Cisco APIC Cluster Management

14 Pages·2017·1.29 MB·English

Cisco APIC Cluster Management
•APICClusterOverview,onpage1
•ExpandingtheCiscoAPICCluster,onpage1
•ContractingtheCiscoAPICCluster,onpage2
•ClusterManagementGuidelines,onpage2
•ExpandingtheClusterExamples,onpage6
•ContractingtheClusterExamples,onpage7
•CommissioningandDecommissioningCiscoAPICControllers,onpage8
•ReplacingaCiscoAPICinaClusterUsingtheCLI,onpage9
•ShuttingDowntheAPICsinaCluster,onpage10
•ColdStandby,onpage11
APIC Cluster Overview
TheCiscoApplicationPolicyInfrastructureController(APIC)applianceisdeployedinacluster.Aminimum
ofthreecontrollersareconfiguredinaclustertoprovidecontroloftheCiscoACIfabric.Theultimatesize
ofthecontrollerclusterisdirectlyproportionatetothesizeoftheACIdeploymentandisbasedon
transaction-raterequirements.Anycontrollerintheclustercanserviceanyuserforanyoperation,anda
controllercanbetransparentlyaddedtoorremovedfromthecluster.
Thissectionprovidesguidelinesandexamplesrelatedtoexpanding,contracting,andrecoveringtheAPIC
cluster.
Expanding the Cisco APIC Cluster
ExpandingtheCiscoAPICclusteristheoperationtoincreaseanysizemismatches,fromaclustersizeofN
tosizeN+1,withinlegalboundaries.TheoperatorsetstheadministrativeclustersizeandconnectstheAPICs
withtheappropriateclusterIDs,andtheclusterperformstheexpansion.
Duringclusterexpansion,regardlessofinwhichorderyouphysicallyconnecttheAPICcontrollers,the
discoveryandexpansiontakesplacesequentiallybasedontheAPICIDnumbers.Forexample,APIC2is
discoveredafterAPIC1,andAPIC3isdiscoveredafterAPIC2andsoonuntilyouaddallthedesiredAPICs
tothecluster.AseachsequentialAPICisdiscovered,asingledatapathormultipledatapathsareestablished,
andalltheswitchesalongthepathjointhefabric.Theexpansionprocesscontinuesuntiltheoperationalcluster
sizereachestheequivalentoftheadministrativeclustersize.
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
ContractingtheCiscoAPICCluster
Contracting the Cisco APIC Cluster
ContractingtheCiscoAPICclusteristheoperationtodecreaseanysizemismatches,fromaclustersizeof
NtosizeN-1,withinlegalboundaries.Asthecontractionresultsinincreasedcomputationalandmemory
loadfortheremainingAPICsinthecluster,thedecommissionedAPICclusterslotbecomesunavailableby
operatorinputonly.
Duringclustercontraction,youmustbegindecommissioningthelastAPICintheclusterfirstandworkyour
waysequentiallyinreverseorder.Forexample,APIC4mustbedecommissionedbeforeAPIC3,andAPIC3
mustbedecommissionedbeforeAPIC2.
Cluster Management Guidelines
TheAPICclusteriscomprisedofmultipleAPICcontrollersthatprovideoperatorsaunifiedrealtime
monitoring,diagnostic,andconfigurationmanagementcapabilityfortheACIfabric.Toassureoptimalsystem
performance,followtheguidelinesbelowformakingchangestotheAPICcluster.
Note Priortoinitiatingachangetothecluster,alwaysverifyitshealth.Whenperformingplannedchangestothe
cluster,allcontrollersintheclustershouldbehealthy.IfoneormoreoftheAPICcontrollers'healthstatus
intheclusterisnot"fullyfit",remedythatsituationbeforeproceeding.Also,assurethatclustercontrollers
addedtotheAPICarerunningthesameversionoffirmwareastheothercontrollersintheAPICcluster.
Followthesegeneralguidelineswhenmanagingclusters:
•Ciscorecommendsthatyouhaveatleast3activeAPICsinacluster,alongwithadditionalstandby
APICs.Aclustersizeof3,5,or7APICsisrecommended.Aclustersizeof4or6APICsisnot
recommended.
•DisregardclusterinformationfromAPICsthatarenotcurrentlyinthecluster;theydonotprovideaccurate
clusterinformation.
•ClusterslotscontainanAPICChassisID.Onceyouconfigureaslot,itremainsunavailableuntilyou
decommissiontheAPICwiththeassignedChassisID.
•IfanAPICfirmwareupgradeisinprogress,waitforittocompleteandtheclustertobefullyfitbefore
proceedingwithanyotherchangestothecluster.
