Cisco DNA interaction with Network Elements

[mfabbro]

Hello!

I would like to know how exactly DNAC interacts with a network element (NE). For example:

DNAC Appliance <-------------------> Cisco Cat 9k / Fabric Edge Nodes

I understand that I must configure credentials in DNAC for discovery purposes. Then... what happens?

How DNAC access the NE? Will it create some sort of tunnel in order to push the configuration to the NE?

Thanks in advance.

[balaji.bandi]

we are all in same path to learning more on DNAC - as part of my investigation and learning here is the onboarding process document help you :

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/td/docs/solutions/CVD/Campus/dnac-network-device-onboarding-deployment-guide-2020jun.pdf

[mfabbro]

Thanks for the documentation! Will check it 

[Mike.Cifelli]

To add some additional info:

DNAC will use your underlay to access/manage your devices (NADs).  In order to get an edge node fully operational, meaning ready for device/user onboarding the process looks something along these lines:

-Determine how you plan to get a base underlay configuration on the NAD (Plug'n'play Or some sort of manual intervention such as added base config via usb stick).  Base config would include P2P uplinks to IN/s, SNMP config, username, routing config, STIGs, etc. 

-Once the base config is on the device and you have deployed the device to field the remaining steps look like this:

--Add device to inventory (device discovery)

--Assign device to site

--Add to fabric (provision device first, then add to fabric topology)

--Configure interfaces for host onboarding

Note that the there could be differences in how certain configs get deployed, meaning that some prefer to use template editor to push or tweak the out of box configs.  Lastly, here are some additional links that may better assist you:

Cisco SD-Access Resources - Cisco Community

Cisco EN Validated Design and Deployment Guides - Cisco Community

Automation via DNAC/ISE APIs - Cisco Community

HTH!

[mfabbro]

Thanks for the info, very interesting links.

Do we have a LLD about DNAC?

[balaji.bandi]

Basic LLD should be available as mentioned above resource page. it varies from design to design - but basic components are same.

https://www.balajibandi.com/?paged=4

[mfabbro · Accepted solution]

Dears,

I think I found the answer. According to this (https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/solutions/collateral/enterprise-networks/software-defined-access/white-paper-c11-740585.pdf) SD-Access white paper:

"NCP is capable of communicating with the Cisco network devices in a variety of forms, including NETCONF/YANG, Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), SSH/Telnet, etc.
NCP then uses one or all of these communication methods to configure and manage all of the network devices, and
then provide network automation status and other information back to the management layer."

[balaji.bandi]

DNAC is more of a orchestaration tool to minimise the mistake or avoided by the human errors.