Implementing Cisco Data Center AI Infrastructure (DCAI)

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What you’ll learn

Upon completing this course, the learner will be able to meet these overall objectives:

• Describe key concepts in artificial intelligence, focusing on traditional AI, machine learning, and deep learning techniques and their applications

• Describe generative AI, its challenges, and future trends, while examining the nuances between traditional and modern AI methodologies

• Explain how AI enhances network management and security through intelligent automation, predictive analytics, and anomaly detection

• Describe the key concepts, architecture, and basic management principles of AI-ML clusters, as well as describe the process of acquiring, fine-tuning, optimising and using pre-trained ML models

• Use the capabilities of Jupyter Lab and Generative AI to automate network operations, write Python code, and leverage AI models for enhanced productivity

• Describe the essential components and considerations for setting up robust AI infrastructure

• Evaluate and implement effective workload placement strategies and ensure interoperability within AI systems

• Explore compliance standards, policies, and governance frameworks relevant to AI systems

• Describe sustainable AI infrastructure practices, focusing on environmental and economic sustainability

• Guide AI infrastructure decisions to optimise efficiency and cost

• Describe key network challenges from the perspective of AI/ML application requirements

• Describe the role of optical and copper technologies in enabling AI/ML data center workloads

• Describe network connectivity models and network designs

• Describe important Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols for AI and fog computing for Distributed AI processing

• Migrate AI workloads to dedicated AI network

• Explain the mechanisms and operations of RDMA and RoCE protocols

• Understand the architecture and features of high-performance Ethernet fabrics

• Explain the network mechanisms and QoS tools needed for building high-performance, lossless RoCE networks

• Describe ECN and PFC mechanisms, introduce Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights for congestion monitoring, explore how different stages of AI/ML applications impact data center infrastructure, and vice versa

• Introduce the basic steps, challenges, and techniques regarding the data preparation process

• Use Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights for monitoring AI/ML traffic flows

• Describe the importance of AI-specific hardware in reducing training times and supporting the advanced processing requirements of AI tasks

• Understand the compute hardware required to run AI/ML solutions

• Understand existing intelligence and AI/ML solutions

• Describe virtual infrastructure options and their considerations when deploying

• Explain data storage strategies, storage protocols, and software-defined storage

• Use NDFC to configure a fabric optimised for AI/ML workloads

• Use locally hosted GPT models with RAG for network engineering tasks

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Cisco at Lumify Work

Lumify Work is the largest provider of authorised Cisco training in Australia, offering a wider range of Cisco courses, run more often than any of our competitors. Lumify Work has won awards such as ANZ Learning Partner of the Year (twice!) and APJC Top Quality Learning Partner of the Year.

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Who is the course for?

• Network Designers

• Network Administrators

• Storage Administrators

• Network Engineers

• Systems Engineers

• Data Center Engineers

• Consulting Systems Engineers

• Technical Solutions Architects

• Cisco Integrators/Partners

• Field Engineers

• Server Administrators

• Network Managers

• Program Managers

• Project Managers

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Course subjects

• Fundamentals of AI

• Generative AI

• AI Use Cases

• AI-ML Clusters and Models

• AI Toolset—Jupyter Notebook

• AI Infrastructure

• AI Workloads Placement and Interoperability

• AI Policies

• AI Sustainability

• AI Infrastructure Design

• Key Network Challenges and Requirements for AI Workloads

• AI Transport

• Connectivity Models

• AI Network

• Architecture Migration to AI/ML Network

• Application-Level Protocols

• High-Throughput Converged Fabrics

• Building Lossless Fabrics

• Congestion Visibility

• Data Preparation for AI

• AI/ML Workload Data Performance

• AI-Enabling Hardware

• Compute Resources

• Compute Resource Solutions

• Virtual Resources

• Storage Resources

• Setting Up AI Cluster

• Deploy and Use Open Source GPT Models for RAG

• AI Infrastructure Operations and Monitoring

• Troubleshooting AI Infrastructure

• Troubleshoot Common Issues in AI/ML Fabric

Lab Outline

• AI Toolset - Jupyter Notebook

• AI/ML Workload Data Performance

• Setting Up AI Cluster

• Deploy and Use Open Source GPT Models for RAG

• Troubleshoot Common Issues in AI/ML Fabric

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Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this training. However, the knowledge and skills you are recommended to have before attending this training are:

• Cisco UCS compute architecture and operations

• Cisco Nexus switch portfolio and features

• Data Center core technologies

These skills can be found in the following Cisco Learning Offerings:

• Introducing Cisco Unified Computing Systems (DCIUCS)

• Implementing Cisco NX-OS Switches and Fabrics in the Data Center (DCNX)

• Cisco Data Center Nexus Dashboard Essentials (DCNDE)

• Implementing Cisco Data Center Core Technologies (DCCOR)

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Cisco e-Learning

Cisco U. subscriptions and Cisco authorised e-learning courses are now available.

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Downloads

• Cisco Learning Credits Brochure

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Terms & Conditions

The supply of this course by Lumify Work is governed by the booking terms and conditions. Please read the terms and conditions carefully before enrolling in this course, as enrolment in the course is conditional on acceptance of these terms and conditions.