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Cisco Catalyst Center Third-Generation Appliance Installation Guide, Release 3.1.x

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2.3.7.x

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Cisco Configuration Guide, Release 4.2

Table of contents

Expand all sections

About this document

Review the Catalyst Center Appliance Features

Appliance hardware specifications
Front and rear panels
Physical specifications
Environmental specifications
Power supply specifications

Plan the Deployment

Planning workflow
Catalyst Center and Cisco Software-Defined Access
Interface cable connections
Required IP addresses and subnets
Required internet URLs and fully qualified domain names
Provide secure access to the internet
Communication ports
HTTP port 80 exception list
Disaster recovery ports
Required ports and protocols for Cisco Software-Defined Access
Required configuration information
Required first-time setup information
Password policy
Password requirements

Install the Appliance

Appliance installation workflow
Unpack and inspect the appliance
Review the installation warnings and guidelines
Review the rack requirements
Connect and power on the appliance
Check the LEDs

Prepare the Appliance for Configuration

Preparation for appliance configuration overview
Enable browser access to the Cisco Integrated Management Controller
Execute preconfiguration tasks
NIC bonding overview
Reimage the appliance
Catalyst Center appliance configuration

Configure the Appliance Using the Maglev Wizard

Appliance configuration overview
IPv4 and IPv6 considerations
Password considerations
VLAN mode considerations
Configure the primary node using the Maglev wizard
Configure a secondary node using the Maglev wizard
Upgrade to the latest Catalyst Center release

Configure the 32-Core and 56-Core Appliances Using the Browser-Based Wizard

Appliance configuration overview
Password considerations
VLAN mode considerations
Configure an appliance using the Install Configuration wizard
Configure the primary node using the Advanced Install configuration wizard
Configure a secondary node using the Advanced Install configuration wizard
Upgrade to the latest Catalyst Center release

Configure the 80-Core Appliance Using the Browser-Based Wizard

Appliance configuration overview
Password considerations
VLAN mode considerations
Configure an appliance using the Install configuration wizard
Configure the primary node using the Advanced Install configuration wizard
Configure a secondary node using the Advanced Install configuration wizard
Upgrade to the latest Catalyst Center release

Complete First-Time Setup

First-time setup workflow
Compatible browsers
Log in to Catalyst Center for the first time
Complete the Quick Start workflow
Integrate Cisco ISE with Catalyst Center
Configure authentication and policy servers
Configure SNMP properties

Troubleshoot the Deployment

Troubleshooting tasks
Log out
Reconfigure the appliance using the Configuration wizard
Power cycle the appliance

Review High Availability Cluster Deployment Scenarios

New HA deployment
Existing HA deployment of the primary node with standard interface configurations
Existing HA deployment of primary node with nonstandard interface configurations
Activate HA
Additional HA deployment considerations

Configure the 32-Core and 56-Core Appliances Using the Browser-Based Wizard

Updated: April 3, 2026

Overview

Explains how to configure either a three-node cluster's primary node or a standalone appliance (32-core or 56-core) using the Install Configuration wizard.

Appliance configuration overview

Provides information about configuring 32-core and 56-core appliances based on the deployment mode.

Password considerations

Provides pointers to the password policies and requirements for Catalyst Center.

VLAN mode considerations

You can't use disaster recovery when VLAN mode is enabled for Catalyst Center.

Configure an appliance using the Install Configuration wizard

You can configure a primary node in a three-node cluster or a standalone node and simplify the process by using the Install Configuration wizard.

Configure the primary node using the Advanced Install configuration wizard

You can set up the first appliance in a cluster using the Advanced Install configuration wizard.

Configure a secondary node using the Advanced Install configuration wizard

You can add additional nodes to a cluster using the Advanced Install configuration wizard.

Upgrade to the latest Catalyst Center release

You can upgrade to the latest Catalyst Center release.

Need help?

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(Requires a Cisco Service Contract)

Bias-free language

The documentation set for this product strives to use bias-free language. For the purposes of this documentation set, bias-free is defined as language that does not imply discrimination based on age, disability, gender, racial identity, ethnic identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, and intersectionality. Exceptions may be present in the documentation due to language that is hardcoded in the user interfaces of the product software, language used based on RFP documentation, or language that is used by a referenced third-party product. Learn more about how Cisco is using Inclusive Language.