ACI Mentored Install – Greenfield Deployment

Overview
Description, Pre requisites
Content
Lessons, Course Structure

ACI Mentored Service – Greenfield Deployment

To maximise success for customers and partners, Cisco has introduced the mentor program to provide guidance and assistance for authorised Cisco ACI Customers and Partners.
ACI will represent a new skill set for most networking professionals. The program acts as a transition mechanism and pathway for skill growth of internal resources.
A mentored engagement for first-time ACI deployments is highly recommended by Cisco.
Housley is the only Cisco-approved mentor for APJ outside of Cisco Advanced Services.

Housley ACI Mentored services

Housley will interact with the customer/partner to support the deployment of ACI
The customer/partner will retain control of the project/engagement

Benefits

Delivery of first ACI solution to customers, with confidence and reduced risk
Early access to ACI experience and expertise
Shorter time to market for ACI capability and services
Fast-track time for staff up-skilling on critical path for project deployment
Reduced time to deploy – allowing resources to move on to other projects
Potential cost reduction due to lower problem-solving time
Build internal ACI knowledge through field experience

Partner Pre-Planning

The Channel Partner should ensure that all necessary equipment is racked, stacked, cabled, and powered-up prior to the kick-off. The customer should have the necessary software licenses.

Service Deliverables

Project Kick-off Overall Architecture Review

Perform project overview
Gather customer requirements
Outline Interaction to any existing network infrastructure
Outline High Level:
- ADC Interaction
- Security Interaction
- Compute Interaction
- Storage Interaction
- Hypervisor Interaction
Configuration of any devices other than ACI is out of scope, however these other technologies must be discussed to appropriately plan the ACI design

Solution Design ACI Planning

Propose ACI design solution
Develop Design document, which includes use case topology diagram, logical design.

ACI Implementation

Perform initial APIC Initialization configuration
Prepare and deploy device configuration templates for APICs
ACI Administration
ACI Fabric Access Policies
Define Attachable Entity Profiles
Define Interface Policies
Define Interface Selectors
Define ACI Tenancy Model
Define L3 Out Model
Define Management Tenant
Define Named Tenant

Security and VM Manager Integration

Customer to configure security devices as recommended by ACI design
Discuss vCenter or other Hypervisor integration
Outline overall vCenter Architecture- single or multiple vCenters, etc.
Outline AEP configuration as required
Determine security domain association for vCenter domains
Document vCenter Credentials

Acceptance Tests and Scale Considerations

Preparation and execution of testing for configured functionalities.
Discuss potential scale of contracts, L3 outs, total prefix/endpoints
Discuss distribution of resources across leafs to enhance scale

Knowledge Transfer

Explain to the customer/partner how to configure and manage the solution in their environment

Next Steps: Call Housley for a detailed discussion on your ACI Greenfield deployment.