Cisco APIC supports a simplified approach to configuring the ACI with the choice of two additional user interfaces. They are the NX-OS style CLI and the Basic GUI. The existing methods of configuration using REST API and Advanced GUI are supported as well. The Advanced GUI is equivalent to the GUI of the previous releases. Cisco recommends that you use the Advanced GUI to manage any policy that you created in Release 1.2 or earlier releases.

In addition to the simple approach available for network administrators and other users of the NX-OS style CLI and the Basic GUI, there is intelligence embedded in these approaches as compared to the Advanced GUI or the REST API. In several instances, the NX-OS style CLI and the Basic GUI often create the ACI model constructs implicitly for a user's ease of use, and they also provide validations to ensure consistency in configuration. This functionality reduces and prevents faults.

Configurations using NX-OS style CLI and Basic GUI are compatible similar to the compatibility between existing methods of configuration using Advanced GUI and REST API. For further details about configurations and tasks, see the Cisco APIC Basic Configuration Guide and the Cisco APIC NX-OS Style Command-Line Interface Configuration Guide.

For details about installing the ACI fabric hardware, see the Application Centric Infrastructure Fabric Hardware Installation Guide.

The Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) is a distributed, scalable, multitenant infrastructure with external end-point connectivity controlled and grouped through application-centric policies. The Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC) is the unified point of automation, management, monitoring, and programmability for the ACI. The APIC supports the deployment, management, and monitoring of any application anywhere, with a unified operations model for the physical and virtual components of the infrastructure. The APIC programmatically automates network provisioning and control that is based on the application requirements and policies. It is the central control engine for the broader cloud network; it simplifies management and allows flexibility in how application networks are defined and automated. It also provides northbound Representational State Transfer (REST) APIs. The APIC is a distributed system that is implemented as a cluster of many controller instances.

When the APIC is launched for the first time, the APIC console presents a series of initial setup options. For many options, you can press Enter to choose the default setting that is displayed in brackets. At any point in the setup dialog, you can restart the dialog from the beginning by pressing Ctrl-C.

Important Notes

• If the UNIX user ID is not explicitly specified in the response from the remote authentication server, then some APIC software releases assign a default ID of 23999 to all users. If the response from the remote authentication server fails to specify a UNIX ID, all users will share the same ID of 23999 and this can result in the users being granted higher or lower privileges than the configured privileges through the RBAC policies on the APIC.

• Cisco recommends that you assign unique UNIX user IDs in the range of 16000 to 23999 for the AV Pairs that are assigned to the users when in Bash shell (using SSH, Telnet, or Serial/KVM consoles). If a situation arises where the Cisco AV Pair does not provide a UNIX user ID, the user is assigned a user ID of 23999 or similar number from the range that also enables the user's home directories, files, and processes accessible to the remote users with a UNIX ID of 23999.

  To ensure that your remote authentication server does not explicitly assign a UNIX ID in its cisco-av-pair response, open an SSH session to the APIC and log in as an administrator (using a remote user account). Once logged in, run the following commands (replace userid with the username that you logged in with):

  • admin@apic1: remoteuser-userid> cd /mit/uni/userext/remoteuser-userid

  • admin@apic1: remoteuser-userid> cat summary

• If you are using a Cisco Integrated Management Controller (CIMC) for your setup, use only the port-side utility console port with the breakout cable. Setup the CIMC first, and then access the APIC through the CIMC KVM or continue to access the APIC locally through the port-side utility console port. Do not use the RJ-45 console port, unless access to the port side is restricted. If you choose the CIMC KVM access, you will have remote access available later which is required during operations.

• If you are using RJ-45 console port, connect to CIMC using SSH and enable the Serial over LAN port using the following parameters:

  • Scope SOL sol

  • Set Enabled to Yes

  • Commit

  • Exit

  After enabling, enter the command connect host to access the console. If the serial port is connected, either disconnect the serial port or ensure that the connected device has the proper configuration.

• It is recommended not to modify any parameters using CIMC. If there are any issues, ensure that the default setting for CIMC management node is Dedicated Mode and not Shared. If Dedicated Mode is not used, it can prevent the discovery of fabric nodes.

• Do not upgrade software or firmware using the CIMC user interface, XML, or SSH interfaces unless the modified property and software or firmware version are supported with your specific APIC version.

• Set the NIC mode to Dedicated, when setting up the CIMC, in the CIMC Configuration Utility. After the CIMC is configured, in the CIMC GUI, verify that you have the following parameters set.

