my cheat sheet on software defined access
1 Intro
Cisco Software Defined Access, sda, is a campus network solution that solves
several traditional campus network problems, the most obvious being the
shortcomings of STP. It offers a campus fabric overlay
based on LISP + VXLAN
that supports both L2 and L3 access from all edge devices.
cisco sda is a combination of a campus fabric (LISP + VXLAN) with automation and analytics (DNA centre assuarnce) See the excellent tech field day video on youtube here: https://youtu.be/GWaon8uP5gA with Shawn Wargo. There is a newer update here: https://youtu.be/2U--gG4puzA but I would see the first one first.
1.1 Problems it solves
1.2 Technology it uses.
SD-Access has a Campus Fabric comprised of LISP control plane
with a VXLAN data
plane
, and Anycast gateway
for a L2 default gateway at each leaf/access switch.
All end point devices have a direct connection to its default gateway on its directly connected switch.
Configuration can be traditional box by box CLI
or through an API
for device
automation via NETCONF/YANG
.
2 Campus Fabric
Provides a network where the control plane and data plane are separated, that allows you to keep a fast, simple underlay network forwarding packets where separate and isolated overlay networks can traverse. These overlay networks can be L2 or L3 networks.
3 Control Plane (LISP)
The SD-Access control plane is LISP. The control plane node is really just the LISP mapping server (MS) It runs on a router, typically a Cat 9k.
4 Data Plane (VXLAN)
The SD-Access data plane is VXLAN
5 Anycast Gateway
6 Management (DNA-Center)
DNA Center is the mgt server that does four things:
- Design
- Provision
- Policy
- Assurance
DNA Centre splits those functions into three elements:
6.1 ISE
Identiy
services for dynamic endpoint to group mapping nd policy enforcement.
6.2 NCP (Network Control Platform)
provides fabric and underlay network automation
and orchestration
services
6.3 NDP (Network Data Platform)
provides network analytics
(Assurance), that collects stats and anaylzes
endpoint to app flows and monitors fabric status.