Need advice for ACI multisite spine/leaf names

[Fairytale16]

Hi Everyone,

I'm deploying the MultiSite ACI for one of the customers.

The cusomer has a naming standard.

I'm a bit confused about choosing the names for the spines and leafs.

I have 2 sites: Ballarat and Midland

From the management perspective I tend to name them

Ballarat: BASpine10x/BALeaf20x

Midland: MISpine10x/MILeaf20x

However, according to the standard they might look like: BAPRDSW01.

I can see 2 ways to make things easier for management:

1. Use the simplified method and raise an exclusion from the standard.

2. Edit the standard and make naming smth like BAPRDLF20x

I wonder if anybody can share the experience.

P. S. I'm also woried about length/readability of the policies names if I choose 2nd option.

[RedNectar · Accepted solution]

Hi @Fairytale16 ,

[Disclaimer: This is just my 2c opinion]

Firstly, I'd concentrate more on numbering than names, so that one site has node numbers 1xxx and the other site 2xxx

[Unfortunately this method works only for a few sites as the maximum node ID you can have is 4000]

Try to avoid using SW in the name - stick with SP (Spine) or LF (Leaf) - especially avoid using SW in a name for a Spine because that makes it look like an ordinary switch.

So at Ballarat (Assuming that is the primary site), use:

Node	Number	Name
1st Spine	1101	BAPRD1101 or BAPRDSP1101
2nd Spine	1102	BAPRD1102 or BAPRDSP1102
nnth Spine	11nn	BAPRD11nn or BAPRDSP11nn
1st Leaf	1201	BAPRD1201 or BAPRDLF1201
2nd Leaf	1202	BAPRD1202 or BAPRDLF1202
nnth Leaf	12nn	BAPRD12nn or BAPRDLF12nn

and for Midland:

Node	Number	Name
1st Spine	2101	MIPRD2101 or MIPRDSP2101
2nd Spine	2102	MIPRD2102 or MIPRDSP2102
nnth Spine	21nn	MIPRD21nn or MIPRDSP21nn
1st Leaf	2201	MIPRD2201 or MIPRDLF2201
2nd Leaf	2202	MIPRD2202 or MIPRDLF2202
nnth Leaf	22nn	MIPRD22nn or MIPRDLF22nn

I get the problem of readability - and PERSONALLY I like dividers.  I've tried to stick with your customer's naming std more or less above, but if I owned it, I'd want

BaPrd1101 or BaPrdSp1101 rather than BAPRD1101 or BAPRDSP1101

Or maybe BA.PRD.1101 or BA.PRD.SP1101 - but then length of name starts being a problem

[M02@rt37]

Hello @Fairytale16,

According to your standard.

--Ballarat Site:

Spine: BAPRDSWxx (e.g., BAPRDSW01, BAPRDSW02)

Leaf: BAPRDLFxx (e.g., BAPRDLF01, BAPRDLF02)

--Midland Site:

Spine: MIPRDSWxx (e.g., MIPRDSW01, MIPRDSW02)

Leaf: MIPRDLFxx (e.g., MIPRDLF01, MIPRDLF02)

You use a common abreviation for Spine (SW) and Leaf (LF) to simplify the names and differentiate between the two types of devices.

[Fairytale16]

RedNectar and M02@rt37 thank you very much for your input and advice.

The sites won't be too large 2xSpines, 4-6xLeafs. But there might be several of these in the future.

I will see If BAPrdSp101 type of naming can be approved.

[M02@rt37]

You're welcome @Fairytale16