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Cisco ACI Multi-Site vs. Multi-Pod
Understanding these two powerful yet distinct architectures is paramount to deriving maximum value from your data center network powered by ACI.
6 Steps to Understanding Cisco ACI
When understood, these six concepts will help anyone new to ACI to understand a more detailed technical discussion.
Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 1
This lab is the Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 1, and after completion, the student can launch Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 2 to complete the entire lab. The lab uses the ACI virtual simulator based on ACI Version 6, emulating an APIC, 2 leafs, and a spine. Part 2 uses a shared physical ACI fabric to complete the policy and verify data plane connectivity.
The ACI Virtual Simulator was needed to demo the building of the ACI fabric from scratch, bootstrapping the APIC, adding the spine and leafs, fabric discovery, and completing VMM integration. Since the Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab, Part 2 is a shared on-demand environment, to decouple the APIC build process from the APIC policy creation. Due to limitations, the virtual ACI fabric is a control plane-only simulator, and no data plane testing (Ping, SSH) can get done for validation. Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 2 uses a Tenant inside of a physical ACI, and data plane functionality can get tested ( Ping, SSH)
Cisco ACI
Cisco ACI is a policy-driven CLOS or Spine/Leaf based switching fabric utilizing layer 3 ECMP routing in the underlay and VXLAN encapsulation in the overlay to transport layer two and layer three traffic East/West across the fabric and North/South in and out of the fabric. ACI consists of the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), a centralized controller that manages all aspects of the ACI fabric. The leaf switches are ToR switches that provide connectivity between servers and external networks, and the spine switches are Layer 3 switches that provide ECMP high-bandwidth connectivity between leaf switches. An ACI fabric can be expanded East/West by adding leafs, cabling to the spines, and registering them. ACI was designed to operate as "One Big Switch" (like a chassis-based NEXUS 7K) with the controllers acting like the Supervisors, the spines as fabric modules, and leafs acting as blades. We can decouple these elements from the chassis and place them anywhere in the data center by taking this approach. The leafs (blades) can be placed anywhere in the data center, so you are not limited to a chassis.
Cisco ACI Multisite Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator.
Cisco's Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO) allows an ACI policy to be managed with a single pane of glass to for the whole environment. The key to NDO, the administrator is able to create consistent security and connectivity policies across multiple physical, and virtual sites.
This lab will go through all the steps necessary to bring up an ACI Multi-Site environment from two existing ACI fabrics.
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The Future of Intent-based Networking and Multi-domain Architectures: Part II
The second in our series, this article explores what intent-based networking (IBN) is and how organizations can leverage it to build multi-domain architectures.
The Future of Intent-based Networking and Multi-domain Architectures: Part I
This series of articles will explore what intent-based networking (IBN) is and how organizations can leverage it to build multi-domain architectures. As more organizations embrace these architectures, WWT is seeing a change in networking the likes which haven't been seen in many years.
The Future of Intent-based Networking and Multi-domain Architectures: Part III
The last in a series of articles exploring intent-based networking, this article focuses on the art of the possible as it pertains to linking all the disparate SDN domains.
Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Walkthrough: Part 1
This playlist is recommended to be used in conjunction with part 1 of our Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab using the Cisco ACI APIC simulator. These videos will show the students how to perform the labs in detail and answer any other questions not covered in the lab itself. The videos will cover: a tutorial on VXLAN 101 and ACI 101 basics, initial configuration of the APIC 5.0 controller via APIC console using the APIC simulator, APIC 5.0 switch Fabric Discovery via the registration process, APIC 5.0 GUI discovery, and Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) Networking. The Cisco ACI Part 2 Lab and playlist completes the learning by covering how to use a physical ACI fabric with a data plane for testing connectivity. Please be aware that the videos are based on ACI 5.x, and the lab is 6.1, so there will be some GUI differences. The content and configurations are the same and we will be updating the videos once we do a major upgrade to the labs.
Operating the Cisco NEXUS Dashboard Platform
Cisco has been at the forefront of developing a suite of standalone tools for data center networking, collectively known as the Day 2 Operations Suite. Recently, Cisco has initiated the integration of these tools into a unified interface called NEXUS Dashboard, providing a consolidated view and shared data repositories for enhanced application correlation. This Learning path is designed specifically for those administrators that need to perform and manage the day to day upkeep of the NEXUS Dashboard product. The learning path will include videos, article and a hands on lab going over what a typical admin would need to setup on NEXUS Dashboard. We will cover whats new with NEXUS Dashboard 3.2, creating routes for the management and data networks, creating syslog server, remote NFS and SFTP storage, creating backups, and upgrading the version. We will also go through remote authentication with radius, creating users and roles, and Intersight configuration. Finally we will bring up 2 ACI simulators and onboard the ACI fabrics to the NEXUS Dashboard platform.
Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 2
This lab is a continuation of the Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 1 to allow students to explore the basics of ACI Constructs, building an Application Profile, EPGs and Bridge domains, Policy Filters, and Contracts. The students then connect the ACI fabric to external layers 2 and 3 devices. The lab then finishes with ACI micro-segmentation inside an EPG to show a zero-trust model.
Unlike Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 1, which uses a simulator due to resource sharing with other students, this lab uses the latest ACI hardware and allows the student to test real-world data plane connectivity inside and outside the fabric.
Operating Cisco NEXUS Dashboard
The Cisco Nexus Dashboard platform serves as a unified management interface for diverse data center networks, offering a shared environment to operate Cisco's suite of data center services, including Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI), Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO) and NEXUS Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC). This lab will guide the user on the necessary administrative steps to set up the NEXUS Dashboard platform. These include backup, upgrades, authentication, remote storage, and other critical administrative tasks.
Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 1
This lab is the Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 1, and after completion, the student can launch Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 2 to complete the entire lab. The lab uses the ACI virtual simulator based on ACI Version 6, emulating an APIC, 2 leafs, and a spine. Part 2 uses a shared physical ACI fabric to complete the policy and verify data plane connectivity.
The ACI Virtual Simulator was needed to demo the building of the ACI fabric from scratch, bootstrapping the APIC, adding the spine and leafs, fabric discovery, and completing VMM integration. Since the Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab, Part 2 is a shared on-demand environment, to decouple the APIC build process from the APIC policy creation. Due to limitations, the virtual ACI fabric is a control plane-only simulator, and no data plane testing (Ping, SSH) can get done for validation. Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Part 2 uses a Tenant inside of a physical ACI, and data plane functionality can get tested ( Ping, SSH)
Cisco ACI Multisite Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator.
Cisco's Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO) allows an ACI policy to be managed with a single pane of glass to for the whole environment. The key to NDO, the administrator is able to create consistent security and connectivity policies across multiple physical, and virtual sites.
This lab will go through all the steps necessary to bring up an ACI Multi-Site environment from two existing ACI fabrics.
Cisco ACI and Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI) Workshop
Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) is a software-defined networking (SDN) solution designed to simplify, optimize, and automate data center networks by unifying physical and virtual environments under a centralized, policy-driven framework. It enables dynamic application provisioning, centralized policy management, and real-time network visibility, making it ideal for modern IT environments. Complementing ACI, Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights provides advanced analytics, health monitoring, and predictive insights to enhance network performance and reliability. By detecting anomalies, identifying root causes, and anticipating potential disruptions, Nexus Dashboard Insights minimizes downtime and ensures smooth operations. Seamlessly integrating with ACI, it offers actionable intelligence to maintain compliance, optimize application delivery, and secure network operations. Together, ACI and Nexus Dashboard Insights create a powerful ecosystem for managing and optimizing complex data center networks, driving operational efficiency and resilience.
Exploring Cisco NEXUS Dashboard Insights
The NEXUS Dashboard Insights service is a powerful tool that revolutionizes network telemetry utilization. Transforming raw data into actionable insights significantly reduces downtime and enhances overall network performance. This service leverages advanced analytics and artificial intelligence to provide visibility for real-time network operations. This means that IT administrators can see what's happening in the network as it happens, allowing them to address issues before they escalate.
One key benefit of NEXUS Dashboard Insights is its ability to resolve issues proactively. Instead of waiting for problems to occur and then reacting, the tool identifies potential issues early on and provides recommendations for resolution. This proactive approach not only minimizes disruptions but also ensures that the network runs smoothly and efficiently.
Moreover, NEXUS Dashboard Insights offers a comprehensive understanding of the network. It analyzes various aspects of the network, from performance metrics to security threats, and presents this information in an easy-to-understand format. This holistic view enables IT administrators to make informed decisions and optimize network performance.
By empowering IT administrators with these capabilities, NEXUS Dashboard Insights ensures that networks are managed efficiently. The tool's real-time visibility, proactive issue resolution, and comprehensive network understanding contribute to optimal performance and reduced disruptions, making it an invaluable asset for any organization.
