Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN AppQoE Configuration Guide, Release 26.x and Later

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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN AppQoE Configuration Guide, Release 26.x and Later

Configure DRE

Updated: March 10, 2026

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Configure app-heavy resource allocation on devices to enable DRE optimization using the vManage CLI Add-on feature template. Configure this prerequisite and reload the device so core allocation changes take effect.

This task prepares devices to participate in DRE optimization by setting the app-heavy resource allocation profile required for DRE participation.

Use this task when deploying DRE and your devices run on UCS or USC E-Series servers and require the app-heavy resource allocation profile to support DRE optimization.

Before you begin

Cisco Catalyst 8000V instances on UCS and USC E-Series servers should be configured with the app-heavy resource allocation profile. This profile allows the Cisco Catalyst 8000V instances to participate in DRE optimization. Ensure to reload the device in order to apply the core allocation.

Follow these steps to configure DRE:

Procedure

Configure the device as app-heavy using the Cisco SD-WAN Manager CLI Add-on feature template.

Example:

Device(config)# platform resource app-heavy

After the device reloads, the app-heavy core allocation is applied and the device can participate in DRE optimization.

Upload a DRE container image to the Cisco SD-WAN Manager software repository

Upload a DRE container image to the software repository so that it can be used for deployment across Cisco 8000 platforms.

This task uses vManage to stage a DRE container image in the Software Repository, enabling centralized management and deployment on Cisco 8000 platforms.

Before you begin

Download the DRE container image from Cisco software downloads page. To download the DRE container image navigate to Catalyst 8000V Edge Software page and select IOS XE SD-WAN Software. You can use the same container image across the Cisco 8000 platform.

Follow these steps to upload a DRE container image to the software repository:

Procedure

  1. From the Cisco SD-WAN Manager menu, choose Maintenance > Software Repository.

  2. Click Virtual Images.

  3. Under Upload Virtual Image, choose Manager.

  4. Browse to the downloaded container image on your local machine, and then click Upload.

    When the upload is complete, the image appears in the Virtual Images window.

The DRE container image is uploaded and listed under Virtual Images in the Software Repository, ready for use in deployments.

What to do next

To upgrade the container image, see Upgrade Software Image on a Device.

Enable DRE optimization

Enable DRE optimization on a supported device by configuring an AppQoE feature template in vManage to optimize application traffic.

Perform this task in vManage when you want to configure AppQoE settings for devices that support DRE optimization.

Device role options determine whether the device acts as a controller with an integrated service node or as an external service node.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to enable DRE optimization:

Procedure

  1. From the Cisco SD-WAN Manager menu, choose Configuration > Templates.

  2. Click FeatureTemplates and then click Add Template.

    Note

    In Cisco vManage Release 20.7.1 and earlier releases Feature Templates is called Feature.

  3. From the Selected Devices list, choose a device that is supported for DRE.

  4. Under Other Templates, click AppQoE.

  5. Enter Template Name and Description.

  6. Choose a device role.

    • Controller: Choose Controller if you want to configure the device as a controller with an integrated service node. For devices that support an integrated service node, the Enable checkbox is available. This option is grayed out for devices that don't support the integrated service node functionality.

    • Service Node: Choose the Service Node option if you want to configure the device as an external service node. The External Service Node check box is enabled by default.

      The Service Node option is not visible if the device that you chose cannot be configured as an external service node.

  7. Under Advanced, enable DRE Optimization.

  8. (Optional) In the Resource Profile field, choose Global from the drop-down list, then choose a profile size from the options available.

    Note

    The Resource Profile field is applicable for DRE profiles. The DRE profiles feature was introduced in Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN Release 17.6.1a. Therefore, this option is not available in previous releases.

    If you don't configure the Resource Profile, the default DRE profile size for the device is applied. For more information on the default profiles, see Supported DRE Profiles.

  9. (Optional) To optimize HTTPS, FTPS, or any other encrypted traffic, enable SSL Decryption.

    Note

    If you enable SSL Decryption, you must configure an SSL/TLS decryption security policy so that the TLS service can decrypt the traffic before it is sent to the DRE container, and then encrypted again after the traffic is optimized.

