Cisco Advanced Cisco SD-WAN Routing, Templates, Policy Configure, and Tshoot for Government v4.0 (ADVANCED-SDWAN-GOV)

Agenda

1. SD-WAN Review and Baseline Knowledge:

• Student review of Cisco\'s SD-WAN architecture. The orchestration and management of the network are primarily handled by three critical components: the SD-WAN Manager (vManage), the SD-WAN Controller (vSmart), and the SD-WAN Validator (vBond). vManage offers a centralized interface for the configuration, management, and monitoring of the SD-WAN setup, significantly easing the deployment of network-wide policies while providing comprehensive visibility into the network\'s performance. The vSmart controllers, on the other hand, are tasked with the intelligent distribution of these policies across the SD-WAN fabric, ensuring that data traffic is routed efficiently and securely according to the current network conditions.
• Provides Students with a Baseline of the Router models in the Cisco SD-WAN architecture explaining the the hardware and software components that enable the connectivity and functionality of the routers within the SD-WAN fabric. These modules are designed for scalability, security, and efficient traffic management, supporting a wide range of applications and network services.
• Student Review SD-WAN Fabric Components, which is a foundational element of Cisco\'s SD-WAN solution, consisting of the Underlay Network, Transport Network, and the Overlay Network.

2. SD-WAN High Availability:

• Students learn how to Incorporate Advanced setting and high availability techniques into Catalyst SD-WAN solution to significantly enhances the network\'s ability to withstand and quickly recover from disruptions. This ensures businesses can maintain critical operations, minimize downtime, and provide a consistent and reliable user experience. By leveraging redundant configurations, seamless failover, intelligent path selection, and cloud redundancy, Cisco\'s SD-WAN architecture offers a robust framework for building a highly available network that supports the demands of today\'s dynamic and distributed digital environments.
• Device Redundancy: Cisco\'s SD-WAN offers device redundancy by allowing multiple instances of vEdge and cEdge routers to be deployed in a redundant configuration. This setup ensures that if one device fails, traffic can be immediately rerouted to a backup device without disrupting network services. Similarly, for controllers (SD-WAN Manager, SD_WAN Controllers, and the SD-WAN Validator), deploying multiple instances across different physical locations or cloud environments enhances the resilience of the management and control planes.
• Seamless Failover: The SD-WAN fabric is designed to automatically detect failures and reroute traffic through alternative paths with minimal delay. This seamless failover capability is crucial for maintaining continuous network operations and ensuring that applications remain accessible during device or link failures.

3. Catalyst SD-WAN Clusters for Government Networks:

• Students learn how SD-WAN Manager Clustering ensures the management layer remains resilient and operational under Failures. Clustering involves grouping multiple SD-WAN Manager (vManage) instances to work together as a single, cohesive system. This approach enhances the system\'s capacity to handle larger networks, improves its performance, and, crucially, provides redundancy.
• Feature and Device Templates:
• Standardization: Templates standardize configurations across the network, ensuring consistency and simplifying compliance with organizational or regulatory standards.
• Efficiency: They streamline the process of deploying new devices or making network-wide changes, saving time and reducing manual errors.
• Scalability: Templates support scalable network growth, allowing for quick adjustments to configurations as the network evolves.
• Advanced Design and Deployment Techniques for Device Templates:
• Modular Design: Adopt a modular design by creating Feature Templates for individual settings or functions. This approach enables flexibility in creating Device Templates tailored to specific roles or regions.
• Hierarchical Structuring: Utilize a hierarchical structuring of templates to manage configurations effectively across different scales – from individual devices to regional deployments.
• Region and Function-Specific Templates: Design Device Templates with consideration for regional network requirements and device functionalities. This ensures that templates are not only standardized but also optimized for specific operational contexts.
• Applying and Troubleshooting Templates:
• Binding Templates: Assign Device Templates to the appropriate devices within the SD-WAN network. This step associates the device with a specific configuration blueprint.
• Pushing Configurations: Once templates are bound, configurations can be pushed to devices, automating the deployment process and ensuring devices are configured according to the predefined templates.
• Troubleshooting Template Errors:
• Verification of Template Application: If errors occur, begin by verifying that the template has been applied correctly. Check for any discrepancies between the intended configuration and the actual configuration on the device.
• Error Logs and Diagnostics: Utilize Manager\'s error logs and diagnostic tools to identify specific issues within the template application process. These tools can provide insights into configuration conflicts or syntax errors.
• Template Revisions: In cases where templates fail to apply correctly, review and revise the templates to address any identified issues. This may involve adjusting configurations within Feature Templates or re-evaluating the combination of Feature Templates in Device Templates.

