New Features and Enhancements
Cisco Data Center Network Manager (DCNM) includes the new features, enhancements, and hardware support that are described in the following section:
New Features and Enhancements in Cisco DCNM, Release 11.1(1)
This section includes information about the new features, enhancements, and hardware support for Cisco DCNM, Release 11.1(1).
LAN Fabric Enhancements
Fabric Builder, fabric devices and fabric underlay networks
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Configuration Compliance function is enhanced to display side-by-side configuration of existing and pending configuration before deployment.
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The Save and Deploy function is added to the MSD screens.
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Upto 4 Route Reflectors are supported for BGP traffic in the VXLAN fabric.
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BIDIR-PIM is supported on Cisco's Cloud Scale Family platforms 9300-EX and 9300-FX/FX2, and software release 9.2(1) onwards.
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Changing network traffic replication mode between multicast and Ingress replication methods is possible, if no overlay profile exists for the fabric.
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Spine, Border-Spine and BGW-Spine roles are added for fabric switches.
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External IP Address Management (IPAM) support is added.
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Now Cisco Nexus 3600 is supported as a leaf, spine, or border device in the VXLAN BGP EVPN Fabric. The minimum NX-OS software version required for this functionality is 9.2(1).
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Support is added for adding and viewing policies for multiple devices.
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vPC support is added to BGWs in MSD and standalone fabrics.
Brownfield Migration
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Transitioning an existing VXLAN fabric management to DCNM is supported. For more information, see the Brownfield Deployment—Transitioning VXLAN Fabric Management to DCNM.
Topology improvements
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Enhancements are made to topology views. The MSD fabric displays member fabrics and how they are connected. The fabrics are demarcated by boundaries and labelled for identification.
Interfaces
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Add and edit port channel, vPC, subinterface, and loopback interfaces for external fabric devices.
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Cisco DCNM 11.1(1) specific template enhancements are made for interfaces.
Overlay Network/VRF provisioning
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Network and VRF settings can be edited after creation.
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Support is added to export network and VRF information to a .CSV file. Also, new networks can be added in a .CSV file and imported to DCNM, thereby creating new networks.
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Networks and VRFs deployment can be done at the MSD level.
IFCs
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Intra-fabric links can be added in a VXLAN fabric, in addition to inter-fabric links.
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Addition of IFCs function is moved to the fabric topology screen within the Fabric Builder, in a tabular screen. This is applicable for MSD and standalone fabrics.
External Fabric
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Switches can be added to the external fabric. Inter-Fabric Connections (IFCs) can be created to/from an external fabric border switch. Policy templates are provided for provisioning external fabric switches.
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Cisco 9000, 7000 and 5600 Series switches can be added as destination switches in the external fabric.
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An external fabric can be moved under and depicted in an MSD fabric.
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A neighbor switch can be moved to an external fabric.
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Edge Router and Core Router roles are added to external fabric devices.
The Multi Site Manager function is available for the LAN Fabric DCNM deployment. Using Multi Site Manager, the health of a Cisco DCNM server application can be viewed and switch information for switches in local and remote sites retrieved.
EPL uses Elasticsearch release 5.6.7 and Kibana release 5.6.7. With this update, EPL interfaces with the existing AFW Elasticsearch.
Core Router and Edge Router Roles
Starting from DCNM 11.1(1), use the Core Router role to set up a multisite eBGP underlay from a Border Gateway device to a Core Router and use the Edge Router role to set up a VRF-lite Inter-Fabric Connection (IFC) from a Border device to an Edge device. The Core Router and Edge Router roles are available only in the External_Fabric template.
Restore Fabric
Cisco DCNM 11.1(1) supports fabric-level backup and restore in the Easy Fabric deployment. However, you can restore the settings only after enabling the backup for the fabric.
LAN Telemetry
Cisco DCNM 11.1(1) provides a preview functionality of DCNM LAN telemetry, where you will be able to see information about BGP, OSPF, ISIS sessions, environmental data, transceiver, VPC, interface, VRF/VLAN/VNI along with anomaly detection etc. available via streaming telemetry.
Smart License Support
From Cisco DCNM Release 11.1(1), you can use Smart License feature to manage the licenses at device-level and renew them if required. Choose Administration > DCNM Server > License > Smart License in Cisco DCNM user interface to view this feature. Using this feature, you can enable, disable, and renew authorization. To use this feature, you need a smart account. For more information about this feature, see the Cisco DCNM licensing guide.
Cisco DCNM 11.1(1) supports site registration and capable to assign smart/server based DCNM license.
For a more detailed overview on Cisco Licensing, go to cisco.com/go/licensingguide.
Template Enhancements
You can customize the template content using Template Content Editor. You can also select a theme, editor mode, and the font size through Template Editor Setting.
Slow Drain Analysis
You can visualize the slow drain of switches and links as topologies when you view the slow drain results for a selected fabric. This helps in locating the device with issues and the slow drain source.
SAN Insight Enhancements
In this release the SAN Insights functionality has been enhanced to provide capability to configure San Insight in port sampling mode, improve web client chart data load performance.
VMM Enhancements
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You can select the columns to display in the VM list table (Topology > VM List). If you select additional columns, you need to click the resync button to see the updated values. The following new columns are added in VM List table, and the columns are selectable:
IP Addresses , Mac Address, Resource Pool, Cluster, Data Center, VCenter
Switch Role Change
Starting from DCNM 11.1(1), you can change switch roles if there are no overlays on the switches. The updated configuration is generated after save and deploy.
Upgrade from Older Releases
Cisco DCNM 11.1(1) allows you to upgrade from the older releases of Cisco DCNM to Cisco DCNM 11.1(1). For the complete list of the Cisco DCNM releases that you upgrade, see the Cisco DCNM Install and Upgrade Guides.
Support for New Hardware
The following is a list of new hardware supported in Cisco DCNM Release 11.1(1).
Product/Component |
Part Number |
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32P 40/100G QSFP28, 2P 1/10G SFP |
N9K-C9332C |
1RU 32 Port QSFP28 10/25/40/50/100 Gbps |
N3K-C3132C-Z |
1 RU 48 x SFP+/SFP28 and 6 x QSFP+/QSFP28 |
N3K-C34180YC |
1 RU 48x1/10GT + 6x40G/100G Ethernet Ports |
N9K-C93180TC-FX |
Cisco Nexus 7700 F4 40G Line card |
Cisco Nexus 7700 F4 40G Line card |
Product/Component |
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Seastone DX010—36x40/100G QSFP28 Ethernet Module |
Celestica Redstone TOR—D2062—48x10G and 6x40G Ethernet Module |
Edgecore—7312-54X-O-AC-B |
Supported Switch Version for NFM Migration
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The NFM Fabric Template has been deprecated in this release.
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New NFM > DCNM migrations are supported through the Brownfield Deployments.
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Existing fabrics using the NFM Fabric Template in Cisco DCNM 11.0(1) will be supported with the same level of functionality in Cisco DCNM 11.1(1) after the upgrade.
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Existing NFM fabrics in Cisco DCNM 10.4(2) will be supported with the Easy Fabric Template in DCNM 11.1 after the upgrade.
For information about the supported switch version for NFM migration, see the Cisco DCNM Compatibility Matrix, Release 11.1(1).
Support for Cisco NX-OS Release 8.3(2)
Cisco DCNM 11.1(1) supports Cisco NX-OS Release 8.3(2). For more information about the supported software versions, see the Cisco DCNM Compatibility Matrix, Release 11.1(1).