Overview
The Implementing Cisco Data Center AI Infrastructure (DCAI) training equips professionals with the skills required to support, secure and optimise artificial intelligence and machine-learning workloads in modern data center environments.
The course examines the distinct characteristics of AI and ML applications, how these workloads influence infrastructure design, and the practices used to automate provisioning. It covers AI infrastructure, workload placement, interoperability, policies, sustainability, transport, connectivity models, lossless fabrics, compute, storage and specialised AI-enabling hardware.
Learners also develop day-two operational skills for monitoring, diagnosing and resolving issues in AI-enabled data centers. Advanced troubleshooting topics include log correlation, telemetry analysis, congestion visibility and identifying common problems in AI and ML fabrics. Practical activities use tools such as Jupyter Notebook and Splunk to help learners analyse infrastructure behaviour and improve uptime and workload performance.
This training prepares learners for the 300-640 DCAI v1.0 exam. Passing the exam earns the Cisco Certified Specialist – Data Center AI Infrastructure certification and satisfies the concentration exam requirement for the Cisco Certified Network Professional (CCNP) Data Center certification.
The training combines content from Operate and Troubleshoot AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure (DCAIAOT) and AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure Essentials (DCAIE). It also earns 38 Cisco Continuing Education credits toward recertification.
What You Will Learn
- Support, secure and optimise AI workloads in modern data center environments.
- Understand how AI and machine-learning workloads affect infrastructure design, networking, compute and storage requirements.
- Implement and operate AI infrastructure using appropriate connectivity, transport and fabric-design practices.
- Apply automated provisioning and operational methods for AI-enabled data center environments.
- Understand AI, machine learning, generative AI and their practical use in network management and automation.
- Monitor AI infrastructure and diagnose problems using telemetry, log correlation and tools such as Splunk.
- Troubleshoot common issues in AI and machine-learning fabrics.
- Prepare for the 300-640 DCAI v1.0 exam.
- Earn 38 Cisco Continuing Education credits toward recertification.
Who Should Enrol
- Network designers
- Network administrators
- Storage administrators
- Network engineers
- Systems engineers
- Data center engineers
- Consulting systems engineers
- Technical solutions architects
- Cisco integrators and partners
- Field engineers
- Server administrators
- Network managers
- Program managers
- Project managers
Course Outline
View syllabus
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
How You Will Benefit
- Acquire comprehensive skills to support, secure and optimise AI workloads in modern data center environments.
- Understand the design, implementation and advanced troubleshooting of AI infrastructure, including specialised hardware and networking challenges.
- Build knowledge of AI, machine learning, generative AI and their use in network management and automation.
- Apply practical monitoring and diagnostic techniques using tools such as Splunk.
- Use AI-assisted approaches to improve productivity in network operations.
- Prepare for the 300-640 DCAI v1.0 exam.
Exam and Certification
Combined Cisco Learning Content
- Operate and Troubleshoot AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure (DCAIAOT).
- AI Solutions on Cisco Infrastructure Essentials (DCAIE).
Lab Outline
- AI Toolset — Jupyter Notebook.
- AI/ML Workload Data Performance.
- Setting Up AI Cluster.
- Deploy and Use Open Source GPT Models for Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG).
- Troubleshoot Common Issues in AI/ML Fabric.