Cisco Nexus Hyperfabric - Cisco Nexus Hyperfabric — Fabric Reference Points

Fabric Reference Points

Fabric Reference Points compares two fabric snapshots to identify changes. A snapshot is a capture of the fabric's operational telemetry and assertion states at a specific time.

You can promote a snapshot to a baseline to create a reference state. Comparing subsequent snapshots against this baseline identifies deviations.

Change metric types

When you compare a snapshot against a baseline, the system categorizes these types of changes.

Added: Elements present in the current snapshot but not in the baseline.
Removed: Elements present in the baseline but not in the current snapshot.
Modified: Elements present in both snapshots that have different values or states.

Supported data types

The system compares these two categories of data.

System states: Operational telemetry, such as device resource usage and management port configurations.
Assertions: Health and configuration rules, such as port link status, device temperature, and port speed consistency.

Create and promote a baseline snapshot

Use this procedure to establish a baseline. The baseline serves as a reference point to measure changes in your fabric's operational health. Capturing a snapshot when your network is functioning as intended creates an anchor for all future comparisons.

Step 1	Navigate to the Reference points tool. Choose Fabrics, then select the fabric that you want to analyze. Select Reference points.
Step 2	If a current snapshot exists, you can select Delete to remove the existing snapshot, or select Promote to set the existing snapshot as the current baseline state.
Step 3	Select Capture to record the current fabric operational state. The date and time of the snapshot appears in the Current area.
Step 4	Select Promote to set the snapshot as a baseline reference point for future comparisons. The date and time of the snapshot disappears from the Current area and appears in the Baseline area.

Compare snapshots

Use this procedure to identify operational deviations in your fabric by comparing the saved baseline snapshot against the current system state. Comparing snapshots helps you troubleshoot instability, verify configuration changes, and identify drift from your established baseline.

When network performance degrades or behavior changes, comparing your current operational state against a baseline helps you identify the cause.

Ensure a baseline reference point exists.

Step 1	Navigate to Reference points. Choose Fabrics, then select the fabric that you want to analyze. Select Reference points.
Step 2	If a snapshot exists in the Current area, you can select Delete to remove the existing snapshot, or select Promote to set the existing snapshot a baseline.
Step 3	In the Current area, select Capture.
Step 4	Review the change summary. The system displays a color-coded summary of differences, allowing you to pinpoint system state or assertion-based changes since the baseline was captured. Scroll through the Reference Point Summary to inspect specific changes. Examine the high-level metrics: View the number of added, removed, and modified elements. Identify element status: Check the status indicators next to each system state or assertion type item.
Step 5	Analyze the detailed differences. Select Data types. Note Check the system state and assertion type check boxes that you want to view details for. Close the Data Type Categories drawer. The data comparison of the baseline value versus the current value is displayed. Choose whether you want to view the detailed data side-by-side or stacked. Select Diff to view the raw JSON comparison for advanced troubleshooting.