4. Advanced Feature and Device Template Design and Troubleshooting:

• Cisco\'s SD-WAN architecture leverages the power of Feature and Device Templates to streamline the deployment and management of network devices, offering a standardized approach to configuration that enhances efficiency and reduces the potential for errors. Here\'s an in-depth look at how these templates are used within the Cisco SD-WAN environment, along with advanced design strategies and troubleshooting tips.

5. Advanced Configuration Group Design:

• Student’s will learn how to leverage the power of Configuration groups in Cisco SD-WAN to provide a structured and scalable way to manage network configurations across multiple devices. By leveraging configuration groups, administrators can apply common settings to a group of devices, simplifying the management process and ensuring consistency across the network.
• Leverage Guided Workflows: Utilize the Cisco SD-WAN Manager\'s guided workflows for creating configuration groups, ensuring a streamlined and error-minimized setup process. These workflows provide step-by-step guidance, making it easier to understand and implement the configuration requirements.
• Hierarchical Structure: Adopt a hierarchical approach to configuration group design. This allows for common settings to be applied at a higher level (e.g., global settings for all sites) while enabling site-specific overrides or additional configurations at a lower level. This structure not only simplifies management but also ensures consistency across your network.
• Template Utilization: Make extensive use of feature templates within configuration groups to standardize and reuse configurations across multiple devices. Templates can significantly reduce manual configuration efforts and minimize the risk of errors.
• Device Tagging and Rules: Implement device tagging and use rules to dynamically add devices to configuration groups based on their tags. This approach facilitates the organization and management of devices, especially in large-scale deployments.
• Thorough Planning for Dual Device Sites: For environments utilizing dual device sites, plan carefully to ensure redundancy and reliability. Based on your specific requirements and redundancy needs, choose between a TLOC extension or a full mesh topology.
• Comprehensive Feature Integration: Take advantage of the broad range of features available for configuration within groups, including system profiles, transport and management profiles, service profiles, and security profiles. Tailor these features to meet the specific needs of your network.

6. Designing and Optimizing Network QoS:

• Designing and Optimizing SD-AVC Integration: Students will learn how the integration of SD-WAN Application Visibility and Control (SD-AVC) with QoS, enhances the network\'s ability to identify, manage, and prioritize applications across the SD-WAN. The focus would be combining AVC\'s deep packet inspection capabilities with QoS policies to ensure critical applications receive the bandwidth and priority needed, even under network congestion.
• Designing and Optimizing Dynamic Bandwidth Allocation: Students will learn detailed strategies for allocating bandwidth dynamically across different tunnels and applications. This includes using Per-Tunnel QoS for granular control over bandwidth allocation in hub-to-spoke network topologies and Adaptive QoS for adjusting QoS policies based on the current state of the network, ensuring optimal application performance.
• Designing and Optimizing Forward Error Correction (FEC): Students will learn detailed strategies for Implementing FEC in crucial environments where packet loss can significantly impact application performance. Student will discuss the Impact and benefits of deploying Forward Error Correction (FEC) and where to deploy it.
• Designing and Optimizing Packet Duplication: Students will learn detailed strategies for Implementing Packet Duplication as the next step when FEC may not be enough to mitigate packet loss.
• Designing and Optimizing AppQoE: Students will learn detailed strategies for Implementing Packet Duplication as the next step when FEC may not be enough to mitigate packet loss.

