VMware Certified Professional 6 Exam Guide (Exam #2V0-642): Comprehensive guide right from basics to advanced VMware Network Virtualization concepts

Cover Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication Page
About the Author
About the Reviewer
Acknowledgements
Preface
Errata
Table of Contents
1. Basics of NSX-vNetwork Virtualization Platform
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    1.1 Networking concepts overview
    1.2 Introduction to network virtualization
    1.3 Need of network virtualization
    1.4 Concepts of network virtualization
    1.5 Application programming interface (API)
    1.6 Introducing the NSX-V network virtualization platform
    1.7 NSX features and services
    1.8 NSX network and security functions
    1.9 NSX configuration maximums
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answer
2. NSX Core Components
    Structure
    Objective
    2.1 Introduction to NSX core components
        2.1.1 Management plane and consumption platforms
        2.1.2 Control plane
        2.1.3 Data plane
    2.2 NSX architecture
        2.2.1 NSX manager
        2.2.2 NSX controller
        2.2.3 NSX vSwitch
    2.2.4 NSX Edge service gateway
    2.3 VXLAN architecture overview
        What is VTEP?
            VXLAN packet format
            Packet walkthrough via VXLAN
    2.5 Transport zones
    2.6 Distributed firewall
        DFW packet walk
            DFW policy rules
            Micro-segmentation using DFW
        2.6.1 DFW thresholds and limits
    2.7 Cross vCenter-NSX
    2.7.1 Cross vCenter-NSX components
    Conclusion
    Questions
3. Compare and Contrast the Benefits of VMware NSX Implementation
     Structure
    Objective
    3.1 VMware NSX and the need for it
    3.2 Physical network challenges
    3.3 Difference between NSX network and security functions and services
    3.4 Common use cases for VMware NSX
    3.5 Security
    3.6 IT automation
    3.7 Application continuity
    Conclusion
    Questions
4. Understand VMware NSX Architecture
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    4.1 VMware NSX stack architecture
    4.2 VMware NSX stack layers and NSX infrastructure components
        4.2.1 Management plane and consumption platform
        4.2.2 Topologies of VMware NSX deployment and their advantages/disadvantages
    4.3 VMware NSX data center deployment models
    4.4 Prepare a vSphere implementation for NSX
    Conclusion
    Questions
5. Differentiate Physical and Virtual Network
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    5.1 Logical and physical topologies, components, and services
    5.2 Logical and physical security constructs
        5.2.1 Data security
            5.2.1.1 Flow monitoring
            5.2.1.2 Activity monitoring
        5.2.2 Distributed firewall
    5.3 Perimeter firewall
    Conclusion
    Questions
6. VMware NSX Integration with Third-Party Products and Services
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    6.1 Integrating with third-party partner tools and systems using NSX RESTful APIs 
    6.2 VMware NSX third-party integration (services)
    6.3 VMware NSX third-party integration (hardware)
        6.3.1 Network interface card (NIC)
        6.3.2 Terminating overlay network
            HW VTEP
            VXLAN offload
            Receive side scaling (RSS)
    Conclusion
    Questions
7. VMware NSX Integration with vRealize Automation
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    7.1 Integrating VMware NSX with vRA
    7.2 Network profiles in vRealize automation
    7.3 NSX preparation tasks for attaching a network profile to a blueprint
    7.4 Requisites for deploying a machine with on-demand network service
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
8. Compare and Contrast the Benefits of Running VMware NSX on Physical Network Fabrics
    Structure
    Objective
    8.1 Differentiate physical network topologies
        POD design
            Highlights
            Pros
            Cons
        Collapsed access layer design
    Highlights:
        Pros
        Cons
        Leaf-Spine network design structure
            Highlights
            Pros
            Cons
