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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.
Foundation Lab
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 5.0, 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 as we built 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, we had 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)
Understanding the Cisco NEXUS Dashboard Platform
Here's what you should know about the new Cisco NEXUS Dashboard platform and how to think about day 2 operations moving forward.
Advanced Configuration Lab
Cisco ACI Multisite Lab 1 - Dual site APIC Setup, Best Practices Lab and Tutorial
Cisco's ACI Anywhere vision is to allow a single security and connectivity policy with a single pane of glass to manage all multicloud environments. The key to ACI Anywhere is the ACI Multi-Site Orchestrator (MSO), which allows the administrator to create consistent security and connectivity policies across multiple physical, virtual, and cloud-based sites.
Please note that these four ACI Multisite lab modules are 301 level and our 101 and 201 ACI training labs should be completed before attempting these labs. Basic ACI concepts, labs, and tutorials are explained in detail in our ACI 101 and 202 level training labs. In addition, we also recommend reading our articles on ACI and multi-pod and multisite fundamentals before doing the labs for a thorough learning experience. Please go to the resources to see our recommended ACI syllabus to become an ACI expert.
Advanced Configuration Lab
Cisco ACI Multisite Lab 2 - ACI and VMM Policy Lab and Tutorial
Cisco's ACI Anywhere vision is to allow a single security and connectivity policy with a single pane of glass to manage all multicloud environments. The key to ACI Anywhere is the ACI Multi-Site Orchestrator (MSO), which allows the administrator to create consistent security and connectivity policies across multiple physical, virtual and cloud-based sites.
This series of 4 lab modules will go through all the steps necessary to bring up an ACI Multi-Site environment from scratch. It will be divided into modules for the student to consume easier.
What's new
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.
Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab Walkthrough: Part 2
This playlist is recommended to be used in conjunction with part 2 of our ACI Cisco ACI Fundamentals Lab using a physical ACI fabric. These videos will show the students how to perform the labs in detail and answer any other questions not covered in the lab guide itself. The videos will cover: ACI 101 policy basics, the configuration of an APP Profile under the Tenant, EPGs, Bridge domains, contracts, and filters inside their tenant. The student will integrate their EPGs with Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) Networking which creates port groups on the DVS, and then place VMs in their respective port groups and verify data path connectivity. The students will then create layer 2 and layer 3 connectivity outside the fabric and verify the data path connectivity. Finally, students will learn micro-segmentation techniques to segment the traffic inside an EPG.
Foundation Lab
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.
Foundation Lab
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 5.0, 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 as we built 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, we had 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)
Advanced Configuration Lab
Cisco ACI Multisite Lab 2 - ACI and VMM Policy Lab and Tutorial
Cisco's ACI Anywhere vision is to allow a single security and connectivity policy with a single pane of glass to manage all multicloud environments. The key to ACI Anywhere is the ACI Multi-Site Orchestrator (MSO), which allows the administrator to create consistent security and connectivity policies across multiple physical, virtual and cloud-based sites.
This series of 4 lab modules will go through all the steps necessary to bring up an ACI Multi-Site environment from scratch. It will be divided into modules for the student to consume easier.
Examining Cisco NEXUS Dashboard Using New Hands-On Labs
With applications becoming more complex and being deployed in many places, such as cloud neutral facilities (CNFs), containers and the public cloud, performance monitoring and troubleshooting is challenging to accomplish.
Why ACI Customers Using MSO Need to Prepare for NEXUS Dashboard
In talking with customers and our field engineers over the last couple of months, it is apparent that the changes to deploying MSO past 3.1 are not widely known.
Foundation Lab
Network Assurance Engine (NAE) With ACI Simulator Lab
The Network Assurance Engine is one of the best integrated day two operations suites providing unparalleled visibility into a data center network. Look for this type of visibility across the multiple domains of WAN, LAN, DC and cloud as Cisco rolls this fabric analytic and flow engines to manage and report on misconfigurations, bugs and traffic drops from a single platform, the Network Assurance Engine.
Advanced Configuration Lab
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.
Understanding the Cisco NEXUS Dashboard Platform
Here's what you should know about the new Cisco NEXUS Dashboard platform and how to think about day 2 operations moving forward.
Advanced Configuration Lab
NSX on ACI Lab
This is an On-Demand Lab for VMware NSX-T running on top of Cisco ACI. With this lab, you will be able to access a live lab with NSX-T configured to utilize ACI with both a single and double overlay implementation. The lab will step you through viewing the configuration for both ACI and NSX-T.
Cisco ACI or VMware NSX -- Why Not Both?
As software-defined networking becomes more popular in the data center, we are frequently asked whether we would recommend Cisco ACI or VMware NSX. In most cases, neither one will accomplish all objectives, so why not implement both if that gets you closer to the desired end game?
Cisco ACI Anywhere Briefing
When Cisco ACI was released in 2014, it supported a single fabric design. Today it has grown to support a variety of extensions beyond a single fabric. ACI Anywhere is that concept of extending ACI to support any data center, including public cloud. This briefing will introduce the components of ACI Anywhere.
Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Overview Briefing
Cisco ACI was introduced to the public in 2014. Since then it has gained immense popularity when customers design their next-generation data centers. This briefing will discuss the benefits that Cisco ACI has to offer.
ACI and NSX Integration Briefing
One question is frequently asked around Cisco ACI and VMware NSX: "Which one do we choose?" The harsh reality is that rarely will one solution address 100 percent of your needs. Flexibility is key into today's data center networks. To achieve that, it is not unusual to have a discussion of both technologies working together and complimenting each other. This briefing will discuss how you integrate the two solutions to meet your requirements.
Cisco ACI and Day 2 Operations Briefing
Have you implemented a new Cisco Data Center or are planning to in the near future? Day 2 operations is a critical component of next-generation data center networks, including SDN.
Cisco provides a variety of tools to help provide Day 2 operations support when you are utilizing Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) or Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) with your Nexus 9000 platform switches. This briefing covers Cisco Network Insights Advisor/Resources and Cisco Network Assurance Engine.
Cisco ASA Policy Migration to ACI With AlgoSec Demonstration
This brief demonstration shows how easy it is to create ACI EPGs, contracts and filters from ASA policies automatically with AlgoSec.
How we helped a customer with a data center consolidation
WWT's Infrastructure Services helped a major Enterprise company refresh and consolidate their data centers. They developed a phased approach that enabled a reliable and seamless migration against an extremely tight deadline with no allowance for downtime.
How to Determine If ACI Multi-Site is the Right Data Center Solution
Is ACI and ACI Multi-Site the correct solution for your data center refresh? By leveraging the ACI Multi-Site on-demand labs, you can determine if the ACI Multi-Site spine/leaf fabric architecture fits your business and technical requirements for brownfield or greenfield data center refreshes.