7. Advanced SD-WAN Security with on-premises solutions and integration with Umbrella Cisco SASE:

• Building on the Information students learned from the Installing and Configuring Cisco SD-WAN course. Students will learn how to enhance security in Cisco SD-WAN environments, particularly with on-premises solutions and integration with Cisco Umbrella as part of the Cisco Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) framework.
• On-Premises Solutions for Advanced SD-WAN Security: Student will extend their knowledge with the on-premises security solutions within the Cisco SD-WAN framework, which involves utilizing built-in features like application-aware enterprise firewalls, intrusion prevention systems (IPS), URL filtering, and advanced malware protection.
• Integration with Cisco Umbrella: Cisco Umbrella integration introduces another layer of security, providing DNS-layer protection that extends across all connected devices, regardless of location. Umbrella\'s integration with Cisco SD-WAN enables the enforcement of security policies at the DNS layer, effectively blocking malicious destinations before a connection is even established. This is particularly valuable for remote and mobile users who may access the internet directly outside of the traditional corporate network perimeter.
• Integration with Cisco SASE Framework: The convergence of SD-WAN with cloud-delivered security services exemplifies the Cisco SASE framework, which aims to provide secure access no matter where users are located or what resources they are accessing. The integration of Cisco SD-WAN with Umbrella is a step towards this vision, offering a unified solution that combines the agility and efficiency of SD-WAN with the comprehensive security coverage of Cisco\'s cloud security platform.
• Designing a Secure Internet Gateway (SIG) Deployment: Student’s learn how to Design a SD-WAN solution offers comprehensive integration capabilities for SIG deployments, providing automatic and manual tunnel configurations to Secure Internet Gateways.

8. Design and Troubleshooting of Cisco SD-WAN Routing Infrastructure:

• Student learn how to design and troubleshoot the routing infrastructure of a Cisco SD-WAN environment that requires a comprehensive understanding of the supported routing protocols and their integration into the SD-WAN fabric. The configuration and optimization of these protocols—OMP, BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP.
• OMP (Overlay Management Protocol): Students learn how to configure and optimize OMP, which facilitates the exchange of routing, policy, and management information between SD-WAN edge devices and controllers. It\'s crucial for establishing and maintaining the SD-WAN overlay network, handling route advertisements, and implementing network-wide policies.
• BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) and OSPF (Open Shortest Path First): Students will learn BGP and OSPF are integral for routing in Cisco SD-WAN environments, allowing for dynamic interconnectivity and route sharing between different network segments and external entities. These protocols can be configured to redistribute routes into OMP, ensuring that routing information is accurately propagated across the SD-WAN fabric. Specific configurations are required to enable the redistribution of routes from these protocols into OMP, as well as to manage their behavior within the SD-WAN context.
• EIGRP (Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol): Students will learn how to integrate EIGRP with SD-WAN by redistributing EIGRP routes into OMP, allowing for seamless route exchange between traditional and SD-WAN network segments. Configurations include setting EIGRP parameters, redistributing routes into OMP, and defining advanced EIGRP options such as hold time and hello interval.
• Design and enable SD-WAN Multicast Networks: Students learn how to design an SD-WAN multicast network that configures a multicast overlay that efficiently distributes one-to-many traffic, such as audio/video streaming and broadcasts, across the network.
• Troubleshooting and Optimization: Students will learn how to troubleshoot and optimize Catalyst SD-WAN Routing Protocols, including how to Configure On-Demand Routing and perform route leaking between Service VPNs and Service to the Transport (Global) VPNs. They will also learn how to monitor and use diagnostic capabilities, including the ability to inspect OMP routes, verify EIGRP configurations, and ensure proper OSPF area settings.

