what are the prechecks required for spine switch replacement in ACI.

[ashishkumar01896]

I am plaining for spine switch replacement in ACI fabric and want to know what are the prechecks are required before replacing the spine switch ?

also, How to be retained polices on the existing ports SPINE ?  and how to validate the traffic on the SPINE-1 and SPINE-2 Switches in ACI fabric ?

[AshSe · Accepted solution]

Hey @ashishkumar01896 

Replacing a spine switch in an ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) fabric is a critical task that requires careful planning and execution to ensure minimal disruption to the network. Here are the prechecks and steps you should follow:

Prechecks Before Replacing the Spine Switch

1. Backup Configuration:

   • Ensure you have a recent backup of the ACI fabric configuration. This includes the APIC (Application Policy Infrastructure Controller) configuration and any specific configurations related to the spine switch.

2. Check Fabric Health:

   • Verify the overall health of the ACI fabric using the APIC GUI or CLI. Ensure there are no critical faults or issues that could impact the replacement process.

3. Check Spine Switch Health:

   • Check the health of the spine switch you are planning to replace. Look for any hardware issues, software bugs, or other anomalies.

4. Review Fabric Topology:

   • Understand the current fabric topology and the role of the spine switch within it. Ensure that the remaining spine switches can handle the traffic load during the replacement process.

5. Plan Maintenance Window:

   • Schedule a maintenance window during a low-traffic period to minimize the impact on the network.

6. Notify Stakeholders:

   • Inform all relevant stakeholders about the planned maintenance and potential impact on the network.

Retaining Policies on Existing Ports

ACI fabric policies are typically applied at the APIC level and are pushed to the switches. When replacing a spine switch, the policies should be automatically re-applied to the new switch once it joins the fabric. However, to ensure a smooth transition:

1. Document Existing Policies:

   • Document all policies applied to the existing spine switch ports. This includes VLANs, access policies, and any other relevant configurations.

2. Verify Policy Application:

   • After the new spine switch is added to the fabric, verify that the policies are correctly applied to the corresponding ports.

Validating Traffic on SPINE-1 and SPINE-2 Switches

1. Monitor Traffic Before Replacement:

   • Use the APIC to monitor traffic on SPINE-1 and SPINE-2 before starting the replacement. This will give you a baseline to compare against after the replacement.

2. Use SPAN or ERSPAN:

   • Configure SPAN (Switched Port Analyzer) or ERSPAN (Encapsulated Remote SPAN) sessions to capture and analyze traffic on the spine switches.

3. Check Interface Statistics:

   • Use the CLI or APIC GUI to check interface statistics on SPINE-1 and SPINE-2. Look for any anomalies or unexpected drops in traffic.

4. Validate Traffic Post-Replacement:

   • After replacing the spine switch, validate that traffic is flowing as expected. Compare the post-replacement traffic statistics with the baseline you captured earlier.

5. Use ACI Health Scores:

   • Check the ACI health scores for the spine switches and the overall fabric. Ensure that there are no new faults or issues introduced by the replacement.

Steps to Replace the Spine Switch

1. Graceful Shutdown:

   • Gracefully shut down the spine switch you are replacing. Ensure that traffic is rerouted through other spine switches.

2. Physical Replacement:

   • Physically replace the spine switch with the new hardware.

3. Join New Spine to Fabric:

   • Power on the new spine switch and follow the steps to join it to the ACI fabric. This typically involves connecting it to the leaf switches and ensuring it is discovered and registered by the APIC.

4. Verify Configuration:

   • Verify that the new spine switch has received the correct configuration and policies from the APIC.

5. Monitor and Validate:

   • Monitor the new spine switch and validate that traffic is flowing correctly. Check for any faults or issues.

By following these prechecks and steps, you can ensure a smooth and successful replacement of the spine switch in your ACI fabric.

Hope This Helps!!!

AshSe

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