Cisco ACI IPN configuration

[dpatkins]

We are attempting to configure a multipod environment between our main site and a DR site.  We are going to use IPN to connect the two PODs.  I am trying to configure the Cisco 93180 YC-EX and am not well versed in NX-OS or ACI enough to do so.  

Does anyone have a document or an example configuration that we can use to configure our switches?

Thank you

[Yannick Vranckx · Accepted solution]

Hello,

You should look for Joseph Ezerski's video range on youtube for your starter information on how to setup the multipod.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9_lpG6WpKw

This should be enough to get you started, the outliners are quite easy. You should start by setting up the connectivity in the IPN first before doing any fabric changes, as the IPN will not be managed by the APIC.

You can supply the connectivity the way you want it, I used OSPF between the IPN devices. But the connection from the IPN to the Spine needs to be in OSPF and best needs to be Point 2 Point.

Once you've setup the IPN connectivity (also Multicast), you should move on to the fabric changes.

https://haystacknetworks.com/cisco-aci-multi-pod-ipn-inter-pod-network-configuration-verification

Here is another "non official" to get you started.

The challenge I faced was with the multicast environment, and the PhantomRP configuration. Although all guides talk about pointing a RP primary and secondary, you really don't need that. You should just configure the Loopbacks for multicast in a way that you can re-use the same IP on the loopback and change the subnet mask and to all point to the same RP that isn't really there (Phantom RP).

For example I used for 4 IPN switches: 192.168.2.2/30 - 192.168.2.2/29 (IPN 1 to IPN 2) and 192.168.2.2/28 - 192.168.2.2/27 (IPN 3 to IPN 4).

[pemaidana]

Hi!

We use specific switches for IPN routers when deploy our Multi Pod ACI enviroment.

So, we don´t configure on the LEAVES but just in SPINES and on the IPN routers (in our case Nexus 5K).

Please read this uselful document before you begin your implementation.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/solutions/collateral/data-center-virtualization/application-centric-infrastructure/white-paper-c11-739714.html

[Yannick Vranckx]

At this moment for multi-pod you have no other choice then to use separate switches to build the IPN, they don't need to be the best switches ever. It depends in your needs.

They do need:

- L3 Support

- Multicast PIM BiDir

- Increased MTU

In ACI multi-site I think in later versions, there will be an option to connect the spines back to back, but for multi-pod this is not the case.

[dpatkins · Accepted solution]

We have finished this project.  IPN worked fine.  Both of you provide valuable information that was used for configuration.

Thank you 

Dwane