            Centralized routing
            Distributed routing
            Routing capabilities of NSX
    Route advertisement for south-to-north traffic:
    8.2 Differentiate physical/virtual QoS implementation
    8.3 Differentiate single/multiple vDS/DLR implementations
    8.4 Differentiate NSX Edge high availability (HA)/scale-out implementations
    Conclusion
    Questions
9. Determine Physical Infrastructure Requirements for VMware NSX Implementation
    Structure
    Objective
    9.1 Discern management and Edge cluster requirements
        Management cluster
        NSX Edge cluster
    9.2 Differentiate minimum/optimal physical infrastructure requirements for a VMware NSX implementation
    9.3 Determine how traffic types are handled in a physical infrastructure
        VXLAN traffic:
        Management traffic:
        vMotion traffic:
    9.4 Use cases for available virtual architectures
    9.5 ESXi host vNIC requirements
    9.6 Differentiate virtual to physical switch connection methods
    Single VTEP
    Two VTEP
    9.7 Compare and contrast VMkernel networking scenarios
    TCP/IP stacks at the VMkernel level:
    Default TCP/IP stack
    vMotion TCP /IP stack
    Provisioning TCP/IP stack
    Custom TCP/IP stacks
    Conclusion
    Questions
10. Configure and Manage vSphere Distributed Switches
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    10.1 Compare and contrast vDS capabilities
    10.2 Highlights of VDS and VSS comparative study
    10.3 Create/delete a vDS
    Objective: Create and then delete a VDS
    10.4 Add/remove ESXi hosts from a vDS
    10.5 Edit general vSphere vDS settings
    10.6 Add/configure/remove dvPortgroups
        Objective: To add a dvPortGroup in vDS
    10.7 Configure dvPort settings
    10.8 Add/remove uplink adapters to dvUplink groups
    10.9 Create/configure/remove virtual adapters
    10.10 Migrate virtual machines to/from a vDS
    10.11 Monitor dvPort state
    10.12 Determine use cases for a vDS
    Conclusion
    Questions
11. Configure and Manage vDS Policies
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    11.1 Comparing and contrasting VDS policies
        11.1.2 Security
        11.1.2 VLAN tagging mode
    11.2 Configuring dvPortgroup blocking policies
    11.3 Benefits of multi-instance TCP/IP stack
    11.4 Configuring load balancing and failover policies
    11.5 Configuring VLAN settings
    11.6 Configuring traffic shaping policies
    11.7 Enabling Jumbo frame support on appropriate components
        11.7.1 Enabling Jumbo frames on a vSphere distributed switch
        11.7.2 Enabling Jumbo frames on a vSphere standard switch
        11.7.3 Enabling Jumbo frame for a VMkernel adapter
        11.7.4 Enable Jumbo frame support on a virtual machine
    11.8 Understanding how DSCP is handled in a VXLAN frame
    Conclusion
    Questions
12. Configure Environment for Network Virtualization
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    12.1 Understanding physical infrastructure configuration requirement for NSX
    12.2 Preparing a greenfield vSphere infrastructure for NSX deployment
        Configuring QoS
    12.3 Configuring a brown-field vSphere infrastructure for NSX
        Scenario: 1
        Scenario: 2
    12.4 Determining how IP address assignments work in VMware NSX
    12.5 Determining minimum permissions required to perform an NSX deployment task in a vSphere implementation
    Conclusion
    Question
13. Deploy VMware NSX Components
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    13.1 Installing/registering NSX manager
    13.2 Prepare ESXi hosts
    Final output
    13.3 Deploy NSX controllers
    Navigation path
    13.4 Understand assignment of segment ID Pool and appropriate need for multicast addresses
    Navigation path
    13.5 Install guest introspection
    13.6 Create an IP Pool
    13.7 Understand when to use IP Pools versus DHCP for VTEP configuration
    Conclusion
    Questions
14. Upgrade Existing vCNS/NSX Implementation
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    14.1 Requisite steps and components for upgrading to NSX 6.x
    14.2 Upgrade vCNS 5.5 to NSX 6.x
        Upgrade from NSX 6.0.5 to 6.1.2.
