About this Course

PureFlex Systems are fully integrated systems with unified management of compute, storage, networking, and virtualization resources that utilize built-in Patterns of Expertise based on IBM's decades of experience and thousands of client deployments. It is built on elements of the IBM Flex System. IBM Flex System includes compute, storage, systems management, and networking components. These components are pre-configured and pre-integrated.

IBM Flex System offers intelligent, integrated, and flexible network architecture that can fit with your existing or future environment. These high performance Ethernet offerings coupled with on demand scalability offer an easy way to scale as IT requirements grow.

IBM Flex System Fabric is:

Integrated: Helps manage discrete aspects of the data center as an integrated system through the built in management appliance.

Optimized: High performance scalable offerings with available 1Gb, 10Gb and 40Gb uplinks allow easy integration with existing network. Simple and cost effective scalability for future growth.

Automated: Automate provisioning and setup of both physical and virtual networks.

This three day course has been written to teach everything from the basics of IBM switch administration to the most advanced features of networking in the market today. You will not only learn the traditional physical networking concepts like layer 2 and layer 3 features but also work with virtual networks using features like VMready and Virtual Fabric. You will also learn high availability features to make your networking infrastructure redundant and more fault tolerant. The course will also cover the networking configurations seen in the two editions of the PureFlex System offerings: Express, and Enterprise.

Audience Profile

Enrollment in this intermediate course is not restricted. Typical students may include those persons involved with the planning, installation, configuration and upgrade of the IBM Flex System Networking products. This may include:

• Customers
• IT Consultants
• Technical IBM personnel
• Business Partner technical personnel

At Course Completion

Upon completing this course, students will be able to:

• Summarize the I/O architecture of IBM PureFlex
• Select and integrate scalable switch elements for IBM PureFlex
• Select the right connectors and cabling for IBM Flex System networking components
• Demonstrate an ability to access and interact with the scalable switch elements and top of the rack switches in IBM PureFlex
• Select the correct I/O adapters for specific IBM Flex System components
• Summarize the wiring scheme for different PureFlex configurations
• Summarize the key layer 2 and layer 3 features of IBM Flex System networking components
• Create redundant network topologies by implementing key high availability features using IBM Flex System networking components
• Design a virtual network infrastructure using VMready
• Design a virtual network infrastructure by implementing Virtual Fabric

Prerequisites

You should have completed:

• IBM PureFlex System Fundamentals (NGT11)
• IBM Introduction to Networking (XTRN0)(XTPN0)

Course Outline

Day 1

• Course administration and Welcome
• Unit 1: Introduction to PureFlex Networking
• Unit 2: The Scalable Switch Elements
• Unit 3: The Top of Rack Switches
• Unit 4: Ethernet Switch Administration
• Exercise period 1

Day 2

• Unit 5 The IBM Flex System I/O adapters
• Unit 6: Default PureFlex Networking Configurations
• Unit 7: Layer 2 Features
• Unit 8: Layer 3 Features
• Exercise period 2

Day 3

• Unit 9: High Availability Features
• Unit 10: Network Virtualization
• Unit 11: Virtualizing NICs
• Unit 12: FC Switch Modules
• Exercise period 3