Cisco ACI and Day 2 Operations Briefing with Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI)
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI) is included with all Nexus licensing and is compatible with both ACI and NDFC. The platform offers extensive insights functionality, such as dynamic correlation, impact analysis, proactive alerts, failure prediction, and remediation. By leveraging advanced alerting, baselining, correlation, and forecasting algorithms, NDI provides deep insights into network behavior through telemetry data from networking components. This accelerates troubleshooting, rapid root-cause analysis, and early remediation, ensuring compliance with operator intent and simplifying audits. Additionally, it supports multi-site environments, enabling effective monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting across multiple data center sites. Overall, Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights enhances network visibility, optimizes performance, and ensures a more reliable and efficient data center operation. This briefing will introduce you to the Nexus Dashboard platform and demonstrate the benefits of NDI.
Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator (NDO) - ACI Anywhere Briefing
Cisco ACI extends its capabilities beyond a single data center. This briefing will introduce you to the architectural options for leveraging a single point of management through the Cisco ACI Manager across multiple data centers.
Data Center Network Modernization Briefing
The Data Center Network (DCN) is essential for supporting high-performance workloads, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). This briefing will explore next-generation data center architectures, highlighting the advantages of using an underlay/overlay topology and controller-based management. As DCN architectures become more complex, day-two operations software becomes increasingly necessary. This session will provide an overview of DCN hardware, architectures, and day-two operations, along with a brief introduction to the most commonly seen DCN OEMs in enterprise data centers.
Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) Briefing
The most common protocols used in a modern Data Center Network (DCN) are EVPN/VXLAN, while there are many benefits to this underlay/overlay technology, it is extremely complex to implement. Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) can streamline the process for EVPN/VXLAN campus or DCN networks as well as traditional networks. The platform's user-friendly interface and streamlined workflows simplify the process of fabric management, from initial setup to ongoing maintenance. NDFC supports both greenfield and brownfield deployments, allowing for seamless integration with existing fabrics as well as the creation of new ones. By providing a centralized point of control, NDFC reduces the complexity associated with managing multiple fabrics and sites, ensuring that network operations are efficient and straightforward.
Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI) Briefing
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights (NDI) is included with all Nexus licensing and is compatible with both ACI and NDFC. The platform offers extensive insights functionality, such as dynamic correlation, impact analysis, proactive alerts, failure prediction and remediation. By leveraging advanced alerting, baselining, correlation, and forecasting algorithms, NDI provides deep insights into network behavior through telemetry data from networking components. This accelerates troubleshooting, rapid root-cause analysis, and early remediation, ensuring compliance with operator intent and simplifying audits. Additionally, it supports multi-site environments, enabling effective monitoring, maintenance and troubleshooting across multiple data center sites. Overall, Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights enhances network visibility, optimizes performance, and ensures a more reliable and efficient data center operation. This briefing will introduce you to the Nexus Dashboard platform and demonstrate the benefits of NDI.
Exploring Cisco NEXUS Dashboard
Cisco has been at the forefront of developing a suite of standalone tools for data center networking, collectively known as the Day 2 Operations Suite. Recently, Cisco has initiated the integration of these tools into a unified interface called NEXUS Dashboard, providing a consolidated view and shared data repositories for enhanced application correlation. This Learning path is designed specifically for those new to networking or new to the NEXUS Dashboard product. Future learning paths will go into more detail about operating and implementing the NEXUS Dashboard platform.
NEXUS Dashboard, NEXUS Insights and AppDynamics Lab
Over the years, Cisco has developed various ACI tools (now for DCNM and NX-OS and eventually public cloud visibility) known as the day 2 operations suite. The tools are Network Assurance Engine (NAE) and NEXUS Insights (NI is now the combination of Network Insights Resources (NIR) and Network insights Advisor (NIA)). Cisco has embarked on combining NAE and NI into a single pane of glass view and providing sharable data lakes for all apps, allowing for correlating application performance and fabric events.
ASAv integration in Cisco ACI using PBR Service Graph redirection Lab
The goal of this lab is to show how policy-based redirection to a L4-7 device can be used with a single bridge domain needed for Cisco ACI fabrics. The use of a single bridge domain and single PBR redirection is known as "one-armed mode."
Cisco vFTD integration in ACI using PBR Service Graph redirection Lab
The goal of this lab is to show how policy-based redirection to a L4-7 device can be used with a single bridge domain needed for Application Centric (ACI) fabrics. The use of a single bridge domain and single PBR redirection is known as "one -armed mode."