Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Network Topology, Releases 26.x and Later

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Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Network Topology, Releases 26.x and Later

Configure a Hub-and-Spoke topology

Updated: September 28, 2026

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Explains how to implement a centralized network model by enabling specific controller settings and assigning router roles. This task guides you through configuring transport gateways and defining site types to achieve an organized topology that simplifies management and reduces peer requirements.

To provide a high-level overview and guide users through the complete process of setting up a hub-and-spoke topology using simplified configuration methods.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to configure a hub-and-spoke topology:

Procedure

  1. Configure a Cisco SD-WAN Controller to enable Hub-and-Spoke using Cisco SD-WAN Manager. For more information, see Configure a Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller to enable Hub-and-Spoke using Cisco SD-WAN Manager.

  2. Configure a Cisco SD-WAN Controller to enable Hub-and-Spoke using a CLI Template. For more information, see Configure a Cisco SD-WAN Controller to enable Hub-and-Spoke using a CLI template.

  3. Configure a Router as a Transport Gateway, for Hub-and-Spoke. Hub-and-spoke configuration makes use of site types and transport gateways. See the following procedures in the transport gateway documentation:

    Configure a router as a transport gateway using Cisco SD-WAN Manager
    Configure a router as a transport gateway using a CLI template

  4. Configure the Site Type for a Router, for Hub-and-Spoke. Hub-and-spoke configuration makes use of site types and transport gateways. See the following procedures in the transport gateway documentation:

    Configure the site type for a router using Cisco SD-WAN Manager
    Configure the site type for a router using a CLI template

Configure a Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Controller to enable Hub-and-Spoke using Cisco SD-WAN Manager

Use this procedure to enable the simplified hub-and-spoke topology configuration method on your Cisco SD-WAN Controller via the Cisco SD-WAN Manager graphical user interface.

This configuration is a foundational step for implementing the simplified hub-and-spoke topology in your Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN environment. It prepares the controllers to filter and advertise TLOC and route information appropriately for hub and spoke devices.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to enable hub-and-spoke configuration on your Cisco SD-WAN Controller:

Procedure

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

  2. Click Feature Templates.

  3. Do one of the following:

    1. To create a new System template for Cisco SD-WAN Controllers, click Add Template, choose Controller, and click System.
    2. To edit an existing Cisco SD-WAN Controller System template, locate a template of type Controller System in the table of existing feature templates, click … adjacent to the template, and choose Edit.

  4. In the Topology field, choose Hub and Spoke.

  5. Click Save if creating a new template, or Update if editing an existing template.

The Cisco SD-WAN Controller is now configured to enable the hub-and-spoke topology, allowing for the simplified configuration of hub and spoke routers in the network.

Configure a Cisco SD-WAN Controller to enable Hub-and-Spoke using a CLI template

Use this procedure to enable the simplified hub-and-spoke topology configuration method on your Cisco SD-WAN Controllers by applying a CLI template.

This method provides an alternative to using Cisco SD-WAN Manager for enabling hub-and-spoke functionality on controllers. It is suitable for automated deployments or when direct CLI configuration is preferred. For more information about using CLI templates, see CLI Add-On Feature Templates and CLI Templates. By default, CLI templates execute commands in global configuration mode.

Before you begin

Follow these steps to enable hub-and-spoke configuration on your Cisco SD-WAN Controller using a CLI template:

Procedure

  1. Enter system configuration mode.

    system

  2. Enable a hub-and-spoke topology.

    topology hub-and-spoke enable
    Note

    To disable hub-and-spoke functionality, use the no form of the command.

    Example

    The following example shows how to enable the hub-and-spoke topology:

    system
topology hub-and-spoke enable

The Cisco SD-WAN Controller is now configured to enable the hub-and-spoke topology via the CLI template, allowing for the simplified configuration of hub and spoke routers in the network.

Configure a router as a transport gateway using Cisco SD-WAN Manager

Procedure

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

  2. Click Feature Templates.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • To create a new System template, click Add Template, choose a device type, and click Cisco System.

    • To edit an existing System template, locate a System template in the table of existing feature templates, click … adjacent to the template, and choose Edit.

  4. In Basic Configuration, in the Transport Gateway field, choose On.

  5. Click Save if creating a new template, or Update if editing an existing template.

Configure a router as a transport gateway using a CLI template

Before you begin

By default, CLI templates execute commands in global configuration mode.

For more information about using CLI templates, see CLI Add-On Feature Templates and CLI Templates.

Procedure

  1. Enter system configuration mode.

    system

  2. Enable transport gateway functionality.

    transport-gateway enable
    Note

    To disable transport gateway functionality, use the no form of the command.

system
  transport-gateway enable

Configure the site type for a router using Cisco SD-WAN Manager

Procedure

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

  2. Click Feature Templates.

  3. Do one of the following:

    • To create a new System template, click Add Template, choose a device type, and click Cisco System.
    • To edit an existing System template, locate a System template in the table of existing feature templates, click … adjacent to the template, and choose Edit.

  4. In Basic Configuration, click Site Type and choose a type from the drop-down list .

  5. Click Save if creating a new template, or Update if editing an existing template.

Configure the site type for a router using a CLI template

Before you begin

By default, CLI templates execute commands in global configuration mode.

For more information about using CLI templates, see CLI Add-On Feature Templates and CLI Templates.

Procedure

  1. Enter system configuration mode.

    system

  2. Configure up to four site types for the router. Possible values are br, branch, cloud, spoke, type-1, type-2, and type-3.

    site-type site-type
    Note

    To disable transport gateway functionality, use the no form of the command.

    Example:

    The following example configures a router site type as cloud:

    system
  site-type cloud

    The following example configure a router with site types cloud and branch:

    system
  site-type cloud branch