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

Cisco Floating L3Outs

Updated: April 17, 2026

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Explains how floating L3Outs provide external routing connectivity without requiring static logical interface paths, allowing connectivity to follow virtual machines between hosts.

A floating L3Out provides external Layer 3 connectivity without requiring you to specify a static logical interface path to an external network device.

Reduces the number of L3Out logical interfaces that you must configure.
Maintains routing connectivity when a virtual machine moves between hosts.
Supports VMware vSphere Distributed Switch VMM domains and physical domains.

Floating L3Out Support

Floating L3Out support was introduced in the following Cisco ACI releases:

Cisco ACI Release 4.2(1) introduced floating L3Outs for VMware vSphere Distributed Switch VMM domains.
Cisco ACI Release 5.0(1) added support for physical domains, simplifying physical router deployments.

For more information, see Using Floating L3Out to Simplify Outside Network Connections .

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