NCP‐MCA_6 - itnett/FTD02H-N GitHub Wiki

Let's dive deeper into creating a detailed exam cram sheet for each specific objective of the Nutanix NCP-MCA 6.5 exam. This cheat sheet will cover key knowledge areas, practical examples, dos and don’ts, and insights to help you master the topics and excel in the exam.

Nutanix NCP-MCA 6.5 Exam Cram Sheet

📚 Section 1: Describe and Differentiate Automation Concepts and Principles

📘 Objective 1.1: Determine and Apply the Steps Required to Automate a Given Manual Process

Key Knowledge Areas:
- Logical Steps in Automation:
  - Order of Operations: Use the Self-Service Library to automate processes by organizing tasks in logical sequences. Tasks should be defined as Pre-create (executed before the primary operation) or Post-delete (executed after the primary operation is completed).
  - Pre-Provisioning Steps: Determine which steps need to be completed before deploying an application or infrastructure, such as environment preparation, resource allocation, or dependencies configuration.
Practical Examples:
- 💡 Creating a Self-Service Blueprint:
  - Use Calm to create a blueprint that automates the deployment of a multi-tier application. Include Pre-create tasks like network configuration and Post-delete tasks like data backup cleanup.
- 🔍 Using Self-Service for Pre-Provisioning:
  - Use the graphic interface to drag and drop resources and define order dependencies in the Blueprint Designer. For example, set up network infrastructure (VLANs, firewall rules) before deploying VMs.
Tools to Know:
- Calm Blueprints Overview: Understand the full scope of Calm Blueprints and their components.
- Playbook Actions: Learn actions like HTTP, SSH, and REST API calls.
- Custom Alert Policies: Use alerts to trigger specific tasks within a playbook.
- Service Dependencies: Set up dependencies to ensure that tasks execute in the correct order.
Dos and Don’ts:
- ✅ Do:
  - Use Pre-create Tasks for setting up dependencies or preparing the environment.
  - Leverage Post-delete Tasks for cleanup or follow-up actions after deployment.
  - Use Triggers to automate repetitive actions, like deploying new instances when a threshold is met.
- ❌ Don’t:
  - Ignore Dependency Order: Failing to correctly sequence tasks may cause deployment failures or errors.
  - Hard-Code Variables: Always use dynamic variables to make blueprints flexible and reusable.
References:

📘 Objective 1.2: Demonstrate an Understanding of Event-Driven Playbooks

Key Knowledge Areas:
- Creating a Playbook Using Triggers:
  - Use X-Play to set up playbooks that respond to specific triggers, such as alerts, time-based schedules, or manual actions.
- Arranging Playbook Steps:
  - Organize steps logically within the playbook using conditions, loops, and branching (e.g., If/Else logic) to ensure tasks are executed correctly based on the event conditions.
- Applying Playbooks to Multiple Resources:
  - Configure playbooks to affect multiple virtual resources, such as VMs or clusters, using resource selectors or wildcards.
Practical Examples:
- 💡 Setting Up an Event-Driven Playbook:
  - Create a playbook triggered by a high CPU usage alert. Use X-Play to automatically add more VMs to a load balancer pool when the threshold is breached.
- 🔄 Arranging Playbook Steps:
  - Configure steps to shut down a VM, back up data, and restart the VM in a new environment if a "Disk Full" alert is triggered.
Tools to Know:
- X-Play Overview: Understand components of X-Play, such as Triggers (events that initiate playbooks) and Actions (tasks that respond to triggers).
- Using Branch Actions: Implement conditional logic (e.g., execute Action A if Condition X is met, else execute Action B).
- Configuring Autopilot for Playbook: Automate repetitive tasks with minimal manual intervention.
Dos and Don’ts:
- ✅ Do:
  - Use Triggers and Conditions to create flexible, dynamic playbooks.
  - Leverage Resource Selectors to apply playbooks to multiple VMs or infrastructure components efficiently.
- ❌ Don’t:
  - Overcomplicate Playbooks: Keep steps clear and logical; avoid unnecessary complexity.
  - Forget to Test Playbooks: Always test playbooks in a controlled environment before deploying to production.
References:

📘 Objective 1.3: Define the Components of X-Play

Key Knowledge Areas:
- Action Gallery and Plays:
  - Understand the range of actions available in X-Play, such as HTTP requests, VM operations (start, stop, snapshot), and notifications.
- Alerts and Manual Triggers:
  - Define alerts (e.g., CPU usage thresholds, disk space alerts) and set up manual triggers that require user intervention.
Practical Examples:
- 💡 Using the Action Gallery:
  - Create a playbook that sends an HTTP POST request to a webhook when an application deployment is completed.
- 🛠️ Configuring Alerts and Triggers:
  - Set up a playbook that triggers a manual review process when a critical security alert is received.
Tools to Know:
- X-Play Overview: Understand the core components and configuration settings of X-Play.
- Prerequisites for VM Actions in Playbooks: Ensure all prerequisites (e.g., permissions, network access) are met for VM actions.
- Manual Parameters Configuration: Set up playbooks to accept manual inputs when executed.
Dos and Don’ts:
- ✅ Do:
  - Explore the Action Gallery to know all available actions and how they can be applied in various scenarios.
  - Set Alerts Thoughtfully to ensure they trigger only when necessary.
- ❌ Don’t:
  - Ignore Prerequisites: Ensure all required conditions are met before configuring playbooks with VM actions.
  - Overlook Manual Inputs: Clearly define manual parameters to avoid execution errors.
References:

📘 Objective 1.4: List How to Implement Categories for the Appropriate Use Cases

Key Knowledge Areas:
- Creating Categories:
  - Use the Prism Central UI to create categories that group resources (e.g., VMs, blueprints) for organizational or policy purposes.
- Effects of Categories:
  - Categories can control which policies (e.g., security rules, resource allocation) apply to specific resources. Proper use of categories can streamline management and ensure compliance.
- Applying Policies Based on Categories:
  - Understand how assigning a category to a blueprint or VM can dictate which governance policies apply, such as network segmentation or access controls.
Practical Examples:
- 💡 Creating and Applying Categories:
  - Create a "High Security" category in Prism Central and apply it to all VMs running sensitive workloads. Configure policies to restrict network access to these VMs.
- 📝 Using Categories in Blueprints:
  - Assign a "Development" category to blueprints that deploy test environments, applying specific cost controls and monitoring policies.
Tools to Know:
- Category Management: Understand how to create and manage categories within the Nutanix environment.
- Assigning a Category: Learn how to assign categories to various resources and understand the implications of those assignments.
Dos and Don’ts:
- ✅ Do:
  - Use Categories to Organize Resources for better management and governance.
  - Apply Policies Based on Categories to automate compliance and resource allocation.
- ❌ Don’t:
  - Overuse Categories: Only create categories that have a clear purpose or governance application.
  - Forget to Review Category Assignments: Ensure categories are assigned accurately and reflect the current policy needs.
References:

📘 Objective 1.5: Identify the Capabilities of Projects

Key Knowledge Areas:
- Creating Projects:
  - Use Prism Central to create projects that logically group resources (e.g., VMs, applications, users).
- Assigning RBAC (Role-Based Access Control):
  - Define roles and permissions for users within a project to control access and manage security.
- Creating and Managing Quotas:
  - Set quotas for resources (e.g., CPU, RAM, storage) to control usage within a project and prevent overuse.
- Infrastructure Assignment:
  - Assign specific infrastructure resources (e.g., clusters, storage, networks) to a project.
Practical Examples:
- 💡 Creating and Managing Projects:
  - Set up a project called "Development Team" and assign VMs, networks, and storage resources, limiting access based on team roles.
- 🛠️ Using RBAC to Control Access:
  - Assign the "Admin" role to project managers and "User" role to developers to restrict access based on role responsibilities.
Tools to Know:
- Projects Overview: Understand how to create, manage, and configure projects in Prism Central.
- RBAC Management: Learn how to set up and manage roles and permissions within projects.
- Resource Quota Allocation: Configure resource quotas to control project resource usage effectively.
Dos and Don’ts:
- ✅ Do:
  - Use Projects to Group Resources for logical organization and resource management.
  - Implement RBAC Properly to ensure secure access management within projects.
- ❌ Don’t:
  - Forget to Monitor Quotas: Regularly check that resource usage stays within allocated quotas.
  - Assign Too Many Permissions: Over-permissioning users can lead to security risks.
References:

Next Steps:

This sheet has been crafted to cover the deep insights, dos and don'ts, practical knowledge, and references required for the Nutanix NCP-MCA 6.5 exam objectives in Section 1. If you'd like, I can continue with Section 2, or any other specific areas where you would like more detailed information!