Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) Lab
Deploy and operate a complete VXLAN EVPN fabric using Cisco Nexus Dashboard and the NDFC LAN Controller persona - from a blank Nexus Dashboard cluster through greenfield fabric build, overlay provisioning, brownfield import, external connectivity, multi-site design, Day-2 operations, troubleshooting, and automation with the API and Ansible.
Book Lab HoursCourse Highlights
Greenfield VXLAN EVPN Fabric
Build a complete VXLAN EVPN fabric from scratch using NDFC fabric templates and the intent-based automation model.
Brownfield Import
Perform a non-disruptive brownfield import of an existing manually-configured VXLAN EVPN fabric and verify zero configuration drift.
Multi-Site & Multi-Fabric
Build Multi-POD and two-site multi-fabric deployments with MSD-level VRFs, network extension, and real-life brownfield migration scenarios.
External Connectivity
Configure Border Leaf connectivity, VRF Lite external connectivity, and EVPN Type-5 route advertisement to unmanaged environments.
Day-2 Operations
Practice configuration compliance, NX-OS image management, backup and restore, Endpoint Locator, and end-to-end operational scenarios.
Automation & API
Automate VRF and network provisioning with the NDFC REST API and Cisco DCNM/NDFC Ansible collection, including idempotency verification.
Practical NDFC Fabric Automation Experience
This course gives you hands-on practice equivalent to Cisco's official Nexus Dashboard curriculum. Designed for data center engineers who want real, template-driven fabric automation experience beyond slides and simulators.
The course takes you from Nexus Dashboard cluster deployment and initial NDFC setup through fabric discovery, VXLAN EVPN provisioning, external connectivity, multi-site design, Day-2 operations, troubleshooting, and API-driven automation.
- Intent-Based Fabric Build: Use NDFC templates to deploy the underlay and overlay while managing fabric intent.
- Real-World Operations: Practice brownfield import, configuration compliance, troubleshooting, image management, backup/restore, and endpoint tracking.
- Network-as-Code Automation: Automate VRF and network provisioning with the NDFC REST API and Cisco DCNM/NDFC Ansible collection.
Technologies Covered
- ✓ Cisco Nexus Dashboard architecture and active-active clustering
- ✓ NDFC LAN Controller persona and VXLAN EVPN fabric types
- ✓ Fabric templates and intent-based automation
- ✓ VXLAN EVPN underlay and overlay provisioning
- ✓ VRF and network templates with automatic VNI allocation
- ✓ vPC pairing, Spine, Leaf, Border Leaf and Border Gateway roles
- ✓ VRF Lite external connectivity and EVPN Type-5 route advertisement
- ✓ Multi-Site Domain (MSD), Multi-POD and multi-fabric architectures
- ✓ Configuration compliance, NX-OS image management, backup/restore and Endpoint Locator
- ✓ NDFC REST API, Cisco DCNM/NDFC Ansible collection and Network-as-Code
Modules & Topics
- The evolution from DCNM to NDFC on the Nexus Dashboard platform
- Nexus Dashboard architecture: active-active clustering and unified application hosting
- NDFC personas and supported fabric types (this course focuses on the LAN Controller persona)
- Deployment form factors and node sizing (physical, virtual, cloud)
- Pre-installation requirements: networking, DNS/NTP, and licensing
- Lab: deploy a Nexus Dashboard node and bring the cluster online
- Lab: complete initial NDFC configuration and explore the LAN Controller workspace
- Switch discovery methods, including manual discovery and POAP (zero-touch provisioning)
- Switch roles in a VXLAN EVPN fabric (Spine, Leaf, Border Leaf, Border Gateway, and more)
- Lab: discover switches into NDFC, configure vPC pairing and assign fabric roles
- NDFC fabric templates and the intent-based automation model
- Fabric settings walkthrough: underlay protocol, replication mode, IP pools, and VNI ranges
- Lab: build a complete VXLAN EVPN fabric underlay from scratch using NDFC
- The NDFC overlay model: VRF and network templates, and automatic VNI allocation
- Lab: create VRFs and networks, attach hosts, and verify end-to-end connectivity
- Lab: configure route leaking between VRFs for shared-services access
- Managing fabric and host-facing interfaces through NDFC
- The policy and template framework, including freeform CLI overrides
- Lab: apply interface and freeform policies, and remediate configuration drift
- Concepts and limitations of importing an existing, manually-configured VXLAN EVPN fabric into NDFC
- Lab: perform a non-disruptive brownfield import and verify zero configuration drift
- Border roles and the External Fabric concept for connecting to unmanaged devices
- VRF Lite for external Layer 3 connectivity and EVPN Type-5 route advertisement
- Lab: configure a Border Leaf with VRF Lite external connectivity
- Multi-Site Domain concepts and the Border Gateway role for inter-site connectivity
- Lab: build a Multi-POD architecture across two sites
- Lab: build a two-site multi-fabric deployment with an MSD-level VRF and network extended across both sites
- Lab: L2 network extension between legacy DC and BGP EVPN VXLAN DC for real life brownfield migration scenarios
- Configuration compliance: comparing NDFC intent against switch running-configuration
- Image management for NX-OS upgrades through NDFC
- Fabric backup and restore, and the Endpoint Locator for real-time host tracking
- Lab: work through common Day-2 operational scenarios end to end
- NDFC troubleshooting tools: topology view, configuration diff, and event/alarm viewer
- Control-plane and data-plane verification using NX-OS CLI
- Lab: work through guided troubleshooting case studies covering common fabric failures
- The NDFC REST API and its intent-based model
- Automating NDFC with the Cisco DCNM/NDFC Ansible collection and a Network-as-Code approach
- Lab: automate VRF and network provisioning with Ansible and verify idempotency
- The role of Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO) in unifying policy across ACI and NDFC sites
- When to use ACI vs. NDFC, and how the two can coexist in the same enterprise
Start Your Lab Experience
Lab Hours Booking
Reserve access to a dedicated, pre-wired lab environment and use your purchased lab hours whenever it suits you.
- Direct access via browser and internet connection
- Dedicated Catalyst Center and ISE controllers
- Full control over single fabric site & underlay
- Zero hardware required on your side
- Schedule your lab session for any available date and time