Cisco ACI, zero to hero : a comprehensive guide to Cisco ACI design, implementation, operation, and troubleshooting / Jan Janovic.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Janovic, Jan, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Computer network architectures.

Cisco ACI.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (625 pages)

Place of Publication:

New York, New York : Apress Media LLC, [2023]

Summary:

It doesn't matter if you are completely new to Cisco ACI or you already have some experience with the technology, this book will guide you through the whole implementation lifecycle and provide you with a comprehensive toolset to become confident in any ACI-related task. In the beginning, it's very important to build strong fundamental knowledge about Cisco ACI components. We'll go through underlay networking based on Nexus 9000 switches and describe the APIC controller cluster acting as the management plane of ACI. By building Access Policies, you'll see how to optimally connect servers, storage, routers, switches, or L4-L7 service devices to ACI. Then we'll properly design and implement Logical Application Policies. You will understand all the fabric forwarding behavior when using different ACI settings and architectures while getting a toolset on how to verify and troubleshoot eventual problems. This book also covers external L2 and L3 connectivity in ACI, more advanced features like integration with virtualization hypervisors and Kubernetes, service chaining of L4-L7 devices using Service Graphs, or practical approach to using REST API automation based on Python and Ansible/Terraform. Cisco ACI: Zero to Hero can additionally be used as a valuable source of theoretical and practical knowledge for all candidates preparing for CCIE DC v3.0 Written or Lab exams. What You'll Learn Understand network evolution and Cisco ACI components Underlay ACI networking based on Nexus 9000 switches, APIC controllers, and Application Policy Model Integrate ACI with virtualization hypervisors and Kubernetes Dynamically and seamlessly include L4-L7 service devices in communication between ACI endpoints Build ACI Anywhere: ACI Multi-Tier, Stretched Fabric, Multi-POD, Multi-Site, and Remote Leaf Utilize ACI REST API with Python, related Cobra SDK, Ansible or Terraform, to develop automation and scripts on top of the ACI platform Who This Book Is For Network engineers, architects, network developers, administrators or NOC technicians.

Contents:

Intro

Table of Contents

About the Author

About the Technical Reviewer

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter 1: Introduction: Datacenter Network Evolution

From Traditional to Software-Defined Networking

Traditional Three-Tier Network Architecture

Let's Go Virtual

Transition to Leaf-Spine Architecture and VXLAN

Need for Network Automation

Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI)

Summary

Chapter 2: ACI Fundamentals: Underlay Infrastructure

Cisco Nexus 9000 and CloudScale ASICs

CloudScale ASIC Architecture

CloudScale ASIC Buffering

Nexus 9500: Modular Chassis Switches

Chassis-Specific Components

Fabric Module

Fan Module

Common Chassis Components

Switch Supervisor Engine

System Controller

Power Supply Unit

Line Cards

Nexus 9300: Fixed Switches

ACI Underlay Networking

ACI Leaf-Spine Fabric Topology

ACI Underlay Cabling Options

ACI Control Plane and Data Plane Overview

ACI Architecture

Multi-Tier ACI Fabric

ACI Stretched Fabric

ACI Multi-Pod Architecture

Inter-Pod Network (IPN)

ACI Multi-Site Architecture

Nexus Dashboard Orchestrator

Cloud ACI

ACI Remote Leaf

Application Policy Infrastructure Controller

Hardware Equipment

Connecting APIC Nodes to the Network

APIC High Availability

ACI Licensing

High-Level ACI Design

Chapter 3: Fabric Initialization and Management

Nexus 9000 in ACI Switch Mode

Conversion From NX-OS to ACI Mode

APIC Cluster Initialization

Graphical User Interface Overview

Fabric Discovery and Registration

ACI Switch Discovery

Multi-Pod Fabric Discovery

ACI Switch Discovery Troubleshooting

ACI Management Access

Fabric Out-of-Band Configuration

Fabric In-Band Configuration

APIC Connectivity Preference

Initial and Best Practice Fabric Configuration.

