Cisco SD-Access How To: Prerequisites to Automate Underlay Networks

Cisco

27 Jun 201803:03

Summary

TLDRThe video discusses software-defined access via Cisco DNA Center, emphasizing its intuitive GUI for automating tasks like network configuration and troubleshooting. This automation leads to quicker issue resolution, faster network adaptation, and fewer security breaches. It explains the components of software-defined access networks, the underlay and overlay, and details the prerequisites for automating the underlay network. These include configuring seed devices, adding site details, setting up servers for load sharing, configuring device credentials, and creating an IP pool. With these steps completed, you are ready to automate your underlay network.

Takeaways

🎛️ Software-defined access via DNA Center offers an intuitive GUI for automating everyday network tasks.
⚙️ This automation improves issue resolution, reduces network adaptation time, and decreases security breaches.
🔗 Software-defined access networks consist of a software underlay and a fabric overlay.
🚀 Cisco DNA Center can automate user access policy and apply policies for users or devices across the network.
📋 Prerequisites for automating your network underlay include completing required configurations on seed devices.
🌐 Add the region and site details where your network is located; manual configuration works for new sites, while bulk configurations can be imported via CSV.
🔄 Cisco recommends adding multiple servers for load sharing and redundancy.
🔐 Configure device credentials, setting up a common login credential for all devices under a selected hierarchy.
🌐 Automate SNMP community configuration at a global level.
📶 Create and reserve an IP pool of type LAN for underlay automation.

Q & A

What is the primary function of Cisco DNA Center in software-defined access networks?
-Cisco DNA Center offers an intuitive GUI experience to automate everyday tasks such as network configuration provisioning and troubleshooting, resulting in improved issue resolution, reduced time for network adaptation, and reduced security breaches.
What are the two main components of a software-defined access network?
-The two main components of a software-defined access network are the software underlay and the fabric overlay.
What role does the software-defined access network underlay play?
-The underlay focuses on transporting data packets to network devices.
How does Cisco DNA Center help with user access policy?
-Cisco DNA Center automates user access policy and applies the right policies for users or devices to any application across the network.
What is the first prerequisite step before automating the network underlay?
-The first prerequisite is to complete the required configurations on your seed devices so they can communicate with Cisco DNA Center.
Why is it important to refer to the documentation for configurations?
-It is important because the configurations may differ with each version of DNA Center.
What is the purpose of adding a region insight or site in Cisco DNA Center?
-Adding a region insight or site helps in defining the network's location and can include details such as the specific floor of a building.
What is the recommended approach for bulk configurations?
-For bulk configurations, it is recommended to import a CSV file.
Why does Cisco recommend adding multiple servers?
-Cisco recommends adding multiple servers for load sharing and redundancy.
What credentials must be configured after setting up global network services?
-You must configure device credentials, using CLI credentials to set up a common login credential for all devices under a selected hierarchy.
What is the role of the IP pool in underlay automation?
-The IP pool is a repository of IP addresses that can be distributed across the site as necessary for underlay automation.
What type of IP pool must be reserved for the underlay automation process?
-An IP pool of the type LAN must be reserved to be able to select it during the underlay automation process.

Outlines

00:00

🖥️ Introduction to Software-Defined Access via DNA Center

The video introduces software-defined access through DNA Center, highlighting its intuitive GUI experience which automates everyday tasks like network configuration, provisioning, and troubleshooting. This automation leads to faster issue resolution, quicker network adaptation, and fewer security breaches.

🔀 Understanding Software-Defined Access Networks

Software-defined access networks are composed of a software underlay and a fabric overlay. The underlay is responsible for data packet transportation to network devices, while DNA Center automates user access policy and applies appropriate policies for users or devices across the network.

✅ Prerequisites for Automating Network Underlay

The video outlines the steps to complete before automating the network underlay. These steps include ensuring required configurations on seed devices for communication with DNA Center, adding the region and site details, configuring servers for load sharing and redundancy, and setting up global network services and device credentials.

📊 Configuring IP Pools for Underlay Automation

You need to create an IP pool, which is a repository of IP addresses for underlay automation. It's essential to reserve an IP pool of type LAN for the automation process. Completing these steps ensures that you are ready to begin automating your underlay network.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Software-Defined Access

Software-Defined Access (SDA) refers to a network architecture that automates network management tasks using software, providing a more flexible and efficient approach to network configuration. In the video, SDA is introduced as a solution offered by Cisco DNA Center to streamline network tasks such as provisioning and troubleshooting, thereby improving issue resolution and reducing security breaches.

💡DNA Center

Cisco DNA Center is a centralized network management platform that provides an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) to automate and manage network configurations. The video highlights DNA Center's role in automating everyday network tasks and ensuring seamless operation of software-defined access networks by handling user access policies and device management.

💡GUI

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows users to interact with software through visual elements like icons and buttons, making it easier to use. In the context of the video, the GUI of Cisco DNA Center simplifies the process of automating network configurations and troubleshooting by providing an intuitive and user-friendly interface.

💡Underlay Network

The underlay network refers to the physical network infrastructure that transports data packets between network devices. The video explains that the underlay network is essential for the operation of the overlay network, as it handles the communication protocols and device configurations necessary for network automation.

💡Overlay Network

An overlay network is a virtual network built on top of the physical underlay network. It enables advanced networking features and policies. The video describes how Cisco DNA Center uses the overlay network to automate user access policies and ensure the proper application of these policies across the network.

💡Seed Devices

Seed devices are the initial network devices that need to be configured to communicate with Cisco DNA Center. These configurations are crucial for setting up the underlay network and ensuring that the DNA Center can manage the network devices effectively. The video emphasizes the importance of configuring seed devices according to the DNA Center documentation.

💡Global Network Services

Global network services refer to the centralized management and configuration services provided by Cisco DNA Center for the entire network. These services include setting up device credentials, IP pools, and other essential network parameters. The video outlines the steps to configure these services to automate the underlay network.

💡IP Pool

An IP pool is a collection of IP addresses that can be assigned to devices within the network. In the video, creating and reserving an IP pool is a necessary step in automating the underlay network, as it ensures that devices have the required IP addresses for communication and operation.

💡SNMP

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) is a protocol used for network management and monitoring. The video mentions configuring SNMP community settings at a global level to standardize network management tasks and enable efficient communication between Cisco DNA Center and network devices.

💡Load Sharing

Load sharing is the practice of distributing network traffic across multiple servers or devices to optimize performance and ensure redundancy. The video recommends adding multiple servers to Cisco DNA Center to facilitate load sharing, which helps in balancing the network load and improving reliability.

Highlights

Software-defined access via DNA Center offers an intuitive GUI experience.

Automates everyday tasks such as network configuration provisioning and troubleshooting.

Results in improved resolution of issues and reduced time for network adaptation.

Reduces security breaches through automation.

Software-defined access networks consist of a software underlay and a fabric overlay.

Underlay network focuses on transporting data packets to network devices.

Overlay network uses Cisco DNA Center to automate user access policy and apply the right policies for users or devices.

Prerequisite steps must be completed before automating the network underlay.

Underlay network consists of network devices and protocols for communication.

Seed devices must be configured to communicate with Cisco DNA Center.

Configurations may differ with each version of DNA Center; refer to the documentation for specifics.

Add the region and site details where your network is located.

Manual configuration works well for new sites, while bulk configurations can be done using a CSV file.

Add multiple servers for load sharing and redundancy.

Set up global network services and configure device credentials.

Automate SNMP community configuration at a global level.

Create and reserve an IP pool for underlay automation.

Completion of prerequisite tasks allows you to begin automating your underlay network.