Cisco DNAC disaster recovery setup with witness host

[m.maier]

In a current project we would like to implement a recovery scenario 1+1+1 with a witness host.

Cisco DNA Center supports two disaster recovery setups:

• 1+1+1 setup: OneCisco DNA Centerappliance functions as your Main Site, a second appliance serves as your Recovery Site, and a third system (residing on a virtual machine) acts as your Witness Site.
• 3+3+1 setup: One three-nodeCisco DNA Centercluster functions as your Main Site, a second three-node cluster serves as your Recovery Site, and a third system (residing on a virtual machine) acts as your Witness Site.
  In our case we implemented the first variant with 1+1+1 setup.

Two Datacenter with 1 DNAC
One DNAC witness host
The current Cisco guidelines (current release 2.3.7) are not complete and some questions remain unanswered for us.

Based on experience, we want to implement the right setup (first time right).

Maybe someone has some useful input and can answer my questions below.

Question

1. Which installation process is preferable from DNAC WEB wizard?

a. Basic Install or Adv. Install (see DNAC-INTF-WEB-WIZARD-PROCESS.png)

2. How does a DNAC have to be set up and what specifications are necessary?

a. All interface port like Enterprise Interface, Management Interface and Intracluster Interface from Adv. install (DNAC-INTF-WEB-WIZARD.png)

Thank you for your feedback.

Markus

[balaji.bandi]

DR setup simple, since you installing first node that is primary (one you install after that second one joing to join DR)

check DR setup guide :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/cloud-systems-management/network-automation-and-management/dna-center/2-3-7/ha_guide/b_cisco_dna_center_ha_guide_2_3_7.html

regarding port where to connect - refer below installation guide (planing is very importtant) if not you waste all the time installing again and again.

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/cloud-systems-management/network-automation-and-management/dna-center/2-3-7/install_guide/2ndgen/b_cisco_dna_center_install_guide_2_3_7_2ndGen/m_plan_deployment_2_3_7_2ndgen.html

Make sure Wireness VM should be same version of DNAC and should expect to be 3rd DC or Cloud to work as expected your DR

[m.maier]

Thanks for the feedback. I will configure it in the next few days.
Update coming soon.

[jamieh]

Adding to this thread - documentation doesn't state compatibility, but does anyone know if VMWare tools are supported on the Witness server?

[balaji.bandi]

but does anyone know if VMWare tools are supported on the Witness server?

DNAC Witness can support 6.X and 7.X as of now tested , not that we have tested 8.X

The VM is prebuild Linux based, as per cisco suggestion not to install any VMware tools.