Generally available in the second half of this year, the latest version of software for ACI deployments includes cloud management integration and multi-site support. The software brings increased operational simplicity due to heat maps, capacity planning and simplified troubleshooting.
There are also improved operations including Microsoft Azure and System Center virtual network automation and transit fabric interconnect support. There will also be expanded ACI support for multi-site data centre operations, with the addition of CliQr providing application dependency mapping and application deployment automation.
Cisco also added additional capabilities to the Nexus Switch Portfolio. The Cisco NX-OS operating system has extensibility support on Nexus 9000 switches with an object store and model-driven NX-API enhancements. It also has built-in third party DevOps automation tools and secure SDK enabling third party and custom-developed apps to run natively on the operating system.
There will also be a common programmatic approach across the entire Nexus switch portfolio, using NX-API. Cisco announced the Nexus 3200 Top of Rack switches for next generation cloud data centres, with the Nexus 3232C delivering 128 ports of 25 Gb or 32 ports of 100Gb. The Nexus 3264 delivers 64 ports of 40 Gb. Cisco also announced fabric support on Cisco Nexus 5600 and Nexus 7000 switches with VXLAN BGP EVPN.
In addition, available now is the extension of standards-based fabric support with VXLAN BGP EVPN to the modular Cisco Nexus 9500 series switches.
Finally, Cisco announces the Virtual Topology System, a data centre overlay provisioning and management system for stand-alone Nexus fabric. This support overlays across the Nexus portfolio, as well as the BGP EVPN control plane for managing VXLAN overlays. The solution integrates with OpenStack using plug-ins.
