Cisco APIC Getting Started Guide, Release 6.2(x)

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Switch over an active APIC with a standby APIC

Updated: January 12, 2026

Overview

Use this procedure to switch over an active APIC with a standby APIC, ensuring you have the necessary access rights and verifying the cluster's health status. Follow the steps to replace the active controller, monitor the switch over progress, and confirm the out-of-band management configuration if controllers are replaced between different pods.

Use this procedure to switch over an active APIC with a standby APIC .

Before you begin

  • Confirm that you have access rights to the APIC system.

  • Identify the active controller you want to replace and its standby counterpart.

  • Verify that the cluster's health status is normal.

Procedure

1.

On the menu bar, choose System > Controllers .

2.

In the Navigation pane, expand Controllers > apic_controller_name > Cluster as Seen by Node .

The apic_controller_name should be other than the name of the controller that you are replacing.

3.

In the Work pane, verify that the Health State in the Active Controllers summary table indicates the active controllers other than the one being replaced are Fully Fit before continuing.

4.

Click an apic_controller_name that you want to switch over.

5.

In the Work pane, click ... in the row of the contoller that you are replacing, then choose Replace .

The Replace dialog box displays.
6.

Choose the Backup Controller from the drop-down list and click Submit .

It may take several minutes to switch over an active APIC with a standby APIC and for the system to be registered as active.

7.

Verify the progress of the switch over in the Failover Status field in the Active Controllers summary table.

Note

We recommend that you use a standby APIC in the same pod to replace an active APIC because each pod might use a different out of band management IP subnet.

If you can’t use the recommended approach (for example, if active APIC (ID:2) in Pod1 is replaced by standby APIC (ID:21) in Pod2), and the out of band management IP subnets are different between pods, an additional procedure is required to have the standby Cisco APIC (new active) retain its original out of band management IP address after the failover.

  • Check the Retain OOB IP address for Standby (new active) box at Step 6 .

  • After the failover, delete the static Node Management Address configuration for the replaced (old active) Cisco APIC and read the static Node Management Address configuration for the new active (previously standby) Cisco APIC .

The standby controller becomes the new active APIC. The system updates to reflect the change and resumes normal operation.

What to do next

If you replaced controllers between different pods with distinct out-of-band subnets, confirm OOB management configuration as previously advised.