9. Design and Troubleshooting Catalyst SD-WAN Local Policies:

• Design Strategies for Local Policies: This module focuses on the design and implementation of local policies within the Cisco SD-WAN environment, which is critical for customizing and optimizing network behavior at the edge of the network. Students learn how to design SD-WAN local policies with a clear understanding of the network architecture and specific business needs. This understanding guides the creation of policies that effectively direct traffic based on factors such as application type, source and destination addresses, and quality of service requirements. Key considerations include ensuring high-priority traffic receives the bandwidth and latency conditions required while less critical traffic is managed to optimize overall network performance. Policies can also enforce security protocols, like steering traffic through firewalls or other security appliances for inspection before reaching its destination.
• Implementation Strategies for Local Policies: Techniques for implementing local policies on Cisco SD-WAN devices, with an emphasis on using Catalyst Manager for policy configuration and deployment. This includes practical exercises on policy creation, simulation, and deployment.
• Troubleshooting Strategies for Local Policies: Students learn how to troubleshoot SD-WAN local policies and how a systematic approach is required to identify and resolve issues affecting traffic flow or policy enforcement. Common troubleshooting steps include verifying policy configuration for accuracy, ensuring the correct application of policies on edge devices, and monitoring traffic flows to confirm that policies are directing traffic as intended.

10. Design and Troubleshooting Catalyst SD-WAN Central Policies:

• Design Strategies: Students learn to perform a thorough analysis of the network\'s requirements, including understanding application priorities, security needs, and compliance requirements. Based on these insights, Students craft Central Policies to dictate how traffic is handled across the network. These policies might include configuring Application-Aware Routing policies to prioritize critical applications, Traffic Engineering policies to make intelligent path selections based on real-time network conditions, and VPN segmentation for security and compliance. A critical aspect of designing Central Policies is the categorization of applications and the definition of Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for each. This ensures that the most critical applications have guaranteed bandwidth and latency, enhancing the user experience and operational efficiency. Moreover, integrating security policies centrally allows for a unified security posture, directing traffic through security appliances or cloud services as needed for inspection and threat mitigation.
• Implementing Central Policies: Detailed instructions on implementing central policies using vManage, Cisco\'s centralized network management system. Participants will engage in hands-on labs that involve creating, testing, and deploying central policies, ensuring they are correctly applied across the network.
• Troubleshooting Central Policies: Students learn to focus on ensuring that these policies are correctly applied and function as intended across the SD-WAN fabric. Common troubleshooting steps include verifying the policy configuration for correctness in SD-WAN Manager, monitoring policy application in real-time to ensure traffic is steering according to the defined rules, and using analytics to identify any discrepancies or performance issues. Troubleshooting might also involve simulating policy changes to predict their impact before deployment and reviewing logs and alerts in SD-WAN Manager for any anomalies or errors in policy application. Effective troubleshooting of Central Policies requires a deep understanding of the network architecture and the SD-WAN platform\'s capabilities. By leveraging SD-WAN Manager\'s comprehensive tools for visualization, analytics, and diagnostics, network administrators can quickly identify and resolve issues, ensuring the SD-WAN network operates optimally and aligns with the organization\'s strategic goals.
• Central vs. Local Policy Interactions: Students learn how central and local policies intersect and how policies are prioritized and merged when both types of policies apply to network traffic. This section aims to equip participants with strategies for resolving policy conflicts and ensuring coherent network behavior.

