
Our 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
At Networks Reimagined, we put an immense amount of effort into designing bootcamps that are comprehensive and contain content that benefit engineers regardless of their level of expertise.
We know our products are the best out there and are happy to guarantee your 100 percent satisfaction.
If, for any reason, you decide to cancel your bootcamp up to 48 hours prior to the bootcamp start date, you may request a full refund.
If you have attended the first session of a bootcamp and are not satisfied and wish to withdraw for this reason, you may request a cancellation of your bootcamp by emailing the instructor by the close of business the same day to receive a full refund, less any applicable fees.
Because the Cisco ACI Hands-On Masterclass bootcamp requires a time-consuming lab buildout for each user, we do deduct a lab provisioning cost of $300 for all cancellations that occur up to 48 hours prior to the bootcamp start date.
Any cancellations that take place after the day of the first instructor-led session do not qualify for a refund.
Any bootcamp attendee who wants to retake a bootcamp, can request a discount code by emailing the bootcamp instructor directly and will only pay the cost to rent lab access for the bootcamp. A retake of the Cisco ACI Hands-On Masterclass bootcamp, therefore, costs each applicant a total of $1,000.
Read our return and refund policy for more information.
About the Instructor
About the Instructor
Ammar Ahmadi (CCIE DC #50928) is the founder of Networks Reimagined. He is also a network architect, consultant, Cisco Press author, and Pearson Live Lessons video trainer.
He has over 10 years of data center design and migration experience and has led data center modernization projects for some of the largest global enterprises.
Ammar's greatest career passion is to be able to help other engineers realize their potentials and has focused his career primarily on software-defined networking (SDN) solutions and programmability.
He is the Cisco Press author of CCNP Data Center Application Centric Infrastructure 300-620 DCACI Official Cert Guide, which he wrote primarily for engineers new to ACI and software-defined networking.
"You don't need exceptional intellect to become a top earner or to be celebrated as the person who saves the day. Just be consistent, humble, passionate, and most importantly learn how to develop a flawless understanding of the fundamentals."
-- Ammar Ahmadi