ACI configuration import and export

[gapfriend]

Hi Guys,

I have few contracts configure on production site ACI and like to replicate same on DR site ACi. I found the option to export configuration to the PC. how do I import to ACI? I don't see similar option for import under contract like I see export option.

Thanks for your help in advance.  

[Sergiu.Daniluk]

Hi,

If you want to import specific object configuration, you need that object to exist first, and then you can right click that object and select Post.

For example, you want to copy the config of Tenant-Blue from ACI fabric-1 to ACI fabric-2.

1. You save the config to a file (right click on the tenant, save full config, all subtree).

2. Create the tenant Tenant-Blue in fabric-2, right click on it, Post.. and select the saved config.

OR

You use Multi-Site Orchestrator, and it will make your life much easier.

Hope it helps,

Sergiu

[Don2001L]

Hello, 

I am looking for a way to Export ( for comparison)   / Validate configs for the ACI environment like we do for the IOS environment eg: show run  / write net ...
There are *similar* command in the docs but they seem to focus on exporting a subset of the config:

dev4-ifc1(config-leaf-if)# export-config /tmp/showRunnLeaf101.txt

And not the entire config in a format that is portable. 

( Understand we would be editing the config before we could apply it to another system) 

Do the equivalent IOS command exist ? 

We have some tools in place today  (Spectrum) that provide capture / compare / updates capability that we would like to continue using  to *manage* the new devices / technology we are onboarding. vs. keep adding another tool for X 

( In a single vendor network you can use one tool - but one vendor ever seems to have All the answers. ) 

Thanks, 

   Don 

[Sergiu.Daniluk]

Remember that the "config" you have in ACI not an actual config which you can copy paste on different leaf switches. 

Everything is an object. and the object is configured and modified on APIC.

In other words, you can save the object configuration (basically the it's own attributes and relations with other objects).

The config is exported to JSON or XML. And this is also the only two format allowed for configuring a similar object. 

Note: the ACI can be configured through CLI as well, that is true, but let's be honest - nobody is doing that due to so many challenges might appear. You can use "show run" on APIC, and you will have a NX-OS-alike type of configuration, but if your system is being configured through GUI, then doing changes through CLI is not supported.

Once again, you can save the tenant,BD,EPG,contract or any other object configuration you want to replicate. you can modify it and publish it to another fabric, or even same fabric. It's just a matter of perspective.

I would suggest to read about the ACI object model to get familiar with the underlying MIT structure.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/aci/apic/sw/policy-model-guide/b-Cisco-ACI-Policy-Model-Guide.html 

Hope it helps,

Sergiu