•WhenmovinganAPIC,firstensurethatyouhaveahealthycluster.Afterverifyingthehealthofthe
APICCluster,choosetheAPICyouintendtoshutdown.AftertheAPIChasshutdown,movetheAPIC,
re-connectit,andthenturnitbackon.FromtheGUI,verifythattheallcontrollersintheclusterreturn
toafullyfitstate.
Note OnlymoveoneAPICatatime.
•WhenanAPICclusterissplitintotwoormoregroups,theIDofanodeischangedandthechangesare
notsynchronizedacrossallAPICs.ThiscancauseinconsistencyinthenodeIDsbetweenAPICsand
alsotheaffectedleafnodesmaynotappearintheinventoryintheAPICGUI.WhenyousplitanAPIC
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
ExpandingtheAPICClusterSize
cluster,decommissiontheaffectedleafnodesfromAPICandregisterthemagain,sothattheinconsistency
inthenodeIDsisresolvedandthehealthstatusoftheAPICsinaclusterareinafullyfitstate.
•BeforeconfiguringtheAPICcluster,ensurethatalltheAPICsarerunningthesamefirmwareversion.
InitialclusteringofAPICsrunningdifferingversionsisanunsupportedoperationandmaycauseproblems
withinthecluster.
Thissectioncontainsthefollowingtopics:
Expanding the APIC Cluster Size
FollowtheseguidelinestoexpandtheAPICclustersize:
•Scheduletheclusterexpansionatatimewhenthedemandsofthefabricworkloadwillnotbeimpacted
bytheclusterexpansion.
•IfoneormoreoftheAPICcontrollers'healthstatusintheclusterisnot"fullyfit",remedythatsituation
beforeproceeding.
•StagethenewAPICcontroller(s)accordingtotheinstructionsintheirhardwareinstallationguide.Verify
in-bandconnectivitywithaPINGtest.
•Increasetheclustertargetsizetobeequaltotheexistingclustersizecontrollercountplusthenew
controllercount.Forexample,iftheexistingclustersizecontrollercountis3andyouareadding3
controllers,setthenewclustertargetsizeto6.Theclusterproceedstosequentiallyincreaseitssizeone
controlleratatimeuntilallnewthecontrollersareincludedinthecluster.
Note ClusterexpansionstopsifanexistingAPICcontrollerbecomes
unavailable.Resolvethisissuebeforeattemptingtoproceedwiththe
clusterexpansion.
•DependingontheamountofdatatheAPICmustsynchronizeupontheadditionofeachappliance,the
timerequiredtocompletetheexpansioncouldbemorethan10minutesperappliance.Uponsuccessful
expansionofthecluster,theAPICoperationalsizeandthetargetsizewillbeequal.
Note AllowtheAPICtocompletetheclusterexpansionbeforemaking
additionalchangestothecluster.
Reducing the APIC Cluster Size
FollowtheseguidelinestoreducetheAPICclustersizeanddecommissiontheAPICcontrollersthatare
removedfromthecluster:
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
ReplacingCiscoAPICControllersintheCluster
Note FailuretofollowanorderlyprocesstodecommissionandpowerdownAPICcontrollersfromareducedcluster
canleadtounpredictableoutcomes.DonotallowunrecognizedAPICcontrollerstoremainconnectedtothe
fabric.
•ReducingtheclustersizeincreasestheloadontheremainingAPICcontrollers.ScheduletheAPIC
controllersizereductionatatimewhenthedemandsofthefabricworkloadwillnotbeimpactedbythe
clustersynchronization.
•IfoneormoreoftheAPICcontrollers'healthstatusintheclusterisnot"fullyfit",remedythatsituation
beforeproceeding.
•Reducetheclustertargetsizetothenewlowervalue.Forexampleiftheexistingclustersizeis6and
youwillremove3controllers,reducetheclustertargetsizeto3.
•StartingwiththehighestnumberedcontrollerIDintheexistingcluster,decommission,powerdown,
anddisconnecttheAPICcontrolleronebyoneuntiltheclusterreachesthenewlowertargetsize.
Uponthedecommissioningandremovalofeachcontroller,theAPICsynchronizesthecluster.
Note AfterdecommissioninganAPICcontrollerfromthecluster,power
itdownanddisconnectitfromfabric.Beforereturningittoservice,
doawipedcleanbacktofactoryreset.
•ClustersynchronizationstopsifanexistingAPICcontrollerbecomesunavailable.Resolvethisissue
beforeattemptingtoproceedwiththeclustersynchronization.
