Once you've read and understood the requirements, you can install Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Virtual Pod (vPod). This section provides a high-level overview of the installation process and provides links to the Cisco ACI Virtual Pod Installation Guide and other resources that provide instruction and information.

1. Fulfill all prerequisites, which include tasks in the Cisco APIC and VMware vCenter.

   See the section Preparation for Installing and Using Cisco ACI vPod in this guide and the section "Prerequisites for Installing Cisco ACI vPod" in the Cisco ACI Virtual Pod Installation Guide.

2. Using Cisco APIC, prepare a physical pod in the on-premises data center to communicate with the Cisco ACI vPod in the remote site over an interpod network (IPN).

   Preparation includes defining a tunnel endpoint (TEP), and configuring Border Gateway Protocol (BGP), a Layer 3 outside connection, and Open Shortest Path First (OSPF). Also make sure that the physical pod or all the physical pods in a multipod setup have external TEP pools configured.

   See the sections "Preparing the Physical Pod IPN Connectivity" and Configuring Routable Subnets for Physical Pods" in the Cisco ACI Virtual Pod Installation Guide..

3. Using Cisco APIC, create a Cisco ACI Virtual Edge VMM domain.

   See the section "vCenter Domain, Interface, and Switch Profile Creation" in the Installation chapter of the Cisco ACI Virtual Pod Installation Guide..

4. Using Cisco APIC, add the Cisco ACI vPod.

   This task includes defining the virtual spine (vSpine) and virtual leaf (vLeaf) virtual machines (VMs)—one vSpine VM and one vLeaf VM for each node where you will deploy Cisco ACI vPod.

   See the section "Adding the Cisco ACI vPod" in the Cisco ACI Virtual Pod Installation Guide..

5. Download the Cisco ACI vPod and Cisco ACI Virtual Edge OVF files from Cisco.com and then upload them to the VMware vCenter content library.

   The Cisco ACI vPod OVF file contains the vSpine and vLeaf. The Cisco ACI Virtual Edge OVF file contains the Cisco ACI Virtual Edge image.

   See the sections "Uploading the Cisco ACI vPod OVF File to the VMware vCenter Content Library" and "Upload the Cisco ACI Virtual Edge VM OVF File to the VMware vCenter Content Library" in the Cisco ACI Virtual Pod Installation Guide..

6. In VMware vCenter, deploy the Cisco ACI vPod vSpine and vLeaf VMs on the ESXi hosts.

   See the section "Deploying Cisco ACI vPod VMs on the ESXi Hosts Using the Cisco ACI vCenter Plug-In" in the Cisco ACI Virtual Pod Installation Guide.

7. Install the Cisco ACI Virtual Edge, making sure to enable it in vPod mode and choose the Cisco ACI vPod that you want it to be part of.

   See the chapter "Cisco ACI Virtual Edge Installation" in the Cisco ACI Virtual Edge Installation Guide.

8. Perform postinstallation configuration tasks for Cisco ACI Virtual Edge.

   • Deploy an application profile, which includes creating a tenant, application profile, endpoint groups (EPGs), filters, and contracts. It also includes assigning port groups to VMs. Then verify the application profile.S ee the Cisco APIC Basic Configuration Guide for instructions.

   • If you want to use Distributed Firewall, enable it after installation. See the chapter "Distributed Firewall" in the Cisco ACI Virtual Edge Configuration Guide for instructions.