08-10-2020 06:45 AM
Hi
Can someone please help me with understanding the 2 docs on configuring HIF on FEX linked below?
This one refers to FEX Card -
https://community.cisco.com/t5/data-center-documents/configuration-of-fex-with-aci/ta-p/3146243
No mention of FEX card -
The first one - with FEX card - doesn't work for me. Second method does work.
Just trying to understand what's the difference and which one is valid.
Thank you
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08-10-2020 02:11 PM - edited 08-10-2020 02:12 PM
Hi @omz ,
Both your references use that horrible Wizard thing that I've never understood. It confused me greatly when I first started with ACI and refused to use it ever since.
So I'm NOT going to tell you why one document works and the other doesn't. I don't like either. I prefer to work in concepts.
The first concept is my favourite trade-marked term: The Access Policy Chain
The Access Policy Chain normally goes like this:
But when you put a FEX in the picture, you have to break one of the links in the chain and join in the FEX between the Interface Selector of one Interface Profile (accportprof), and join in a different and slightly special Interface Profile (fexprof). The fexprof class FEX Profile also has interface selectors that you use to link to Interface Policy Groups to complete the chain.
If you have this concept under you belt, forget the Cisco documentation and just build the Chain. The naming convention I'm using is going to assume that the FEX Profile will be attached to leaf switch 1202 on ports 6-7 and be assigned a FEX ID of 102.
Under Fabric > Access Policies > Interfaces > Leaf Interfaces > Profiles >+ Create FEX Profile
Name: L1202.102_FEX.Prof
Click Submit
Great, you now have you FEX Profile, but it is pretty useless until it is connected to a parent Interface Profile.
Now navigate to the Interface Profile of the parent leaf – in my example leaf 1202. I hope you have only ONE Interface Profile that is used for leaf 1202 and a good name for it would be L1202_IntProf. In my example below, my naming convention reflects the fact that the FEX is connected to ports 6 & 7 of leaf 1202.
Under Fabric > Access Policies > Interfaces > Leaf Interfaces > Profiles > L1202_IntProf >+ Create Access Port Selector
Name: 1:6..7_FEX
Interface IDs: 1/6-7
Connected to Fex: [x] Checked
FEX Profile: L1202.102_FEX.Prof
FEX ID: 102
Now you can add interface selectors to your L1202.102_FEX.Prof and link them with appropriate Interface Policy Groups
I hope this helps
Don't forget to mark answers as correct if it solves your problem. This helps others find the correct answer if they search for the same problem
08-10-2020 02:11 PM - edited 08-10-2020 02:12 PM
Hi @omz ,
Both your references use that horrible Wizard thing that I've never understood. It confused me greatly when I first started with ACI and refused to use it ever since.
So I'm NOT going to tell you why one document works and the other doesn't. I don't like either. I prefer to work in concepts.
The first concept is my favourite trade-marked term: The Access Policy Chain
The Access Policy Chain normally goes like this:
But when you put a FEX in the picture, you have to break one of the links in the chain and join in the FEX between the Interface Selector of one Interface Profile (accportprof), and join in a different and slightly special Interface Profile (fexprof). The fexprof class FEX Profile also has interface selectors that you use to link to Interface Policy Groups to complete the chain.
If you have this concept under you belt, forget the Cisco documentation and just build the Chain. The naming convention I'm using is going to assume that the FEX Profile will be attached to leaf switch 1202 on ports 6-7 and be assigned a FEX ID of 102.
Under Fabric > Access Policies > Interfaces > Leaf Interfaces > Profiles >+ Create FEX Profile
Name: L1202.102_FEX.Prof
Click Submit
Great, you now have you FEX Profile, but it is pretty useless until it is connected to a parent Interface Profile.
Now navigate to the Interface Profile of the parent leaf – in my example leaf 1202. I hope you have only ONE Interface Profile that is used for leaf 1202 and a good name for it would be L1202_IntProf. In my example below, my naming convention reflects the fact that the FEX is connected to ports 6 & 7 of leaf 1202.
Under Fabric > Access Policies > Interfaces > Leaf Interfaces > Profiles > L1202_IntProf >+ Create Access Port Selector
Name: 1:6..7_FEX
Interface IDs: 1/6-7
Connected to Fex: [x] Checked
FEX Profile: L1202.102_FEX.Prof
FEX ID: 102
Now you can add interface selectors to your L1202.102_FEX.Prof and link them with appropriate Interface Policy Groups
I hope this helps
Don't forget to mark answers as correct if it solves your problem. This helps others find the correct answer if they search for the same problem
08-11-2020 01:00 AM
Hi @RedNectar
Thank you so much for this explanation.
Whatever ACI I have understood so far.. is from your blog posts :) .. your explanation is the best!
Thanks again
omz
08-11-2020 01:21 AM
No Problem. hope it helps others too
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