•DependingontheamountofdatatheAPICmustsynchronizeupontheremovalofacontroller,thetime
requiredtodecommissionandcompleteclustersynchronizationforeachcontrollercouldbemorethan
10minutespercontroller.
Note Completetheentirenecessarydecommissioningsteps,allowingtheAPICtocompletethecluster
synchronizationaccordinglybeforemakingadditionalchangestothecluster.
Replacing Cisco APIC Controllers in the Cluster
FollowtheseguidelinestoreplaceCiscoAPICcontrollers:
•IfthehealthstatusofanyCiscoAPICcontrollerintheclusterisnotFullyFit,remedythesituation
beforeproceeding.
•ScheduletheCiscoAPICcontrollerreplacementatatimewhenthedemandsofthefabricworkloadwill
notbeimpactedbytheclustersynchronization.
•MakenoteoftheinitialprovisioningparametersandimageusedontheCiscoAPICcontrollerthatwill
bereplaced.Thesameparametersandimagemustbeusedwiththereplacementcontroller.TheCisco
APICproceedstosynchronizethereplacementcontrollerwiththecluster.
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
ReplacingCiscoAPICControllersintheCluster
Note ClustersynchronizationstopsifanexistingCiscoAPICcontroller
becomesunavailable.Resolvethisissuebeforeattemptingtoproceed
withtheclustersynchronization.
•YoumustchooseaCiscoAPICcontrollerthatiswithintheclusterandnotthecontrollerthatisbeing
decommissioned.Forexample:LogintoCiscoAPIC1orAPIC2toinvoketheshutdownofAPIC3and
decommissionAPIC3.
•Performthereplacementprocedureinthefollowingorder:
1. MakenoteoftheconfigurationparametersandimageoftheAPICbeingreplaced.
2. DecommissiontheAPICyouwanttoreplace(seeDecommissioningaCiscoAPICControllerinthe
ClusterUsingtheGUI,onpage9)
3. CommissionthereplacementAPICusingthesameconfigurationandimageoftheAPICbeing
replaced(seeCommissioningaCiscoAPICControllerintheClusterUsingtheGUI,onpage8)
•StagethereplacementCiscoAPICcontrolleraccordingtotheinstructionsinitshardwareinstallation
guide.Verifyin-bandconnectivitywithaPINGtest.
Note FailuretodecommissionCiscoAPICcontrollersbeforeattempting
theirreplacementwillprecludetheclusterfromabsorbingthe
replacementcontrollers.Also,beforereturningadecommissioned
CiscoAPICcontrollertoservice,doawipedcleanbacktofactory
reset.
•DependingontheamountofdatatheCiscoAPICmustsynchronizeuponthereplacementofacontroller,
thetimerequiredtocompletethereplacementcouldbemorethan10minutesperreplacementcontroller.
Uponsuccessfulsynchronizationofthereplacementcontrollerwiththecluster,theCiscoAPICoperational
sizeandthetargetsizewillremainunchanged.
Note AllowtheCiscoAPICtocompletetheclustersynchronizationbefore
makingadditionalchangestothecluster.
•TheUUIDandfabricdomainnamepersistinaCiscoAPICcontrolleracrossreboots.However,aclean
back-to-factoryrebootremovesthisinformation.IfaCiscoAPICcontrolleristobemovedfromone
fabrictoanother,acleanback-to-factoryrebootmustbedonebeforeattemptingtoaddsuchancontroller
toadifferentCiscoACIfabric.
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
ExpandingtheClusterExamples
Expanding the Cluster Examples
Expanding the APIC Cluster Using the GUI
Procedure
Step1 Onthemenubar,chooseSYSTEM>Controllers.IntheNavigationpane,expandControllers>
apic_controller_name>Cluster.
Youmustchooseanapic_controller_namethatiswithintheclusterthatyouwishtoexpand.
IntheWorkpane,theclusterdetailsaredisplayed.Thisincludesthecurrentclustertargetandcurrentsizes,
theadministrative,operational,andhealthstatesofeachcontrollerinthecluster.
Step2 VerifythatthehealthstateoftheclusterisFullyFitbeforeyouproceedwithcontractingthecluster.
Step3 IntheWorkpane,clickActions>ChangeClusterSize.
Step4 IntheChangeClusterSizedialogbox,intheTargetClusterAdministrativeSizefield,choosethetarget
numbertowhichyouwanttoexpandthecluster.ClickSubmit.
Note ItisnotacceptabletohaveaclustersizeoftwoAPICcontrollers.Aclusterofone,three,ormore
APICcontrollersisacceptable.
Step5 IntheConfirmationdialogbox,clickYes.
IntheWorkpane,under Properties,theTargetSizefieldmustdisplayyourtargetclustersize.
