Guideline: MEF-SDCP Self Study Guideline

The following outline describes the knowledge needed for the MEF-SDCP exam (SD-WAN). The sections here do not follow the blueprint.  Rather, each question was reviewed, and its contents categorized into the appropriate technology area. Then the list was reworked and organized into these sections. 

1. Knowledge of MEF 70 - These topics assume that the candidate has read MEF 70 fairly carefully and has a reasonable understanding of the contents.

• Understand the characteristics and benefits of an SD-WAN Service
• Understand all of the components of an SD-WAN Service, their functions, and how they interact (SD-WAN Edge, SWVC, SWVC End Point, SD-WAN UNI, UCS, TVC)
• Familiarity with SWVC, SWVC End Point, and SD-WAN UNI Service Attributes
• Understand the SWVC Uptime Service Attribute
• Understand the concept of Application Flow, Application Flow Criteria, how Application Flows are constructed, and the defined Application Flow Criteria
• Understand the concept of Policy, Policy Criteria, how Policies are constructed, and the defined Policy Criteria
• Understanding of the use of Local Internet Breakout

2. Basic network design knowledge (general networking and SD-WAN specific)

• These topics assume a general understanding of LAN and WAN networking.
• There is no requirements to understand the structure or operation of any protocols, just their use. Also there is no requirement to understand the structure of IPv6 addressing, but there is a requirement to understand the structure of IPv4 addressing and IPv4 prefix specification (CIDR).
• Nodes, end points, Subscribers, routing, standard performance metrics
• Common causes of network failure and performance issues
• Redundancy and resiliency
• IPv4 addressing, IPv4 prefixes, and SD-WAN IP forwarding rules (General knowledge and MEF 70 application)
• IP Address distribution protocols such as DHCP, SLAAC, etc. (General knowledge and MEF 70 application)
• The functions/uses of common management, monitoring, and troubleshooting protocols such as SNMP, BFD, TWAMP, ICMP

3. Underlay Connectivity Services (MEF 70) - General understanding of WAN Networking and its application to SD-WAN Underlay Networks as described in MEF 70

• General types of UCS (public vs. private, MPLS vs. Internet, etc.)
• Characteristics of the various access methods for Underlay Connectivity Service such as Fiber, LTE, DSL, etc.
• The distinction in uses and characteristics and between Public and Private Underlay Connectivity Services
• Analyze traffic requirements and allocation of bandwidth across multiple Underlay Connectivity Services

4. General network security topics - These topics assume that the candidate has a general understanding of common security requirements and techniques and the ways that they are accomplished. There is no requirement to understand the operation, protocols, structure, etc. of any of these techniques.

• Firewall usage and placement in the context of SD-WAN
• General knowledge of security protocols such as SSL, TLS, IPSec, etc.
• Use of encryption

5. SD-WAN Components not discussed in MEF 70 (covered in the MEF SD-WAN White Paper)

• Understand the use of an SD-WAN Gateway to interconnect an SD-WAN Service to an external service
• SD-WAN Controller and SD-WAN Orchestrator
• Understanding of the basic structure of the LSO APIs