  10. Click Save.

DRE optimization is enabled in the AppQoE template for the selected device. The configuration is saved, and optional resource profile and SSL decryption settings are applied if configured.

Create a security policy for SSL decryption

Create an SSL decryption security policy in Cisco Cisco SD-WAN Manager so you can enable TLS/SSL decryption for AppQoE DRE optimization.

This procedure applies if you enable SSL decryption at the time of configuring the AppQoE feature template to enable DRE optimization.

To configure certificate authority for SSL proxy, see Configure CA for SSL/TLS Proxy.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to create an SSL decryption security policy:

Procedure

  1. From the Cisco SD-WAN Manager menu, choose Configuration > Security.

  2. Click Add Security Policy.

  3. Choose Application Quality of Experience and click Proceed.

  4. Click Add TLS/SSL Decryption Policy and choose Create New.

  5. Click Enable SSL Decryption.

    Alternatively, toggle the SSL Decryption option to enable it.

  6. Enter Policy Name and other requested details.

  7. Click Save TLS/SSL Decryption Policy.

    Your new policy appears in the window.

  8. Click Next.

  9. Enter Security Policy Name and Security Policy Description.

  10. To view the CLI configuration for the policy, click Preview. Otherwise, click Save.

A TLS/SSL decryption policy is created and included in a security policy in Cisco SD-WAN Manager. The policy appears in the window, and you can preview the CLI configuration if needed.

Attach the AppQoE DRE template to a device template

Attach the AppQoE policy with DRE enabled to the device template so that the DRE configuration takes effect on the device for which you created the policy.

Use this task after creating an AppQoE policy with DRE, and apply it by associating the corresponding AppQoE template with the target device template.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to attach the AppQoE policy with DRE to the device template:

Procedure

  1. To create a new device template or update an existing one, see Create a Device Template from Feature Templates.

  2. In the Additional Templates area, for AppQoE, choose the template you created in the Configure AppQoE Template for DRE section.

The AppQoE template with DRE is attached to the device template, and the DRE configuration takes effect on the device.

What to do next

To deactivate the DRE service, detach the AppQoE template from the device template.

Create a centralized policy for TCP and DRE optimization

Create and configure a centralized data policy that applies TCP and DRE optimization actions to matched traffic in Cisco SD-WAN Manager.

Use the policy configuration wizard in Cisco SD-WAN Manager to define match conditions and actions for a data policy, then save, apply, and activate the centralized policy.

This task is relevant when you want AppQoE to optimize TCP and apply DRE for traffic flows across sites.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to create a centralized policy for TCP and DRE optimization:

Procedure

  1. From the Cisco SD-WAN Manager menu, choose Configuration > Policies.

  2. Under Centralized Policy, click Add Policy.

    Note

    For more information, see Configure Centralized Policies Using Cisco SD-WAN Manager.

  3. In the policy configuration wizard, click Next until you are on the Configure Traffic Rules window.

  4. Click Traffic Data, and then click Add Policy.

  5. Enter a name and description for your policy.

  6. Click Sequence Type and from the Add Data Policy dialog box, choose Custom.

  7. Click Add Sequence Rule.

  8. Under the Match option, you can choose any match conditions that are applicable to a data policy, such as, Source Data Prefix, Application/Application Family List, and so on.

  9. Under the Actions option, choose Accept. Choose TCP Optimization and DRE Optimization from the options.

    From Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.14.1, AppQoE clusters can handle both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic.

    Note

    Not all actions are available for all match conditions. The actions available to you depend on the match conditions you choose. For more information, see Configure Traffic Rules.

  10. Click Save Match And Actions.

  11. Click Save Data Policy.

  12. Apply the centralized data policy to the edge devices at the sites between which DRE optimization should be triggered for traffic flows.

    For more information, see Apply Policies to Sites and VPNs.

  13. Activate the centralized policy.

    For more information, see Activate a Centralized Policy.

The centralized data policy is created with TCP and DRE optimization actions, saved, applied to the relevant edge devices, and activated so that matched traffic is optimized across sites.