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Cisco APIC Getting Started Guide, Release 6.2(x)

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Cisco Configuration Guide, Release 4.2

Table of contents

Expand all sections

About this document

Trademarks

What's changed in this guide

What's changed in this guide

Initial setup

Additional documents
APIC configuration methods
Change the default BIOS password
Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure
Local serial connection for basic configuration
Access the APIC GUI
Access REST API
Access the NX-OS style CLI
Access the object model CLI

APIC GUI overview

The APIC GUI
Menu bar and submenu bar
Navigation pane
Work pane
Personalize the APIC GUI
Deployment warning and policy usage information
Graphical configuration of ports
View an API interchange
APIC GUI icons
Next generation APIC GUI
Preview the new APIC GUI
Enhancements and improvements to the APIC GUI

Fabric initialization and switch discovery

Fabric initialization
Multi-tier fabric topologies example
Change the external routable subnet
Switch discovery with the APIC
Cisco NX-OS to Cisco ACI POAP auto-conversion
Cisco Nexus 9000 switch secure erase

Cisco APIC cluster management

APIC clusters
Cisco Fabric Controller cluster expansion
Cisco APIC cluster contractions
Best practices for cluster management
Expand the Fabric Controller cluster using the GUI
Expand the APIC cluster using the add node option
Contract the APIC Cluster using the GUI
Contract APIC nodes using the delete node option
Commission a Cisco APIC in the cluster using the GUI
Commission a Cisco APIC in the cluster
Decommission a Cisco APIC in the cluster using the GUI
Decommission a Cisco APIC in the cluster
Shut down all APICs in a cluster
Bring back the APICs in a cluster
Cold standby clusters
Guidelines for standby Cisco APICs
Verify cold standby status using the GUI
Switch over an active APIC with a standby APIC
Warm standby for a Cisco APIC cluster
Guidelines for using Warm Standby Cisco APICs
Change the standby APIC type using the GUI
Add a standby APIC
Delete a standby from the cluster
Recover the APIC cluster using Warm Standby and the GUI
APIC migration types
Manage APIC cluster at boot using the GUI
Nexus dashboard cluster from APIC GUI

Configure the cisco APIC using the CLI

Best practices for cluster management
Replace a Cisco APIC in a cluster using the CLI
Cisco APIC cluster contractions
Switch over active APIC with standby APIC using CLI
Verify Cold Standby Status Using the CLI
Register an unregistered switch using the CLI
Add a switch before discovery using the CLI
Remove a switch to maintenance mode using the CLI
Insert a switch to operation mode using the CLI
Configure a remote location using the NX-OS style CLI
Find the switch inventory using the NX-OS CLI
Verify the Cisco APIC cluster using the CLI

Configure the cisco APIC using the REST API

Expand the APIC cluster using the REST API
Contract the APIC cluster using the REST API
Switch over the active APIC with the standby APIC using the REST API
Register an unregistered switch using the REST API
Add a switch before discovery using the REST API
Remove a switch to maintenance mode using the REST API
Insert a switch to operational mode using the REST API
Configure a remote location using the REST API
Send an on-demand tech support file using the REST API
Find your switch inventory using the REST API

Work pane

Updated: January 12, 2026

On this page

Overview

Key attributes and functions

Common pages in the work pane

Quick Start Pages
Dashboard Pages
Summary Pages

Overview

This topic explains the attributes and functions of the Work pane, which displays context-specific details for components selected in the Navigation pane. It describes how to utilize tabs, access conceptual information, bookmark pages, and set favorite tabs to customize the default configuration view.

The Work pane, which is on the right side of the APIC GUI, displays details about the component that you selected in the Navigation pane.

Key attributes and functions

The Work pane includes a content area that displays tabs. These tabs provide information related to the component selected in the Navigation pane. The tabs displayed in the content area depend on the selected component.
For some components in the Work pane, a link to conceptual information related to the component is indicated by a list icon in the upper right corner.
You can bookmark almost any page, which enables you to go back to that page easily by choosing the bookmark from your list of bookmarks.

Bookmarked links are accessible from the User Profile and Preferences icon in the Menu bar.
You can mark a tab as the "favorite" on a page. When you navigate to that page, that tab is displayed by default. This feature is available only for tabs in the Work pane. You cannot mark a menu bar tab as a favorite.

Common pages in the work pane

In addition to displaying specific task menus, the Work pane also displays several types of special-purpose menus described in this section.

Quick Start Pages

Many APIC menu and submenu tabs open an initial Quick Start page, which summarizes the purpose of the tab, provides links to step-by-step instructions and videos for commonly-used procedures, and provides shortcut links to commonly-used subsections within the tab. An overall Quick Start page at System > QuickStart assists you in performing common and basic procedures, providing step-by-step instructions, available concept information, and links to main functional areas in the GUI.

Dashboard Pages

Dashboard pages provide at-a-glance summaries of the status of the ACI system and major system components, including health score trends, components with below-threshold health scores, and fault counts. You can configure health score thresholds to determine when components will appear in the dashboard. The system dashboard page at System > Dashboard summarizes the health of the overall ACI system, while switch dashboard pages at Fabric > Inventory > Pod n > component > Dashboard summarize the health and faults of each spine and leaf switch.

Summary Pages

Many top-level folders in the Navigation pane display tile-based Summary pages in the Work pane that link to subfolders. Some Summary pages, such as those in Fabric > Inventory > Pod n, contain tiles summarizing major components along with brief health and fault information for each component. Other Summary pages, such as those in Fabric > Fabric Policies > Policies, contain tiles that describe the configuration areas served by the contained folders.

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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.