        Deploy the NSX controller cluster
        Update host clusters
        Update transport zone
        Upgrade vShield App to NSX Distributed Firewall
        Upgrade vShield Edge to NSX Edge
        Upgrade vShield endpoint to NSX guest introspection
    14.3 Upgrade vCNS virtual wires to NSX logical switches
    14.4 Upgrade to NSX components
        Upgrade vShield endpoint from 5.5 to 6.x
        Upgrade to NSX data security
            Pre-requisites
    14.5 Upgrade NSX manager from 6.0 to 6.x
    14.6 Update vSphere clusters after NSX upgrade 
    14.7 Understand the impact of availability to the aspects of NSX during an upgrade
        Impact during the NSX manager upgrade
        Impact during the NSX controller upgrade
        Impact during the host cluster upgrade:
        Impact during the NSX Edge upgrade
        Impact during the guest introspection upgrade
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
15. Expand Transport Zone to Include New Cluster(s)
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    15.1 Understanding the function of a transport zone
    15.2 Understanding proper addition of a transport zone
        Control plane modes
    Multicast:
    Unicast:
    Hybrid:
    15.3 Understanding the necessity to expand or contract a transport zone
    15.4 Editing a transport zone
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
16. Creating and Administering Logical Switches
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    16.1 Adding/removing a logical switch
    16.2 Determining use case for connecting a logical switch to an NSX Edge gateway and contrast the three control plane modes
    16.3 Deploying services to a logical switch
    16.4 Adding or removing virtual machines from a logical switch
    16.5 Testing logical switch connectivity
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
17. Configure VXLAN
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    17.1 Determine areas where VXLANs should be configured
        Scenario-1
        Scenario-2
    17.2 Understand physical network requirements for virtual topologies with VXLANs
    17.3 Understand how to prepare a vSphere cluster for VXLAN
    17.4 Determining the appropriate teaming policy for a given implementation
    17.5 Understanding how to prepare VXLAN tunnel endpoints (VTEPs) on vSphere clusters
    Conclusion
    Questions
18. Configure and Manage Layer 2 Bridging
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    18.1 High availability configuration and addition of L2 bridge to NSX Edge
    18.2 L2 Bridge requirements in NSX implementation
    18.3 Use cases for multiple Layer 2 bridges
    18.4 Compare and contrast software and hardware bridging
    Conclusion
    Questions
19. Configure and Manage Logical Routers
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    19.1 Install NSX Edge
    19.2 Understand how to connect/disconnect a logical switch from a logical router
    19.3 Types of router interfaces
    Determine NSX components needed to build out topologies with logical routers
    19.4 How to add and configure a new logical router?
    19.5 Configuring management interface
    19.6 Determining use case for and configuring high availability for a logical router
    19.7 Configuring routing protocols (Static/OSPF/BGP/IS-IS)
        Static route
        Open shortest path first (OSPF)
        Border gateway protocol (BGP)
        Intermediate system to intermediate system (IS-IS)
    19.8 Configure default gateway
    19.9 Determine if cross-protocol route sharing is needed for a given NSX implementation
    19.10 Understanding how to configure administrative distances for routing
    19.11 Understand configuration differences between iBGP and eBGP
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
20. Configure and Manage Logical Load Balancing
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    20.1 Two topologies for load balancing
        20.1.1 In-line deployment mode
            Working of in-line logical load balancing deployment:
        20.1.2 One arm deployment mode
            Working of one-arm load balancing deployment mode:
    20.2 Configure load balancing
    20.3 Configure and understand service monitors
    20.4 Modifying (add/delete/modify) a server pool
    20.5 Modifying (add/delete/modify) an application profile
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
21. Configure and Manage Logical Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    21.1 Understanding how to Configure IPsec VPN
        Internet protocol security (IPsec)
    21.2 Understanding how to configure Layer 2 VPN
    21.3 Configuring network/Web access SSL VPN-plus
    21.4 Determining appropriate VPN service type for a given NSX implementation
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
22. Configuring and Managing DHCP, DNS, and NAT
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    22.1 Understanding proper use and addition of a DHCP IP Pool
    22.2 Enabling a DHCP IP Pool
    22.3 Determining use and proper implementation of DNS services
    22.4 Determining when and how to configure source NAT/destination NAT
    Conclusion
    Questions
23. Configure and Manage EDGE Services HA (High Availability)
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    23.1 Compare and contrast proper HA uses
    23.2 HA IP configuration
    23.3 HA vNic selection
    23.4 HA timeouts and heartbeat
    23.5 Determine service availability during an Edge HA failover
    23.6 Differentiate NSX Edge HA and vSphere HA
    23.7 Configure NSX Edge HA
        23.7.1 Configuring heartbeat settings
        23.7.2 Configuring management IP
    23.8 Determining resource pool requirements (for a given Edge HA configuration)
    23.9 Configuring ECMP
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
24. Configure and Administer Logical Firewall Services
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    24.1 Add/edit/delete an Edge firewall rule
    24.2 Configuring source/destination/service/action rule components