Step6 PhysicallyconnectalltheAPICcontrollersthatarebeingaddedtothecluster.
IntheWorkpane,intheCluster>Controllersarea,theAPICcontrollersareaddedonebyoneanddisplayed
inthesequentialorderstartingwithN+1andcontinuinguntilthetargetclustersizeisachieved.
Step7 VerifythattheAPICcontrollersareinoperationalstate,andthehealthstateofeachcontrolleris FullyFit.
Expanding the APIC Cluster Using the REST API
Theclusterdrivesitsactualsizetothetargetsize.Ifthetargetsizeishigherthantheactualsize,thecluster
sizeexpands.
Procedure
Step1 SetthetargetclustersizetoexpandtheAPICclustersize.
Example:
POST
https://<IP address>/api/node/mo/uni/controller.xml
<infraClusterPol name='default' size=3/>
Step2 PhysicallyconnecttheAPICcontrollersthatyouwanttoaddtothecluster.
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
ContractingtheClusterExamples
Contracting the Cluster Examples
Contracting the APIC Cluster Using the GUI
Procedure
Step1 Onthemenubar,chooseSYSTEM>Controllers.IntheNavigationpane,expandControllers>
apic_controller_name>Cluster.
Youmustchooseanapic_controller_namethatiswithintheclusterandnotthecontrollerthatisbeing
decommissioned.
IntheWorkpane,theclusterdetailsaredisplayed.Thisincludesthecurrentclustertargetandcurrentsizes,
theadministrative,operational,andhealthstatesofeachcontrollerinthecluster.
Step2 VerifythatthehealthstateoftheclusterisFullyFitbeforeyouproceedwithcontractingthecluster.
Step3 IntheWorkpane,clickActions>ChangeClusterSize.
Step4 IntheChangeClusterSizedialogbox,intheTargetClusterAdministrativeSizefield,choosethetarget
numbertowhichyouwanttocontractthecluster.ClickSubmit.
Note ItisnotacceptabletohaveaclustersizeoftwoAPICcontrollers.Aclusterofone,three,ormore
APICcontrollersisacceptable.
Step5 IntheWorkpane,intheControllersarea,choosetheAPICthatislastinthecluster.
Example:
Inaclusterofthree,thelastintheclusteristhreeasidentifiedbythecontrollerID.
Step6 ClickActions>Decommission.TheConfirmationdialogboxdisplays.ClickYes.
ThedecommissionedcontrollerdisplaysUnregisteredintheOperationalStatecolumn.Thecontrolleris
thentakenoutofserviceandnotvisibleintheWorkpaneanylonger.
Step7 RepeattheearliersteptodecommissionthecontrollersonebyoneforalltheAPICsintheclusterinthe
appropriateorderofhighestcontrollerIDnumbertothelowest.
Note Theoperationclustersizeshrinksonlyafterthelastapplianceisdecommissioned,andnotafterthe
administrativesizeischanged.Verifyaftereachcontrollerisdecommissionedthattheoperational
stateofthecontrollerisunregistered,andthecontrollerisnolongerinserviceinthecluster.
YoushouldbeleftwiththeremainingcontrollersintheAPICclusterthatyoudesire.
Contracting the APIC Cluster Using the REST API
Theclusterdrivesitsactualsizetothetargetsize.Ifthetargetsizeislowerthantheactualsize,thecluster
sizecontracts.
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
CommissioningandDecommissioningCiscoAPICControllers
Procedure
Step1 SetthetargetclustersizesoastocontracttheAPICclustersize.
Example:
POST
https://<IP address>/api/node/mo/uni/controller.xml
<infraClusterPol name='default' size=1/>
Step2 DecommissionAPIC3onAPIC1forclustercontraction.
Example:
POST
https://<IP address>/api/node/mo/topology/pod-1/node-1/av.xml
<infraWiNode id=3 adminSt='out-of-service'/>
Step3 DecommissionAPIC2onAPIC1forclustercontraction.
Example:
POST
https://<IP address>/api/node/mo/topology/pod-1/node-1/av.xml
<infraWiNode id=2 adminSt='out-of-service'/>
Commissioning and Decommissioning Cisco APIC Controllers
Commissioning a Cisco APIC Controller in the Cluster Using the GUI
Procedure
Step1 Fromthemenubar,chooseSYSTEM>Controllers.
Step2 IntheNavigationpane,expandControllers>apic_controller_name>ClusterasSeenbyNode.
Step3 FromtheWorkpane,verifyintheActiveControllerssummarytablethattheclusterHealthStateisFully
Fitbeforecontinuing.
