Cisco ACI Multisite using NEXUS Dashboard 4.x Orchestrator

Cisco ACI is a policy-driven CLOS, or Spine-Leaf, switching fabric that utilizes Layer 3 ECMP routing in the underlay and VXLAN encapsulation in the overlay to transport Layer 2 and Layer 3 traffic both east-west within the fabric and north-south between the fabric and external networks. ACI consists of the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), which provides centralized policy, automation, and fabric management capabilities. Leaf switches function as Top-of-Rack (ToR) switches that provide connectivity to servers, storage, and external networks, while spine switches provide high-speed Layer 3 ECMP connectivity between all leaf switches. An ACI fabric can be scaled horizontally by adding additional leaf switches, connecting them to the spine layer, and registering them with the fabric. Cisco ACI was architected to operate as a distributed "single logical system," similar to a modular chassis-based architecture, where APICs provide centralized policy and control functions, spine switches provide the high-speed fabric core, and leaf switches provide endpoint connectivity. This distributed architecture enables organizations to decouple these functions from the constraints of a physical chassis and deploy them anywhere within the data center environment. Cisco ACI further extends this architecture through remote leaf, multi-pod, and multi-site deployments. Remote leaf allows organizations to extend policy and connectivity to remote locations while maintaining centralized operational control. Multi-pod enables geographically separated pods to operate as a single fabric, while multi-site supports independent ACI fabrics interconnected across multiple data centers or cloud environments. With Cisco Nexus Dashboard and Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO) 4.x, organizations can centrally manage policy, orchestration, analytics, and day-two operations across multiple ACI fabrics and cloud-integrated environments from a unified operational platform. Nexus Dashboard 4.x enhances scalability, resiliency, automation, and operational visibility while integrating advanced analytics, AI-driven assurance, telemetry, and cloud-native application support. This enables consistent policy enforcement, simplified operations, and unified visibility across on-premises data centers, edge environments, and public cloud deployments.