  Parameters	Settings
  LLDP	Disabled on the VIC
  TPM Support	Enabled on the BIOS
  TPM Enabled Status	Enabled
  TPM Ownership	Owned

• Starting with APIC release 1.2(2x), during the initial setup the system will prompt you to select IPv4, or IPv6, or dual stack configuration. Choosing dual stack will enable accessing the APIC and ACI fabric out-of-band management interfaces with either IPv4 or IPv6 addresses. While the examples in the table below use IPv4 addresses, you can use whatever IP address configuration options you chose to enable during the initial setup.

• A minimum subnet mask of /19 is recommended.

• Connecting the APIC (the controller cluster) to the ACI fabric requires a 10G interface on the ACI leaf. You cannot connect the APIC directly to the N9332PQ ACI leaf switch, unless you use a 40G to 10G converter (part number CVR-QSFP-SFP10G), in which case the port on the N9332PQ switch will auto-negotiate to 10G without requiring any manual configuration.

• The fabric ID is set during the APIC controller setup and it cannot be changed unless you perform a clean reload of the fabric. To change the fabric ID, perform a clean reload on the APIC and leaf switches after changing the sam.config file. You must have separate fabric IDs if you want to connect two ACI fabric domains using Layer 2 links. This follows the dual-fabric design.

About High Availability for APIC Cluster

The High Availability functionality for an APIC cluster enables you to operate the APICs in a cluster in an active/standby mode. In an APIC cluster, the designated active APICs share the load and the designated standby APICs can act as an replacement for any of the APICs in an active cluster.

An admin user can set up the High Availability functionality when the APIC is launched for the first time. It is recommended that you have at least 3 active APICs in a cluster, and one or more standby APICs. An admin user will have to initiate the switch over to replace an active APIC with a standby APIC. See the Cisco APIC Management, Installation, Upgrade, and Downgrade Guide for more information.

Cluster configuration ...
  Enter the fabric name [ACI Fabric1]:
  Enter the fabric ID (1-128) [1]:
  Enter the number of active controllers in the fabric (1-9) [3]:
  Enter the POD ID (1-9) [1]:
  Is this a standby controller? [NO]:
  Enter the controller ID (1-3) [1]:
  Enter the controller name [apic1]: sec-ifc5
  Enter address pool for TEP addresses [10.0.0.0/16]:
  Note: The infra VLAN ID should not be used elsewhere in your environment
        and should not overlap with any other reserved VLANs on other platforms.
  Enter the VLAN ID for infra network (2-4094): 4093
  Enter address pool for BD multicast addresses (GIPO) [225.0.0.0/15]:

Out-of-band management configuration ...
  Enable IPv6 for Out of Band Mgmt Interface? [N]:
  Enter the IPv4 address [192.168.10.1/24]: 172.23.142.29/21
  Enter the IPv4 address of the default gateway [None]: 172.23.136.1
  Enter the interface speed/duplex mode [auto]:

admin user configuration ...
  Enable strong passwords? [Y]:
  Enter the password for admin:

  Reenter the password for admin:

Cluster configuration ...
  Fabric name: ACI Fabric1
  Fabric ID: 1
  Number of controllers: 3
  Controller name: sec-ifc5
  POD ID: 1
  Controller ID: 1
  TEP address pool: 10.0.0.0/16
  Infra VLAN ID: 4093
  Multicast address pool: 225.0.0.0/15

Out-of-band management configuration ...
  Management IP address: 172.23.142.29/21
  Default gateway: 172.23.136.1
  Interface speed/duplex mode: auto

admin user configuration ...
  Strong Passwords: Y
  User name: admin
  Password: ********

The above configuration will be applied ...

Warning: TEP address pool, Infra VLAN ID and Multicast address pool
         cannot be changed later, these are permanent until the
         fabric is wiped.

Would you like to edit the configuration? (y/n) [n]:

IPv6 management addresses can be provisioned on the APIC controller at setup time or through a policy once the APIC controller is operational. Pure IPv4, Pure IPv6 or dual stack (i.e both IPv6 and IPv4 addresses) are supported. The following snippet is of a typical setup screen that describes how to setup dual stack (IPv6 and IPv4) addresses for out-of-band management interfaces during the setup:

Cluster configuration …
 
  Enter the fabric name [ACI Fabric1]:
  Enter the number of controllers in the fabric (1-9) [3]:
  Enter the controller ID (1-3) [1]:
  Enter the controller name [apic1]: infraipv6-ifc1
  Enter address pool for TEP addresses [10.0.0.0/16]:
  Note: The infra VLAN ID should not be used elsewhere in your environment
        and should not overlap with any other reserved VLANs on other platforms.
  Enter the VLAN ID for infra network (1-4094): 4093
  Enter address pool for BD multicast addresses (GIPO) [225.0.0.0/15]:
 
