Cisco APIC Getting Started Guide, Release 6.2(x)

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Graphical configuration of ports

Updated: January 12, 2026

Overview

This topic explains how to use the graphical interface to configure ports, port channels, and virtual port channels on fabric switches. It details the steps for managing dynamic breakouts and FEX connections across various inventory views to simplify interface policy assignments.

The APIC GUI provides a graphical method for configuring ports, port channels, and virtual port channels on the leaf switches in the fabric, configure ports for dynamic breakout, and link interfaces to FEX switches.

This configuration capability is present at these GUI locations:

  • Fabric > Inventory > Topology

  • Fabric > Inventory > Pod

  • Fabric > Inventory > Pod > Leaf

  • Fabric > Inventory > Pod > Spine

In the Work pane's Interface tab, click on the + button (at the top left), select one or more switches to configure, and click Add Selected. To select multiple switches, use Ctrl+Click or Shift+Click.

The switches are graphically displayed with their ports and links. If you have configured a breakout port, a block containing the sub ports is displayed below the leaf diagram.

Note
If you accessed the Interface tab from a leaf switch, the leaf switch is automatically added.

Select the interfaces to configure. When interfaces are selected, the available configuration buttons appear. Depending on the number of selected interfaces and where they are located, you can then click one of the these buttons:

  • L2—Layer 2. Visible when you click one or more leaf interfaces on the switch diagrams.

  • PC—Port Channel. Visible when you click one or more leaf interfaces on the switch diagrams.

  • VPC—Virtual Port Channel. Visible when you click at least one interface on two switch diagrams.

  • FEX—Fabric Extender. Visible when you click one or more leaf interfaces on the switch diagrams.

  • Breakout—Breakout mode. Visible when you click one or more leaf interfaces on the switch diagrams.

  • Fabric—Add policies to a fabric interface. Visible when you click a port that is eligible to be a fabric port.

  • Uplink and Downlink—Convert eligible uplinks to downlinks and vice versa.

  • Spine—Visible when you click one or more leaf interfaces on the switch diagrams.