Network Time Protocol

Internal ACI MP-BGP

Domain Name System

Securing Fabric Management Access

Fabric-Wide Best Practice Configuration

ACI Fabric Monitoring and Backup

Simple Network Management Protocol

Logging in ACI Syslog

Faults

Events

Audit Logs

Session Logs

Syslog Configuration

NetFlow

NetFlow Exporter

NetFlow Record

NetFlow Monitor

ACI Fabric Backup

ACI Multi-Pod Configuration

Inter-POD Network Configuration

Nexus 9000 Features

IPN VRF Instance

OSPF/eBGP Process

L3 IPN Interfaces Facing ACI Spines

PIM Bidir Multicast Configuration

DHCP Relay Agent Configuration

Quality of Service for ACI Control-Plane in IPN

APIC Multi-Pod Wizard

ACI Multi-Pod Verification and Troubleshooting

Chapter 4: ACI Fundamentals: Access Policies

Switch Policies

Switch Protocol Policies and vPC

Switch Policy Group

Switch Profile

Interface Policies

Interface Protocol Policy

Interface Policy Group

Interface Profile

Attachable Access Entity Profile

Physical and External Domains

VLAN | VXLAN | VSAN Pools

Practical Example for Access Policies

Access Policies Naming Convention

Chapter 5: ACI Fundamentals: Application Policy Model

Application Policy Model Overview

ACI Tenants

Tenant Security and Access Control

System Tenants

Tenant common

Tenant infra

Tenant mgmt

User Tenants

Tenant Monitoring

Virtual Routing and Forwarding

Bridge Domains

Bridge Domain Subnets

ARP Handling

Application Profiles

Endpoint Groups

Mapping EPGs to Interfaces

Static EPG to Interface Mapping

Static EPG Path Mapping to AAEP

Dynamic EPG to Interface Mapping

Endpoint Learning Verification

EPG Design Options

Network Centric

Application Centric

Microsegmentation uEPGs.

Endpoint Security Groups

ACI Contracts

Consumer and Provider EPGs

Contract Configuration

Contract Scope

Contract Subject

Contract Filter

Contract Application to EPGs/ESGs

Contract Zoning Rules on Leaf Switches

Endpoint Classification and Zoning Enforcement

EPG/ESG Preferred Groups

VRF vzAny Object

Intra-EPG Isolation and Contracts

Zone Rules Verification and Troubleshooting

show system internal policy-mgr stats

show logging ip access-list internal packet-log deny

APIC contract_parser.py

Contract Policy TCAM Utilization

Naming Convention for ACI Application Policies

Chapter 6: Fabric Forwarding (and Troubleshooting)

ACI Data Plane - iVXLAN Encapsulation

1) Outer MAC Header

2) Outer IP Header

3) UDP Header

4) VXLAN Header

5) Original Layer-2 Frame

Fabric Control Plane Mechanisms Reviewed

ACI Forwarding Scenarios

Layer 2 Forwarding

Multi-Destination (ARP) Forwarding in a Layer 2 Bridge Domain

Known Layer 2 Unicast

Unknown Layer 2 Unicast

Bridge Domain in Flood Mode

Bridge Domain in Hardware Proxy Mode

Layer 2 Forwarding Summary

Layer 3 Forwarding

ARP Processing in a Layer 3 Bridge Domain

Unknown Layer 3 Unicast

Known Layer 3 Unicast

External Forwarding in a Layer 3 Bridge Domain

Layer 3 Forwarding Summary

Multi-Pod Forwarding

Multi-Pod Control Plane

Multi-Pod Data Plane

Multi-Destination Traffic Delivery

Multi-Site Forwarding

Name-Space Normalization (Translation)

Additional Troubleshooting Toolset for Fabric Forwarding

Endpoint Tracker

Embedded Logic Analyzer Module

fTriage

Switch Port Analyzer

SPAN Configuration

Visibility &amp

Troubleshooting Tool

Interface Drops Analysis

Chapter 7: External Layer 2 and Layer 3 Connectivity

Layer 2 External Connectivity.

