1. What is the ACI Toolkit?
2. What version of Python will I need?
3. How do I install the ACI Toolkit?
4. Is there documentation for the ACI Toolkit API?
5. What is the ACI Toolkit topology terminology?
6. What hardware platforms support ACI?
7. What is the data format used to send/receive data when the toolkit API makes REST calls?
8. Is there any sample code that uses the toolkit?
Q1. What is the ACI Toolkit?
A. The ACI Toolkit is a set of python libraries that allow basic configuration of the underlying Cisco Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC). It is intended to allow users to quickly begin using the REST API and accelerate the learning curve necessary to begin using the APIC.
Q2. What version of Python will I need?
A. The ACI Toolkit requires Python version 2.7.x
Q3. How do I install the ACI Toolkit?
A. There are two ways to download the toolkit, the first method is to get it from the github repository:
git clone https://github.com/datacenter/acitoolkit.git
or, it can be downloaded as a zip and extracted from:
https://github.com/datacenter/acitoolkit/archive/master.zip
After downloading, install using setuptools:
cd acitoolkit
python setup.py install
Q4. Is there documentation for the ACI Toolkit API?
A. Yes, you can find API doc here.
Q5. What terminology is used by the ACI Toolkit?
A. The acitoolkit defines the fabric configuration using a set of policies that describes the application logical topology. This logical topology is defined using a set of objects that are defined below:
· Tenant is the root class within the acitoolkit object model hierarchy. All of the application topology configuration occurs within a Tenant.
· AppProfile is the Application Profile class. It contains the configuration for a given application.
· EPG is the Endpoint Group class. This is the object for defining configuration that is applied when endpoints connect to the fabric.
· Context is the class representing an L3 namespace (roughly, a traditional VRF in Cisco terminology).
· BridgeDomain is the class representing an L2 forwarding domain (roughly, a traditional VLAN). It is associated with a single Context.
· Subnet is the class representing an L3 subnet. It is associated with a single BridgeDomain.
· OutsideEPG is the class representing an EPG that connects to the world outside the fabric. This is where routing protocols such as OSPF are enabled.
· Contracts define the application network services being provided and consumed by EPGs. EPGs may provide and consume many contracts.
· Taboos define the application network services that can never be provided or consumed by EPGs.
· FilterEntry contained within either a Contract or a Taboo. Defines the traffic profile that the Contract or Taboo applies.
Q6. What hardware platforms support ACI?
ACI is supported on the Cisco Nexus 9000 series of switches.
Q7. What is the data format used to send/receive data when the toolkit API makes REST calls?
A. Javascript Object Notation (JSON) is used to pass parameters when making API calls and is also the returned data format.
Q8. Is there any sample code that uses the toolkit?
Yes, there is a tutorial and other samples included with the download.