11. Overview and Design of SD-WAN Multi-Region Fabric:

• Students learn about SD-WAN Multi-Region Fabric module and how Multi-Region Fabric is designed to extend the capabilities of traditional SD-WAN architectures by enabling seamless connectivity and advanced network management across multiple geographical regions. This module plays a crucial role in global enterprises, where network demands involve not only high performance and reliability but also the need to comply with regional data regulations and optimize traffic routing based on geographic locations.
• Students will engage in discussion about the design of the SD-WAN Multi-Region Fabric module involves several key components and considerations to ensure its effectiveness and efficiency:
• Regional Segmentation: The network is segmented into regions, each with its own set of SD-WAN edge devices, controllers, and management interfaces. This segmentation allows for localized policy management, traffic handling, and compliance with regional requirements.
• Centralized Management: Despite the regional segmentation, the Multi-Region Fabric module provides a centralized management platform from a single pane of glass, simplifying operations and ensuring consistency in policy application and network configuration across regions.
• Inter-Region Connectivity: One of the core components of the SD-WAN Multi-Region Fabric module is its capability to efficiently connect different regions. This is achieved through high-performance gateways or hub devices strategically placed at regional boundaries. These gateways facilitate secure and optimized traffic flow between regions, ensuring that inter-region communications are as efficient as intra-region ones.
• Intelligent Path Selection: The module incorporates advanced routing algorithms and real-time traffic monitoring to enable intelligent path selection. This feature ensures that data packets are routed through the most efficient paths based on current network conditions, application requirements, and predefined policies. This optimizes performance and reliability while minimizing latency and jitter, especially crucial for applications sensitive to network delays.
• Security and Compliance: Security is a foundational element of the SD-WAN Multi-Region Fabric design. The module integrates comprehensive security features, including encryption, segmentation, and threat protection, to safeguard data as it traverses the network. Additionally, it supports compliance with regional data protection regulations by controlling data flow based on geographic and legal requirements.
• Scalability and Flexibility: The design of the module emphasizes scalability and flexibility, allowing organizations to easily add new regions or adjust existing configurations as their network needs evolve. This scalability ensures that the network can grow with the enterprise, accommodating new sites, users, and applications without compromising performance or manageability.
• Application-Aware Routing: The Multi-Region Fabric module is designed to be application-aware, prioritizing traffic based on application criticality and user-defined policies. This ensures that high-priority applications, such as VoIP and video conferencing, receive the bandwidth and network resources they need, regardless of the user\'s or application\'s region.
• Performance Monitoring and Reporting: Integral to the module is the ability to monitor network and application performance in real-time across all regions. This capability, combined with detailed reporting, allows network administrators to identify and address issues proactively, ensuring high levels of network performance and user satisfaction.

12. Designing and Implementing a Cisco SD-WAN Migration Strategy:

• Student will discuss and design the process of migrating Within Cisco SD-WAN (vEdge to Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN Routers):
• Migration Planning: This initial phase thoroughly evaluates the existing vEdge-based SD-WAN deployment to understand device configurations, policies, and traffic flows. The design for the new architecture considers the capabilities of Cisco Edge routers, aiming to support the existing hub-and-spoke topology and integrate new requirements. An inventory of all vEdge devices, including models, configurations, and their roles (hub or spoke), is compiled to facilitate this transition.
• Pilot Testing: Establishing a lab environment that mirrors the current network topology with Cisco Edge routers is essential for testing the migration process. This includes examining traffic flow, policy enforcement, and management through Cisco vManage. A pilot deployment at a less critical site allows for monitoring the new router\'s performance and ensuring compatibility with the existing infrastructure.
• Staged Migration: The migration begins with the hub site routers to establish the core network, configuring them to manage traffic from both vEdge and Cisco Edge routers. Spoke sites are migrated in phases, enabling troubleshooting and adjustments without impacting the overall network. Configuration and policy conversion from vEdge to Cisco Edge routers is aided by Cisco\'s tools and guides, ensuring compatibility and efficiency.
• Post-migration Testing and Optimization: After the migration, comprehensive testing is carried out to verify effective communication across all sites and the correct application of policies. Network performance is monitored using Cisco Manager to identify and optimize any improvement areas.
• Student will discuss and plan for a Migration to SD-WAN from other types of networks including:
• Network Assessment and Requirement Gathering: This stage involves a comprehensive analysis of the current network infrastructure to understand its architecture, inventory of devices, and traffic patterns. It is crucial to map out both business and technical requirements for the SD-WAN deployment, focusing on essential factors such as bandwidth, reliability, security, and application prioritization.
• Design and Planning: After the initial assessment, the next step is to create a detailed SD-WAN design that aligns with the identified requirements. This design should consider site connectivity, cloud access, and security protocols. A phased migration plan is developed to ensure a smooth transition from the current network to the SD-WAN architecture, aiming to minimize any disruption to operations.
• Pilot Testing: Before proceeding with a full-scale deployment, the SD-WAN design is first tested in a lab environment to validate the configuration, policies, and integration with existing systems. Following successful lab testing, a pilot deployment is implemented at select sites to monitor performance and make any necessary adjustments.
• Full-Scale Deployment: The deployment begins with a staged rollout, starting with less critical sites and gradually expanding to include all network locations. This approach allows for the application of lessons learned during the pilot phase. Continuous monitoring is employed using tools like Cisco vManage for ongoing performance tuning and policy management.