ACI Simulator Installation

[mateja.jovanovic]

So I downloaded the ACI Simulator. It´s been available to partners since 10th of Feb.2015. Here is the link if you havent found it yet.

Does anyone know the limitations, can I install it in a home environment? I´ve seen it requires the UCS C220 M3... 

[mtimm]

Hello,

The ACI simulator is a hardware/software based product with it's own PID, i.e. you will not have success by installing this into anything but the APIC-SIM-S product.

See table 3 here:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/cloud-systems-management/application-centric-infrastructure-simulator/datasheet-c78-733252.html

The release notes cover the limitations:

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/aci/apic/sw/1-x/release/notes/aci_simulator103_rn.html#pgfId-53249

Thanks,

Mike

Edit:  Make URL's actually link to the pages.

[mateja.jovanovic]

Not really, because now you can download the ISO of this simulator and yes, you need to deploy it on the UCS as an ISO... :( It´s the answer I got from Cisco.

I am not 100% sure on the hardware requirements or some limitation but I am researching it for you. Currently, i can provide you these links to get started:

Release notes for ACI 1.0(2j) Simulator image: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/aci/apic/sw/1-x/release/notes/aci_simulator102_rn.html

Installing the ACI Simulator Software: http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/aci/apic/sw/1-x/simulator/getting-started/b_ACI_Simulator_Getting_Started_Guide/b_APIC_Simulator_Getting_Started_Guide_chapter_010.html

Simulator Getting Started Guide: 

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/aci/apic/sw/1-x/simulator/getting-started/b_ACI_Simulator_Getting_Started_Guide/b_APIC_Simulator_Getting_Started_Guide_preface_00.html

Hope this helps :)

[mtimm · Accepted solution]

Hi Mateja,

I work for Cisco in our ACI solutions support team (TAC).  In the lab I have attempted to install the ISO on a UCS C220-M3 that was not properly programmed with the correct PID and the simulator software did not work.  Errors in the logs were:

6698||14-12-10 10:06:53.485+00:00||proc_app||DBG4||||Simulator is running in baremetal, performing PID Check||../common/src/ifcutils/ifc_pid_check.cc||37
16698||14-12-10 10:06:53.489+00:00||proc_app||ERROR||||Failed to find matching system-product-name||../common/src/ifcutils/ifc_pid_check.cc||97
16698||14-12-10 10:06:53.490+00:00||log||CRIT||||UNCONDITIONAL ASSERT (NOT REACHED!) (0) failed @ ../svc/appliancedirector/src/gen/ifc/mains/./Svc.cc:36
||../common/src/osiris/./core/log/LegacyApi.cc||232
-- Traceback --
[0] /mgmt/usr/lib64/libosiris.so : core_log::TracePrinter::~TracePrinter()+0x2de [0x7fd3ca75f774]
[1] /mgmt/usr/lib64/libosiris.so : core_log::logPrintfRaw(char const*)+0x20b [0x7fd3ca76264b]
[2] /mgmt/usr/lib64/libosiris.so : error::assert_failed(char const*, ...)+0xf4 [0x7fd3ca74f044]
[3] /lib64/libc.so.6 : exit+0xe2 [0x7fd3c2c95de2]
[4] /mgmt/usr/lib64/libifcutils.so : ifcutils::BiosUtils::ApicPidCheck(bool)+0x20e6 [0x7fd3c379c766]
[5] /mgmt/usr/lib64/libsvc_ifc_appliancedirector.so : ifc_appliancedirector::Svc::init(int, char**, unsigned short)+0x9f0 [0x7fd3cb319460]
[6] svc_ifc_appliancedirector.bin : main+0xde [0x7fd3cb7f0a9e]
[7] /lib64/libc.so.6 : __libc_start_main+0xfd [0x7fd3c2c7ecdd]
[8] svc_ifc_appliancedirector.bin : +0x78e9 [0x7fd3cb7f08e9]

Again - you *MUST* use a server sold with the PID APIC-SIM-S.  Bare metal C220-M3 servers are not supported.  Feel free to send me a private message of who at Cisco said it could be deployed on "UCS" and I will follow-up to make sure the hardware requirements are clear.

Thanks,

Mike

[mateja.jovanovic]

Thanks Mike.

I´ll send you a PM with the details.

[Update: Seems that I can´t send you a PM, could you send me one and I´ll reply with the info you asked?]

On the other hand - I don´t really get why is there even ACI .iso Simulator available for partner download if we can´t use it... because if  we get the APIC-SIM-S, we don´t even need the .iso.

Cheers

[Robert Burns · Accepted solution]

The iso is used to upgrade the APIC Sim.  Yes, it comes pre-installed on the HW, but we do occasionally upgrade the APIC Sim software. 

Robert

[mateja.jovanovic]

Ok, now it makes sense... thanks for the clarification.

Too bad... I was really looking forward to testing the OpenStack integration without asking for the 15k additional investment from the financial guys :)

[Robert Burns]

There is an ACI & Openstack Integration demo lab on dCloud.  Ask your local account team - they should be able to give you access so you can run through the Openstack integration and get a sense how to implement & use it.

Robert

[DanilZhig]

Hello,

I've stumbled upon this topic while trying to find out more about ACI simulator. Are there any changes in this respect? Last message is 2 years ago, maybe now it is possible to install it on any server. Or is it still tightly coupled with server?

Thanks!

Best regards,

Danil

[Tomas de Leon]

Daniel,

The Cisco ACI Simulator is a physical appliance that provides a simulated Cisco ACI environment.

You can find more information in the like provided for the Data Sheet for the Cisco ACI APIC Simulator.

http://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/cloud-systems-management/application-centric-infrastructure-simulator/datasheet-c78-733252.html

Cheers!

T.

[mateja.jovanovic]

If anyone else is facing the similar problem, note that I got am email from Cisco stating the following:

You have to run the simulator on the UCS hardware.

Not what I was hoping for, but... oh well, we might just be getting an UCS for our demo center... 

[mtimm]

Not just UCS hardware which could potentially mean many different products.  The requirement is the following product:  APIC-SIM-S