Bridge Domain Extension

Endpoint Group Extension

Spanning Tree Protocol and ACI

Extending STP Domain to ACI

Best Practices for STP-Related Configuration

Topology Change Notification (TCNs)

Be Aware of Overlapping VLANs!

Layer 3 External Connectivity

Main L3OUT Components

L3OUT Related Access Policies

L3OUT Root Object

Logical Node and Interface Profiles

Routing Protocol Interface Profile

External EPG

L3OUT Subnet Scope

External Subnets for External EPG (default)

Shared Security Import Subnet

Export Route Control Subnet

Import Route Control Subnet

Shared Route Control Subnet

Aggregate Export &amp

Import

Aggregate Shared Routes

External Route Propagation

Multi-Protocol BGP Operation

Internal Bridge Domain Subnet Advertisement

Subnet Scope - Advertised Externally

Association of L3OUT to Bridge Domain

L3OUT ExtEPG Configuration

Filtering Using Route Profiles (Route Maps)

Contract Application to External EPG

Dynamic Routing Protocols in ACI

OSPF

OSPF Protocol Verification

EIGRP

EIGRP Protocol Verification

BGP

BGP Peer Configuration Options

BGP Protocol Verification

Static Routing with L3OUTs

ACI Transit Routing

VRF Route Tagging in ACI

Route Profiles (Route Maps)

Chapter 8: Service Chaining with L4-L7 Devices

To Use or Not to Use Service Insertion

Service Graph Overview

L4-L7 Device Deployment (Design) Modes

Traditional Service Graph Designs

Policy-Based Redirect Service Graph Designs

L4-L7 Policy-Based Redirect

VRF Sandwich vs. Policy-Based Redirect

Endpoint Learning for PBR Device

PBR Configuration and Verification

Service Bridge Domain(s)

L4-L7 PBR Policy

L4-L7 Device

Service Graph Templates

Applying a Service Graph Template to a Contract.

PBR Service Graph Deployment Verification

PBR Contracts Programming

Traffic Flow Between EPGs with PBR

Symmetric PBR

Chapter 9: Integrating ACI with Virtualization and Container Platforms

Virtualization platform Integration

VMware Integration Overview

Access Policies for ESXi Hosts

To Use LLDP/CDP or Not to Use LLDP/CDP

ACI VMM Domain

vDS Uplink to ESXi Mapping

VMM Domain to EPG Binding

VM to Port Group Association

Container Integration to ACI

Kubernetes Platform Overview

Kubernetes Control Plane Components

Kubernetes Worker Node Components

Kubernetes Networking Overview

Preparing ACI and Kubernetes Integration

Kubernetes Server Nodes Network configuration

Kubernetes Installation

ACI CNI Components

Demo YELB Application with ACI L4-L7 Service Graph and EPG segmentation

Chapter 10: ACI Automation and Programmability

ACI Programmability Introduction

REST APIs

REST HTTP Response Codes

Data Encoding Formats

XML

JSON

YAML

ACI Object Model

Managed Object Discovery Tools

ACI Documentation

APIC URL/Debug Info

Save-As Feature

Visore

API Inspector

APIC CLI

ACI REST API

URL and Body Format

REST API Authentication

Direct REST API Access

Linux Command Line - cURL

Postman

Python Requests Library

Cobra Software Development Kit

Cobra SDK Installation

Using Cobra SDK for Querying and Creating ACI Objects

Automating ACI Using Ansible

Ansible Component Architecture

Playbook Structure

Inventory File

Ansible Variables

Ansible Roles

ACI Ansible Collection and Installation

Practical Example 1 - Create and Query ACI Objects

Practical Example 2 - CSV Based ACI Automation

YAML Tenant Structure Definition

BD and EPG Automation from CVS Data

Automating ACI Using Terraform.

Terraform Config and State Files.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

VLAN | VXLAN | VSAN Pools

Description based on print version record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781484288382

1484288386

OCLC:

1356575500