• Nexus Dashboard
  • USER: admin
  • PASS: cisco.123
  • ND-1 Web Interface
  • ND-2 Web Interface
  • DEV Server
  • USER: cisco
  • PASS: cisco.123
  • ssh address: 10.0.208.13
  • VNC address: 10.0.208.13:5901
  • Switch Login
  • USER: admin
  • PASS: cisco.123
  • Site1-S1: 10.3.3.11
  • Site1-S2: 10.3.3.12
  • Site1-L1: 10.3.3.13
  • Site1-L2: 10.3.3.14
  • Site1-BL1: 10.3.3.15
  • Site1-BGW1: 10.3.3.16
  • Site2-S1: 10.3.3.17
  • Site2-L1: 10.3.3.18
  • Site2-BGW1: 10.3.3.19
  • Ext-Rtr: 10.3.3.10
  • Core-Rtr: 10.3.3.20
Fabric Groups
Nexus Dashboard

Fabric Groups vs. Multi-Cluster Fabric Groups

Fabric Groups and Multi-Cluster Fabric Groups are both ways to organize and manage network fabrics in Cisco Nexus Dashboard (ND), but they work at different scales.

Fabric Groups

  • A Fabric Group is a way to group multiple network fabrics within a single ND cluster.
  • It helps manage, monitor, and apply policies to related fabrics from one place.
  • All fabrics are managed from the same Nexus Dashboard instance.

Multi-Cluster Fabric Groups

  • Multi-Cluster Fabric Groups allow you to group and manage fabrics across multiple ND clusters.
  • They use the One Manage feature to provide centralized management and monitoring for fabrics in different data centers or sites.
  • You can view topologies, health, and automate connections between fabrics from different clusters, all from one dashboard.
  • This is ideal for organizations with several data centers or large, distributed networks.

Summary

  • Use Fabric Groups to organize and manage multiple fabrics within a single Nexus Dashboard cluster.
  • Use Multi-Cluster Fabric Groups (with One Manage) to manage and automate fabrics across several ND clusters, especially for large or multi-site networks.
  • In this lab we will be exploring Multi-Cluster Fabric Groups.
Warning Note: You may need to reload your browser to see all clusters. You can accomplish this by clicking the reload button in the browser or by pressing Ctrl + R.

Step 1 - All Clusters

  1. Click The Blue Globe
  2. Select All Clusters

Step 2 - Manage Fabrics

  1. Click Manage
  2. Then, click Fabrics

Step 3 - Create Fabric Group

In the Fabrics pane, you should now see your Site1, Site2, ExtL3, and ISN fabrics present. Click on Multi-Cluster Fabric Groups then Create Fabric Group:

  1. Click Multi-Cluster fabric Groups
  2. Click Create Fabric Group

  3. Click VXLAN
  4. Then click Next

Step 4 - Fabric Group Settings

The first section is General Parameters where you define the Layer 2 and Layer 3 VXLAN VNIs for extending Layer 2 and Layer 3 connectivity and the corresponding templates required. The L2VNI and L3VNI ranges must align and encompass the ranges used in the one or more fabrics that will be imported into your MultiSite Domain (MSD). When you created your Site1 and Site2 fabrics, these ranges were what was used.

  1. Enter the Fabric name, ltrdcn2654 and Click DCI
  2. Select Centralized_To_Route_Server
  3. Enter Route Server loopback
  4. Enter Route Server ASN 65444
  5. Enable Redistribute Direct

    6. Scroll Down and

  6. Enable BGP Neighbor Description on Multi-Site Overlay IFC
  7. Enable Multi-Site Underlay IFC Auto Deployment Flag
  8. Enable BGP Send-community on Multi-Site Underlay IFC
  9. Enable BGP log neighbor change on Multi-Site Underlay IFC

    10. NOTE: Make sure not to enable BGP BFD on Multi-Site Underlay IFC, N9Kv currently does not support BFD

    Scroll Down and

  10. Then click Next

Step 5 - Finalized Fabric creation and close.

  1. Click Create

  2. Click Close



Section Summary

You created a Multi-Cluster Fabric Group with VXLAN DCI connectivity using a Centralized Route Server model. Nexus Dashboard's Fabric Group wizard configured the Multi-Site overlay and underlay parameters — including the Route Server loopback, ASN, and BGP policies — all through a guided workflow. This single Fabric Group will tie your Site1 and Site2 fabrics together across ND clusters, enabling end-to-end fabric management from one dashboard.

Continue to the next section to import your Site1 and Site2 fabrics into your Multi-Cluster fabric group. You will also import your ISN fabric for establishing the underlay and overlay IFCs between your Site1 and Site2 fabrics and then extending L2/L3 VNIs.