    24.3 Changing the order of an Edge user firewall rule
    24.4 Demonstrating how to configure an Edge firewall PreRule
    24.5 Understanding the limitations of ECMP and Edge firewall policy
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
25. Configure Distributed Firewall Services
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    25.1 Understand VM IP address learning for the purposes of DFW vCenter attribute learning
    25.2 Differentiate between Layer 2 and Layer 3 rules
    25.3 Differentiate between entity-based and identity-based rules
    25.4 Understand firewall rule entities
    25.5 Determine rule processing order
    25.7 Understand rule segregation
    25.8 Demonstrate steps to add/delete a distributed firewall rule
    25.9 Demonstrate configuration of source/destination/service/action rule components
        Source and destination
        Service
        Action
        Applied to
    25.10 Change the order of a distributed firewall rule
    25.11 Add/merge/delete a distributed firewall rule section
        Adding firewall rule section
        Merge firewall rule section
    25.12 Determine publishing requirements for rules in each NSX implementation
    25.13 Demonstrate import/export distributed firewall configuration
    25.14 Load distributed firewall configuration
    25.15 Determine need for excluding virtual machines from distributed firewall protection
    25.16 Describe Spoof guard operation and default policy and actions
    25.17 Describe Spoof guard IP address learning
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
26. Configure and Manage Service Composer
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    26.1 Understand assets that can be used with a security group
    26.2 Differentiate services contained in a security policy
    26.3 Compare and contrast common service composer use cases
    26.4 Differentiate third-party integration and service re-direction
    26.5 Differentiate security groups and security policies
        Security group
        Security policies
    26.6 Create/edit a security group in service composer
    26.7 Create/edit/delete a security policy in service composer
    26.8 Map a security policy to a security group
    26.9 Add/edit/delete/assign/view a security tag
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
27. Differentiate Single and Cross-vCenter NSX Deployment
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    27.1 Understanding the benefits/use cases for cross-vCenter NSX
    27.2 Contrast single and cross-vCenter deployment models
    27.3 Determining the appropriate NSX topology for a given use case
    27.4 Understanding options for ingress and egress traffic flows in a multi-site topology
    27.5 Describing and differentiating universal components
        Universal firewall rules
        Universal network and security objects
        Universal logical switches
        Universal distributed logical routers
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
28. Differentiate Cross vCenter Requirements and Configurations
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    28.1 Deploy cross-vCenter NSX environment
    28.2 Create and configure cross-vCenter components
    28.3 Compare and contrast local and universal firewall rules
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
29. Configure Roles, Permissions, and Scopes
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    29.1 Understand default roles
    29.2 Understand Single Sign-On (SSO) integration
    29.3 Configure SSO
    29.4 Assigning role to a vCenter server user or group
    29.5 Compare and contrast the uses for the various NSX security roles
    29.6 Role allocation to a subset of the vCenter infra for multi-tenancy purposes
    29.7 Applying NSX roles to an AD group
    29.8 Enable/disable/edit/delete a user account
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
30. Understanding NSX Automation
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    30.1 Discerning common use cases that require the NSX REST API
    30.2 Comparing and contrasting how the NSX REST API works and how it is used with a support browser
        Using REST API in Firefox
        Using the REST API in Chrome
    30.3 Understanding how NSX REST API calls are sent to the NSX manager
    30.4 Differentiate common NSX REST API verbs
    30.5 Determining how to use NSX REST API calls to learn the network topology
    Conclusion
    Multiple choice questions
    Answers
31. Monitor a VMware Implementation
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    31.1 Compare and contrast available monitoring methods (UI, CLI, API, and so on)
    31.2 Monitor infrastructure components
        Control cluster health
        Manager health
        Hypervisor health
    31.3 Perform inbound/outbound activity monitoring
    31.4 Monitor activity between inventory containers (security groups and AD groups)
    31.5 Analyze network and security metrics in vRealize operations
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
32. Perform Auditing and Compliance
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    32.1 Differentiate permissions for auditing
    32.2 Differentiate common data security regulations supported by NSX data security
    32.3 Differentiate information available in audit logs
    32.4 Use flow monitoring to audit firewall rules
    32.5 Audit infrastructure changes
    32.6 View NSX manager audit logs and change data
    32.7 Create a data security policy
    32.8 Install data security
    32.9 Run a data security scan/view and download compliance reports
    32.10 Create a regular expression
    32.11 Configure guest introspection (install vShield endpoint)
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
33. Backup and Recover Configurations
    Introduction
    Structure
    Objective
    33.1 Backup and recovery of NSX components, scheduling backup
    33.2 Export/restore vSphere distributed switch configuration
    33.3 Import/export service composer profiles
    Conclusion
    Questions
    Answers
Index