Step4 FromtheWorkpane,clickthedecommissionedcontrollerthatdisplayingUnregisteredintheOperational
Statecolumn.
Thecontrollerishighlighted.
Step5 FromtheWorkpane,clickActions >Commission.
Step6 IntheConfirmationdialogbox,clickYes.
Step7 VerifythatthecommissionedCiscoAPICcontrollerisintheoperationalstateandthehealthstateisFully
Fit.
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
DecommissioningaCiscoAPICControllerintheClusterUsingtheGUI
Decommissioning a Cisco APIC Controller in the Cluster Using the GUI
Procedure
Step1 Onthemenubar,chooseSystem>Controllers.
Step2 IntheNavigationpane,expandControllers>apic_controller_name>ClusterasSeenbyNode.
Step3 IntheWorkpane,verifythattheHealthStateintheActiveControllerssummarytableindicatesthecluster
isFullyFitbeforecontinuing.
Step4 IntheNavigationpane,clickanapic_controller_namethatiswithintheclusterandnotthecontrollerthat
isbeingdecommissioned.
ThecontrollerdetailsappearintheWorkpane.
Step5 IntheWorkpane,clickActions>Decommission.
TheConfirmationdialogboxdisplays.
Step6 ClickYes.
ThedecommissionedcontrollerdisplaysUnregisteredintheOperationalStatecolumn.Thecontrolleris
thentakenoutofserviceandnolongervisibleintheWorkpane.
Note •Theoperationclustersizeshrinksonlyafterthelastapplianceisdecommissioned,andnot
aftertheadministrativesizeischanged.Verifyaftereachcontrollerisdecommissionedthat
theoperationalstateofthecontrollerisunregistered,andthecontrollerisnolongerinservice
inthecluster.
•AfterdecommissioningtheAPICcontroller,youmustreboottheAPICforLayer4toLayer
7services.Rebootmustbedonebeforecommissioningbackthecontroller.
Replacing a Cisco APIC in a Cluster Using the CLI
Note •Formoreinformationaboutmanagingclusters,seeClusterManagementGuidelines.
•WhenyoureplaceanAPIC,thepasswordwillalwaysbesyncedfromthecluster.WhenreplacingAPIC
1,youwillbeaskedforapasswordbutitwillbeignoredinfavoroftheexistingpasswordinthecluster.
WhenreplacingAPIC2or3,youwillnotbeaskedforapassword.
Procedure
Step1 IdentifytheAPICthatyouwanttoreplace.
Step2 DecommissiontheAPICusingthe controllercontroller-iddecommission command.
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CiscoAPICClusterManagement
ShuttingDowntheAPICsinaCluster
Note DecommissioningtheAPICremovesthemappingbetweentheAPICIDandChassisID.Thenew
APICtypicallyhasadifferentAPICID,soyoumustremovethismappinginordertoaddanew
APICtothecluster.
Step3 IfyouwanttorecommissionthesameAPIC,followthesesteps:
a) RestarttheAPICusingthe acidiagreboot command.
b) VerifythattheAPICbootswithouterror.
c) CommissiontheAPICusingthe controllercontroller-idcommission command.
d) AllowseveralminutesforthenewAPICinformationtopropagatetotherestofthecluster.
Step4 IfyouwanttocommissionanewAPIC,followthesesteps:
a) DisconnecttheAPICfromthefabric.
b) ConnectthereplacementAPICtothefabric.
c) CommissiontheAPICusingthe controllercontroller-idcommission command.
d) BootthenewAPIC.
e) AllowseveralminutesforthenewAPICinformationtopropagatetotherestofthecluster.
Shutting Down the APICs in a Cluster
Shutting Down all the APICs in a Cluster
BeforeyoushutdownalltheAPICsinacluster,ensurethattheAPICclusterisinahealthystateandallthe
APICsareshowingfullyfit.Onceyoustartthisprocess,werecommendthatnoconfigurationchangesare
doneduringthisprocess.UsethisproceduretogracefullyshutdownalltheAPICsinacluster.
Procedure
Step1 LogintoCiscoAPICwithapplianceID1.
Step2 Onthemenubar,chooseSystem >Controllers.
Step3 IntheNavigationpane,expandControllers>apic_controller_name.
YoumustselectthethirdAPICinthecluster.
Step4 Right-clickthecontrollerandclickShutdown.
Step5 RepeatthestepstoshutdownthesecondAPICinthecluster.
Step6 LogintoCiscoIMCofthefirstAPICintheclustertoshutdowntheAPIC.
Step7 ChooseServer>ServerSummary>ShutdownServer.
YouhavenowshutdownallthethreeAPICsinacluster.
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