Cisco APIC Layer 3 Networking Configuration Guide, Release 6.2(x)

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Cisco APIC Layer 3 Networking Configuration Guide, Release 6.2(x)

About this content

Describes significant changes and new features in this guide for recent Cisco APIC releases. Helps users identify updates and locate related documentation for each feature or change.


Trademarks

What's Changed in this guide

Describes significant changes and new features in this guide for recent Cisco APIC releases. Helps users identify updates and locate related documentation for each feature or change.

Cisco ACI Forwarding

describes how Cisco ACI forwards Layer 2 and Layer 3 traffic within the fabric using VXLAN encapsulation, VTEPs, and Layer 3 VNIDs

Prerequisites to configure layer 3 networks

Describes the prerequisites for configuring Layer 3 networks in Cisco ACI, including required fabric components, policies, and bridge domain settings.

Common Pervasive Gateway

Describes the deprecated Common Pervasive Gateway feature, including deployment considerations and GUI configuration for sharing an IPv4 gateway between Cisco ACI fabrics

IP Aging

Describes the IP Aging policy, which identifies and ages out inactive endpoint IP addresses, and explains how to configure the policy using the GUI.

Static Route on a Bridge Domain

Describes how static routes in pervasive bridge domains provide reachability to IP addresses outside the bridge domain and explains how to configure them using the GUI

Dataplane IP Address Learning

Describes how static routes in pervasive bridge domains provide reachability to IP addresses outside the bridge domain and explains how to configure them using the GUI

IPv6 Neighbor Discovery

Describes IPv6 Neighbor Discovery in Cisco ACI and explains how to configure ND policies, router advertisements, and duplicate address detection on bridge domains and Layer 3 interfaces

Microsoft NLB

Describes how Cisco ACI integrates with Microsoft Network Load Balancing (NLB), including unicast, multicast, and IGMP modes, configuration guidelines, and GUI procedures.

IGMP Snooping

Describes how IGMP snooping manages IPv4 multicast traffic in Cisco ACI and explains how to configure snooping policies, queriers, static port groups, and access groups

MLD Snooping

Describes how Cisco ACI integrates with Microsoft Network Load Balancing (NLB), including unicast, multicast, and IGMP modes, configuration guidelines, and GUI procedures

Tenant Routed Multicast

This chapter describes the configuration and implementation of IP multicast in ACI fabric environments, covering tenant routed multicast, border leaf functionality, and Protocol Independent Multicast operations.

Multi-Pod

Introduces Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure Multi-Pod architecture and guides through provisioning, configuration, and management of distributed pod deployments across multiple data center locations.

Remote Leaf Switches

Explains Cisco ACI remote leaf architecture, requirements, traffic forwarding, failover, and resiliency, and provides guidance for configuring and verifying remote leaf deployments.

SR-MPLS Handoff

Describes segment routing Multiprotocol Label Switching (SR-MPLS) handoff between Cisco ACI border leaf switches and provider-edge routers, including configuration, migration, QoS, and verification.

ACI Border Gateways

Explains VXLAN EVPN border gateway concepts and provides step-by-step guidance for configuring VXLAN infrastructure, virtual routing and forwarding stretch, and bridge domain configurations in Application Centric Infrastructure environments.

WAN and Other External Network Forwarding

Covers networking domains, route distribution mechanisms, and Layer 3 external connectivity options for integrating ACI fabric with external networks and WAN environments.

Routed cconnectivity to external networks

This document provides comprehensive configuration procedures for establishing Layer 3 connectivity between the Cisco ACI fabric and external networks. It details the implementation of L3Out policies, including the configuration of dynamic routing protocols—such as BGP, OSPF, and EIGRP—as well as static routing. The guide serves as a foundational resource for integrating the ACI fabric into broader enterprise or service provider network infrastructures, ensuring robust traffic distribution and reachability.

Node and Interface for L3Out

Explains how to configure nodes and interfaces for Layer 3 Outside (L3Out) connections. It covers defining border leaf switches, setting up routed interfaces, subinterfaces, and switched virtual interfaces (SVIs) to enable routing protocols and external connectivity. The chapter also details interface parameters such as IP addressing, VLAN encapsulation, and routing protocol settings to establish and manage external Layer 3 connections effectively. This configuration is essential for integrating the ACI fabric with external networks through L3Outs.

Routing Protocol Support

Provides the configuration framework for managing how external routing information is advertised and received within the Cisco ACI fabric. It focuses on the mechanisms used to influence path selection and ensure granular control over Layer 3 connectivity.

Route Summarization

Describes route summarization and route filtering in Cisco ACI, including L3Out external EPG and VRF-level policies for aggregating and controlling advertised prefixes

Route Control with Route Maps and Route Profiles

This chapter describes how to configure route control policies in Cisco ACI to manage, filter, and manipulate route advertisements and reception between the ACI fabric and external networks.

Route and Subnet Scope

Explains L3Out EPG scope, subnet controls, and security import policies, and provides guidance for configuring dynamic ESG and L3Out EPG classification in Cisco ACI environments.

Transit Routing

Explains how to configure transit routing in a Cisco ACI fabric. It covers enabling traffic flow between endpoints through multiple L3Outs connected to external routers using BGP and OSPF. Key configurations include tenant and VRF, leaf switch interfaces, external EPGs, route maps, filters, and contracts. The fabric acts as a transit MP-BGP domain, advertising routes between L3Outs for full IP connectivity while behaving as a stub network internally

Shared Layer3 Out

This chapter describes the configuration and management of Shared L3Outs, enabling multiple VRFs to utilize a single external Layer 3 connection to optimize resource utilization and facilitate cross-VRF communication.

QoS for L3Outs

This chapter explains how to configure and apply Quality of Service (QoS) policies to L3Out connections to prioritize traffic, manage bandwidth, and ensure service level agreement (SLA) compliance for external Layer 3 communications.

IP SLAs

Explains VXLAN EVPN border gateway concepts and provides step-by-step guidance for configuring VXLAN infrastructure, virtual routing and forwarding stretch, and bridge domain configurations in Application Centric Infrastructure environments.

HSRP

This chapter provides the configuration procedures and operational guidelines for implementing Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP) within the Cisco ACI fabric to ensure redundant default gateway services and high availability for Layer 3 external networks.

Cisco ACI GOLF

Explains Cisco ACI GOLF architecture, configuration, guidelines, and troubleshooting for scalable fabric-to-WAN connectivity using BGP EVPN over OSPF, including Multi-Site integration and EVPN Type-2 host-route distribution.

Guidelines for Layer 3 Networking

Provides key guidelines, cautions, and best practices for configuring and maintaining Cisco ACI Layer 3 Outside (L3Out) connections, covering routing, addressing, MTU, QoS, policy enforcement, and border leaf considerations