Out-of-band management configuration ...
  Enable IPv6 for Out of Band Mgmt Interface? [N]: Y (Enter Y to Configure IPv6 Address for Out of Band Management Address)
  Enter the IPv6 address [0:0:0:0:0:ffff:c0a8:a01/40]: 2001:420:28e:2020:0:ffff:ac1f:88e4/64 (IPv6 Address)
  Enter the IPv6 address of the default gateway  [None]: 2001:420:28e:2020:acc:68ff:fe28:b540 (IPv6 Gateway)
  Enable IPv4 also for Out of Band Mgmt Interface? [Y]: (Enter Y to Configure IPv4 Address for Out of Band Management Address)
  Enter the IPv4 address [192.168.10.1/24]: 172.31.136.228/21 (IPv4 Address)
  Enter the IPv4 address of the default gateway [None]: 172.31.136.1 (IPv4 Gateway)
  Enter the interface speed/duplex mode [auto]:
 
admin user configuration ...
  Enable strong passwords? [Y]:
  Enter the password for admin:
 
  Reenter the password for admin:

Procedure

To learn about the features and operation of the Application Centric Infrastructure fabric and the Application Policy Infrastructure Controller, see the available white papers and the Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure Fundamentals Guide.

Procedure

Note

From Cisco APIC Release 1.0 until Release 1.2, the default CLI was a Bash shell with commands to directly operate on managed objects (MOs) and properties of the Management Information Model. Beginning with Cisco APIC Release 1.2, the default CLI is a NX-OS style CLI. The object model CLI is available by typing the bash command at the initial CLI prompt.

$ ssh admin@192.168.10.1
Application Policy Infrastructure Controller
admin@192.168.10.1's password: cisco123
apic#             <---- NX-OS style CLI prompt
apic# bash
admin@apic1:~>    <---- object model CLI prompt
admin@apic1:~> exit
apic#

Every user must use the shared directory called /home. This directory gives permissions for a user to create directories and files; files created within /home inherit the default umask permissions and are accessible by the user and by root. We recommend that users create a /home/userid directory to store files, such as /home/jsmith, when logging in for the first time.

For more information about accessing switches using the ACI CLI using modes of operation such as BASH or VSH, see the Cisco APIC Command Line Interface User Guide and the Cisco ACI Switch Command Reference.

For detailed information about configuring the APIC CLI, see the Cisco APIC Object Model Command Line Interface User Guide.

Note

From Cisco APIC Release 1.0 until Release 1.2, the default CLI was a Bash shell with commands to directly operate on managed objects (MOs) and properties of the Management Information Model. Beginning with Cisco APIC Release 1.2, the default CLI is a NX-OS style CLI. The object model CLI is available by typing the bash command at the initial CLI prompt.

When you enter the NX-OS style CLI, the initial command level is the EXEC level. From this level, you can reach these configuration modes:

• To continue in the NX-OS style CLI, you can stay in EXEC mode or you can type configure to enter global configuration mode.

  For information about NX-OS style CLI commands, see the Cisco APIC NX-OS Style CLI Command Reference.

• To reach the object model CLI, type bash.

  For information about object mode CLI commands, see the Cisco APIC Command-Line Interface User Guide, APIC Releases 1.0 and 1.1.

The APIC GUI is a browser-based graphical interface to the APIC that communicates internally with the APIC engine by exchanging REST API messages. The GUI contains several areas and panes.

You can build a fabric by adding switches to be managed by the APIC and then validating the steps using the GUI, the CLI, or the API.

Note	Before you can build a fabric, you must have already created an APIC cluster over the out-of-band network.

An example topology is as follows:

• Two spine switches (spine1, spine2)

• Two leaf switches (leaf1, leaf2)
• Three instances of APIC (apic1, apic2, apic3)

The following figure shows an example of a fabric topology.

Figure 4. Example Fabric Topology

The APIC is a central point of automated provisioning and management for all the switches that are part of the ACI fabric. A single data center might include multiple ACI fabrics; each data center might have its own APIC cluster and Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switches that are part of the fabric. To ensure that a switch is managed only by a single APIC cluster, each switch must be registered with that specific APIC cluster that manages the fabric.

The APIC discovers new switches that are directly connected to any switch it currently manages. Each APIC instance in the cluster first discovers only the leaf switch to which it is directly connected. After the leaf switch is registered with the APIC, the APIC discovers all spine switches that are directly connected to the leaf switch. As each spine switch is registered, that APIC discovers all the leaf switches that are connected to that spine switch. This cascaded discovery allows the APIC to discover the entire fabric topology in a few simple steps.