Cisco 800-150 - Supporting Cisco Devices for Field Technicians (FLDTEC)

According toFLDTEC documentation and Cisco UCS architecture guides, each of these elements plays a distinct and essential role:

Fabric Interconnects (FI)– Act as the central switching and management point for the UCS domain, connecting servers to LAN and SAN.

Virtual Interface Cards (VICs)– Installed in servers, these adapters supportvirtualization of multiple NICs and HBAs, enabling dynamic profile assignment.

Fabric Extenders (FEXs)– Extend the I/O fabric from the FI to the chassis, reducing complexity and consolidating management.

Servers– Provide the actual compute resources and run workloads. These can bebladeorrack servershoused in the UCS chassis.

This structure is critical to theCisco Unified Fabric approach, which simplifies data center management through integration and automation.

Bundle modesimplifies the installation and operation of Cisco IOS XE Software by using a monolithic image file. In thismode, the switch runs directly from the bundled image, eliminating the need to manage individual software packages. This approach is straightforward and reduces complexity, making it suitable for environments where simplicity is a priority.​

However, it's important to note that:​

Bundle mode may result in slower boot times compared to Install mode.

It does not support the independent installation or upgrade of individual packages.

Thepackages.conffile is not utilized in Bundle mode; it's specific toInstall mode.​

Cisco MDS switches are segmented into two key categories: Director-Class and Fabric Switches, each tailored for different SANenvironments:

Director-Class Switches (e.g., Cisco MDS 9700 Series):

Modular and highly scalable

Support hot-swappable components (line cards, supervisors, fabric modules)

High port density and performance for core SANs in enterprise data centers

Fabric Switches (e.g., Cisco MDS 9148T):

Compact, fixed-form factor

Best suited for smaller SANs or edge locations

Cost-effective and simple to deploy

This distinction is important when selecting hardware for data center core vs access layers in SAN architectures.

When diagnosing network connectivity issues between a Windows PC and a Cisco device, the combination ofipconfig /allandpingcommands provides comprehensive information:​

ipconfig /all:Displays detailed IP configuration information, including IP addresses, subnet masks, default gateways, DNS servers, and MAC addresses for all network adapters. This information is crucial for verifying correct network settings.​

ping:Tests the reachability of a host on an IP network and measures the round-trip time for messages sent from the originating host to a destination computer. It's a fundamental tool for checking connectivity between devices.​

While other commands likenetstat,tracert,nslookup,arp -a, androute printprovide valuable information,ipconfig /allandpingare typically the first and most informative commands used in initial troubleshooting steps.​

On Cisco Catalyst 8000 Series Edge platforms, removing the chassis cover provides access to internal components such asDIMMs (Dual In-line Memory Modules)andSSDs (Solid-State Drives). These components are located internally and require the removal of the chassis cover for maintenance or replacement.​

DIMMsare used for system memory and are essential for the router's operation.

SSDsprovide storage for system software and configurations.​

Other components likeNetwork Interface Modules (NIMs)andtransceiversare typically accessible externally and do not require chassis cover removal.​

During the boot process of Cisco devices runningNX-OS, pressingCtrl-Cat the right time will interrupt the boot sequence and bring the system to theboot loader or ROMmon mode(commonly referred to as the boot prompt).

This allows a technician to perform low-level operations such as recovering passwords, specifying an alternate boot image, or performing diagnostics.

Other options (Ctrl-X, Ctrl-Z, Ctrl-1) are not used for interrupting the boot process in Cisco NX-OS platforms.

Cisco Unified Communications Manager (CUCM) is typically deployed onCisco UCS C-Series servers. These rack-mount servers provide the necessary computing resources to support CUCM's call control and session management functions in enterprise environments. The UCS C-Series servers offer scalability, reliability, and integration capabilities essential for unified communications deployments.​

Options A (Cisco ASR routers), B (Cisco Catalyst switches), and C (Cisco ISR routers) are networking devices designed for routing and switching functions and are not intended as platforms for deploying CUCM.​

In a Cisco Nexus switch withdual power supplies, the recommended method is toconnect each power supply to a separate power source(Option C). This ensures power redundancy and fault tolerance.

If one power source fails (e.g., due to a power outage or circuit failure), the switch can continue operating uninterrupted using the second power source. Connecting both to a single source (Option D) defeats the purpose of redundancy.

The Cisco Collaboration Infrastructure is designed to support unified communications, video conferencing, and team collaboration through an integrated architecture involving both hardware (e.g., endpoints, media servers) and software (e.g., CUCM, Webex apps).

According to the FLDTEC course content under Cisco Collaboration Equipment and Infrastructure:

Facilitating Connections (C):

Cisco infrastructure components such as CUCM, Expressway, and Cisco Meeting Server enable real-time connections between users across voice, video, and messaging systems.

Supporting Meeting Experiences (E):

Devices such asWebex Boards, Room Kits, and Cisco Quad Cameras, in combination with platforms like Webex, provide immersive and seamless meeting experiences, supported by the infrastructure.

Incorrect Options:

A. Network bandwidth allocation: Typically managed by network QoS policies and WAN optimizations, not the collaboration infrastructure directly.

B. Hosting large-scale databases: Not a function of Cisco’s collaboration system — this falls under data center or database server roles.

D. Phone book administration: Often a function within directory services or external LDAP integration, not a core collaboration infrastructure task.

OnCisco Meraki switches,Stack Port 1(along with Stack Port 2) is used to form aphysical stacking connectionbetween multiple switches. These stack ports arededicated high-speed interconnectsthat enable multiple switches to operate as a single logical switch.

The stacking topology depends on the number of switches, but Stack Port 1 serves as one side of this high-speed inter-switch communication channel — not for management or cloud access.