500-490 Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks (ENDESIGN) exam Questions and Answers

 SD-WAN demonstrations are an effective way to showcase the benefits and features of Cisco SD-WAN solutions to potential customers. However, not all demos are created equal, and there are some best practices to follow to ensure a successful and engaging demo. Here are some explanations for why C and E are true statements regarding SD-WAN demonstrations:

C. During a demo, you should consider the target audience and the desired outcome. This is a true statement because different audiences may have different levels of technical knowledge, business needs, and expectations from the demo. For example, a demo for a C-level executive may focus more on the business outcomes and value proposition of SD-WAN, while a demo for a network engineer may dive deeper into the technical details and configuration options. Therefore, it is important to tailor the demo to the specific audience and the desired outcome, such as generating interest, building trust, or closing a deal.

E. There is a big difference between demos that use a top down approach and demos that use a bottom up approach. This is also a true statement because the two approaches have different advantages and disadvantages, and may suit different scenarios. A top down approach starts with the high-level overview of the SD-WAN solution, such as the architecture, components, benefits, and use cases, and then drills down into the specific features and functionalities. A bottom up approach starts withthe low-level details of the SD-WAN solution, such as the configuration, troubleshooting, and testing, and then builds up to the big picture and value proposition. A top down approach may be more suitable for a non-technical or business-oriented audience, while a bottom up approach may be more suitable for a technical or hands-on audience.

References :=

Cisco SD-WAN Demonstration Guide

SD-WAN Best Practices | Kentik Blog

SD-WAN best practices for a successful implementation

SD-WAN best practices - VMware Blogs

Stay focused and develop a custom story guide taking into consideration the target audience, desired outcome and story to tell while demonstrating the Viptela solution capabilities Slide 151 = There is a big difference demoing using a top down vs. bottom up approachhttps://salesconnect.cisco.com/sc/s/learning-activity-from-plan?ltui__urlRecordId=a0c8c00000P3hKMAAZ <ui__urlRedirect=learning-activity-from-plan<ui__parentUrl=learning-activity-from-plan

 Cisco SD-Access is a solution within Cisco DNA, which is built on intent-based networking principles. Cisco SD-Access provides visibility-based, automated end-to-end segmentation to separate user, device, and application traffic without redesigning the underlying physical network1. Cisco SD-Access also enables programmable overlays that allow network virtualization across the campus,branch, data center, and cloud2. Cisco SD-Access has two main components: the fabric and the policy3.

The fabric is the network overlay that consists of interconnected nodes that provide a consistent and scalable way of delivering network services and functions. The fabric nodes are classified into four types: edge nodes, border nodes, control plane nodes, and intermediate nodes. The edge nodes are the access switches or wireless controllers that connect to the end devices. The border nodes are the routers or switches that connect the fabric to external networks, such as the Internet, WAN, or data center. The control plane nodes are the routers or switches that maintain the mapping between the endpoint identifiers and the network locators. The intermediate nodes are the routers or switches that provide transit services within the fabric3.

The policy is the network configuration that defines the network behavior and outcomes, based on the business intent and requirements. The policy is composed of three elements: the endpoint groups, the contracts, and the virtual networks. The endpoint groups are the logical containers that group the endpoints based on their attributes, such as user identity, device type, or application. The contracts are the rules that specify the allowed interactions between the endpoint groups, such as the protocols, ports, and quality of service. The virtual networks are the logical partitions that isolate the endpoint groups and contracts from each other, based on the network scope and security3.

Cisco SD-Access addresses the following challenges and benefits:

It simplifies the network design and management, as it reduces the complexity and variability of the network elements and interfaces.

It enhances the network security and compliance, as it enforces granular and dynamic policies based on the endpoint identity and context, rather than the network topology and IP addresses.

It improves the network performance and user experience, as it optimizes the network path, load balancing, and traffic engineering based on the network conditions and application requirements.

It enables the network agility and scalability, as it supports the rapid deployment and integration of new devices, applications, and services, without affecting the existing network operations.

References:

Cisco Software-Defined Access - Cisco Software-Defined Access Solution Overview

What Is Software-Defined Access? - SD-Access - Cisco

Cisco SD-Access Architecture Overview

The overall health page of the assurance component in the Cisco DNA Center displays two primary categories: Client and Network1. The Client category shows the health score of all the wired and wireless clients connected to the network, along with the number of clients, the top issues affecting the clients, and the distribution of clients by type, OS, and SSID1. The Network category shows the health score of all the network devices, such as switches, routers, wireless controllers, and access points, along with the number of devices, the top issues affecting the devices, and the distribution of devices by site, family, and role1.

The other options are not primary categories on the overall health page. Server is not a category, but a type of client that can be filtered in the Client category1. Access-Distribution and Core are not categories, but roles of network devices that can be filtered in the Network category1. Wired is not a category, but a subcategory of the Client category that shows the health score of the wired clients only1.

