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)

Sample IPN configurations for multi-Pod for Cisco nexus 9000 series switches

Updated: April 17, 2026

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Provides sample Inter-Pod Network (IPN) configurations for multi-Pod deployments using Cisco Nexus 9000 Series switches with both OSPF and BGP underlay protocols.

For releases before Cisco APIC Release 5.2(3), the IPN underlay protocol is OSPF. Beginning with Cisco APIC Release 5.2(3), the IPN underlay protocol can be either OSPF or BGP (eBGP only).

Note

  • The deployment of a dedicated VRF in the IPN for Inter-Pod connectivity is optional, but is a best practice recommendation. You can also use a global routing domain as an alternative.

  • For the area of the sample configuration that shows ip dhcp relay address 10.0.0.1, this configuration is valid based on the assumption that the TEP pool of Pod 1 is 10.0.0.0/x.

Sample IPN configuration with OSPF underlay protocol


 
  (pod1-spine1)-----2/7[ IPN-N9K ]2/9-----(pod2-spine1)
 
 
feature dhcp
feature pim
 
service dhcp
ip dhcp relay
ip pim ssm range 232.0.0.0/8
 
# Create a new VRF for Multipod.
vrf context fabric-mpod
  ip pim rp-address 12.1.1.1 group-list 225.0.0.0/15 bidir
  ip pim rp-address 12.1.1.1 group-list 239.255.255.240/28 bidir
  ip pim ssm range 232.0.0.0/8
 
interface Ethernet2/7
  no switchport
  mtu 9150
  no shutdown
 
interface Ethernet2/7.4
  description pod1-spine1
  mtu 9150
  encapsulation dot1q 4
  vrf member fabric-mpod
  ip address 201.1.2.2/30
  ip router ospf a1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  ip dhcp relay address 10.0.0.1
  ip dhcp relay address 10.0.0.2
  ip dhcp relay address 10.0.0.3
  no shutdown
 
 
interface Ethernet2/9
  no switchport
  mtu 9150
  no shutdown
 
interface Ethernet2/9.4
  description to pod2-spine1
  mtu 9150
  encapsulation dot1q 4
  vrf member fabric-mpod
  ip address 203.1.2.2/30
  ip router ospf a1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  ip dhcp relay address 10.0.0.1
  ip dhcp relay address 10.0.0.2
  ip dhcp relay address 10.0.0.3
  no shutdown
 
interface loopback29
  vrf member fabric-mpod
  ip address 12.1.1.1/32
 
router ospf a1
  vrf fabric-mpod
    router-id 29.29.29.29

Sample IPN configuration with BGP underlay protocol

Beginning with Cisco APIC Release 5.2(3), the IPN underlay protocol can be BGP instead of OSPF. This configuration can be appended to the previous example and the OSPF configuration can be removed.



router bgp 200
  router-id 29.29.29.29
  vrf fabric-mpod
  address-family ipv4 unicast
neighbor 201.1.2.3
  remote-as 65000
  address-family ipv4 unicast
  disable-peer-as-check
neighbor 203.1.2.3
  remote-as 65000
  address-family ipv4 unicast
  disable-peer-as-check