Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks (ENSLD)

In this Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks course focuses on the design of scalable, resilient, and secure enterprise networks using Cisco routing, campus, WAN, and software-defined architectures. It is designed for network architects and senior engineers who need to make informed design decisions rather than simply configure technologies. The curriculum emphasizes architectural tradeoffs, protocol selection, resiliency strategies, and future-ready design principles aligned with modern enterprise requirements.

Students begin by examining routing design using EIGRP, OSPF, IS-IS, and BGP, including address families, attributes, and redundancy considerations. The course then transitions into enterprise campus design, covering Layer 2 and Layer 3 architectures, segmentation strategies, and high-availability considerations. Cisco SD-Access is explored in depth, including fabric architecture, site design strategies, and integration considerations for scalable campus deployments.

The WAN design portion covers enterprise-managed and service provider-managed VPNs, WAN resiliency, and Cisco SD-WAN architectures, including NAT, hybrid connectivity, routing, and high availability. Additional design topics include LAN and WAN QoS, multicast design using PIM-SM and rendezvous point placement, IPv4 and IPv6 address planning, and modern programmability concepts such as APIs, YANG, NETCONF, RESTCONF, and model-driven telemetry. Design-focused labs reinforce real-world decision-making by guiding students through enterprise connectivity, campus, WAN, QoS, and IPv6 network design scenarios.

How you’ll benefit

This class will help you:

• Learn the skills, technologies, and best practices needed to design an enterprise network
• Deepen your understanding of enterprise design including advanced addressing and routing solutions, advanced enterprise campus networks, WAN, security services, network services, and software-defined access SDA
• Validate your knowledge and prepare to take the Designing Cisco Enterprise Networks (ENSLD) exam
• Earn 40 CE credits toward recertification

After taking this course, you should be able to:

• Design Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP) internal routing for the enterprise network
• Design Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) internal routing for the enterprise network
• Design Intermediate System to Intermediate System (IS-IS) internal routing for the enterprise network
• Design a network based on customer requirements
• Design Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) routing for the enterprise network
• Describe the different types and uses of Multiprotocol BGP (MP-BGP) address families
• Describe BGP load sharing
• Design a BGP network based on customer requirements
• Decide where the L2/L3 boundary will be in your Campus network and make design decisions
• Describe Layer 2 design considerations for Enterprise Campus networks
• Design a LAN network based on customer requirements
• Describe Layer 3 design considerations in an Enterprise Campus network
• Examine Cisco SD-Access fundamental concepts
• Describe Cisco SD-Access Fabric Design
• Design a Software-Defined Access (SD-Access) Campus Fabric based on customer requirements
• Design service provider-managed VPNs
• Design enterprise-managed VPNs
• Design a resilient WAN
• Design a resilient WAN network based on customer requirements
• Examine the Cisco SD-WAN architecture
• Describe Cisco SD-WAN deployment options
• Understand Cisco SD-WAN – NAT and hybrid design considerations
• Design Cisco SD-WAN redundancy
• Explain the basic principles of Quality of Service (QoS)
• Design QoS for the WAN
• Design QoS for enterprise network based on customer requirements
• Explain the basic principles of multicast
• Explore multicast with PIM-SM
• Designing rendezvous point distribution solutions
• Describe high-level considerations when doing IP addressing design
• Create an IPv6 addressing plan
• Plan an IPv6 deployment in an existing enterprise IPv4 network
• Describe the challenges that you might encounter when transitioning to IPv6
• Design an IPv6 addressing plan based on customer requirements
• Describe Network APIs and protocols
• Describe Yet Another Next Generation (YANG), Network Configuration Protocol (NETCONF), and Representational State Transfer Configuration Protocol (RESTCONF)

• Network Design Engineers
• Network Engineers
• System Administrators

Before taking this course, you should have earned CCNA® certification or be able to:

• Understand network fundamentals
• Implement LANs
• Implement Internet connectivity

The following Cisco courses can help you build the recommended skills and knowledge:

• Implementing and Administering Cisco Solutions (CCNA)
• Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR)

Module 1: Designing EIGRP Routing

Module 2: Designing OSPF Routing

Module 3: Designing IS-IS Routing

Module 4: Designing BGP Routing and Redundancy

Module 5: Exploring BGP Address Families and Attributes

Module 6: Designing an Enterprise Campus LAN

Module 7: Designing a Layer 2 Campus

Module 8: Designing a Layer 3 Campus

Module 9: Discovering the Cisco SD-Access Architecture

Module 10: Exploring Cisco SD-Access Fabric Design

Module 11: Exploring Cisco SD-Access Site Design Strategy and Considerations

Module 12: Discovering Service Provider-Managed VPNs

Module 13: Designing Enterprise-Managed VPNs

Module 14: Designing WAN Resiliency

Module 15: Examining Cisco SD-WAN Architectures

Module 16: Examining Cisco SD-WAN Deployment Design Considerations

Module 17: Examining Cisco SD-WAN-NAT and Hybrid Design Considerations

Module 18: Designing Cisco SD-WAN Routing and High Availability

Module 19: Exploring QoS

Module 20: Designing LAN and WAN QoS

Module 21: Introducing Multicast

Module 21: Exploring Multicast with Protocol-Independent Multicast-Sparse Mode (PIM-SM)

Module 23: Designing Rendezvous Point Distribution Solutions

Module 24: Designing an IPv4 Address Plan

Module 25: Exploring IPv6

Module 26: Deploying IPv6

Module 27: Introducing Network APIs and Protocols

Module 28: Exploring YANG, NETCONF, RESTCONF, and Model-Driven Telemetry

LAB OUTLINE

• Designing Enterprise Connectivity
• Designing an Enterprise Network with BGP Internet Connectivity
• Designing an Enterprise Campus LAN
• Designing Resilient Enterprise WAN
• Designing QoS in an Enterprise Network
• Designing an Enterprise IPv6 Network