References:

Cisco DNA Assurance User Guide, Release 1.3.1.0 - Monitor and Troubleshoot the Health of Your Network [Cisco DNA Center]

Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks (ENDESIGN) Exam Topics [Cisco]

Cisco Validated Design Guides [Cisco]

https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/us/docs/2018/pdf/BRKDCN-2489.pdf Slide 20 -Overlay -VNID -Group Based Policy

https://www.ciscolive.com/c/dam/r/ciscolive/us/docs/2018/pdf/BRKDCN-2489.pdf

= Border nodes are the component of the SD-Access fabric that is responsible for communicating with networks that are external to the fabric. Border nodes serve as the gateway between the fabric domain and the network outside of the fabric. Border nodes are responsible for network virtualization inter-working and SGT propagation from the fabric to the rest of the network1. Border nodes also perform LISP Proxy Tunnel Router (PxTR) functions, which convert policy and reachability information, such as SGT and VRF information, from one domain to another2. Border nodes can connect to internal networks, such as data center or WAN, or external networks, such as internet or cloud3.

Edge nodes, control plane nodes, and intermediate nodes are not responsible for communicating with networks that are external to the fabric. Edge nodes are the access-layer switches where all of the endpoints reside. Edge nodes detect clients and register them with the control plane nodes. Edge nodes also providean anycast L3 gateway for the connected endpoints and perform encapsulation and de-encapsulation of data traffic4. Control plane nodes are the devices that run a host tracking database to map location information. Control plane nodes receive endpoint ID map registrations from edge and/or border nodes and resolve lookup requests from edge and/or border nodes to locate destination endpoint IDs5. Intermediate nodes are the devices that provide underlay connectivity between edge nodes and border nodes. Intermediate nodes do not participate in the fabric overlay and do not have any fabric roles6.

References :=

Role of Fabric Border Node & IS-IS protocol in Cisco SD-Access

Software Defined Access Network Fabric Roles - Study CCNP

Cisco SD-Access

SD-Access Fabric Troubleshooting Guide - Cisco

Cisco SD-Access Solution Design Guide (CVD) - Cisco

Cisco SD-Access Solution Design Guide (CVD) - Cisco

Cisco SD-Access Solution Design Guide (CVD) - Cisco

 The discovery process is a critical phase in the sales cycle, where the SE gathers information about the customer’s network environment, business goals, challenges, and needs. The discovery process helps the SE to understand the customer’s pain points, identify opportunities, and propose solutions that align with the customer’s objectives and address their problems. The discovery process also helps the SE to establish credibility, trust, and rapport with the customer, and to map Cisco innovation to the customer’s needs.

Some of the activities that should occur during the SE’s discovery process are:

Gathering information about the current state of the customer’s network environment. This includes collecting data about the network topology, devices, protocols, applications, performance, security, availability, scalability, and management. The SE can use various tools and methods to gather this information, such as interviews, questionnaires, surveys, audits, assessments, and network analysis tools. Gathering information about the current state helps the SE to understand the customer’s existing network capabilities, limitations, and gaps, and to benchmark the network against best practices and industry standards12

Mapping Cisco innovation to the customer’s needs. This involves identifying how Cisco products, solutions, and services can help the customer achieve their desired outcomes, address their challenges, and overcome their pain points. The SE can use various tools and methods to map Cisco innovation to the customer’s needs, such as value proposition, business case, return on investment (ROI) analysis, proof of value (POV), proof of concept (POC), and demonstrations. Mapping Cisco innovation to the customer’s needs helps the SE to show the value and benefits of Cisco solutions, differentiate Cisco from competitors, and influence the customer’s decision making34

References:

1: Cisco Discovery Service 2: Cisco Network Assessment Services 3: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Demos 4: Cisco Business Critical Services

 The current time in enterprise networking history is characterized by the rapid pace of change in the network technologies, architectures, and services. Some of the factors that contribute to this change are:

The increasing demand for network performance, scalability, reliability, security, and agility from the business and end users.

The emergence of new network paradigms, such as software-defined networking (SDN), network function virtualization (NFV), cloud networking, and intent-based networking (IBN).

The proliferation of network devices, applications, and data sources, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), mobile devices, cloud services, big data, and artificial intelligence (AI).

The evolution of network standards, protocols, and best practices, such as IPv6, 5G, Wi-Fi 6, Ethernet, and network automation.

These factors create new opportunities and challenges for enterprise network designers, engineers, and administrators, who need to keep up with the latest trends and innovations, and adapt their network solutions to the changing business and technical requirements.

References:

Cisco Enterprise Network Architecture and Design, https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/design-zone/networking-design-guides/enterprise-networking-design.html 1 : Enterprise Networking Explained: Types, Concepts & Trends, https://www.bmc.com/blogs/enterprise-networking/ 2 : What is enterprise networking?, https://www.cloudflare.com/learning/network-layer/enterprise-networking/ 3 : Enterprise WAN – A Brief History,https://blogs.juniper.net/en-us/enterprise-cloud-and-transformation/enterprise-wan-a-brief-history 4