Cisco Intent Based Networking: Part I, Overview

This post introduces Cisco's approach to Intent-based Networking (IBN) through their Centralized SDN Controller, DNA Center, rebranded as Catalyst Center. We focus on the network green field installation, showing workflows, configuration parameters, and relationships and dependencies between building blocks.

Figure 1-1 is divided into three main areas: a) Onboard and Provisioning, b) Network Hierarchy and Global Network Settings, c) and Configuration Templates and Site Profiles. 

We start a green field network deployment by creating a Network Design. In this phase, we first build a Network Hierarchy for our sites. For example, a hierarchy can define Continent/Country/City/Building/Floor structure. Then, we configure global Network Settings. This phase includes both Network and Device Credentials configuration. AAA, DHCP, DNS serves, DNS name, and Time Zone, which are automatically inherited throughout the hierarchy, are part of the Network portion. Device Credentials, in turn, define CLI, SNMP read/write, HTTP(S) read/write username/password, and CLI enable password. The credentials are used later in the Discovery phase.

Next, we build a site and device type-specific configuration templates. As a first step, we create a Project, a folder for our templates. In Figure 1-1, we have a Composite template into which we attach two Regular templates. Regular templates include CLI configuration parameters and variables. Next, we create a Profile into which we associate our template. In Figure 1-1, we have attached the Composite template to the Profile. We make the templates available for devices, which we later provision to the site using a profile-to-site association. Note that we are using Day-N templates. Day-0 templates are for the Plug-and-Play provisioning process.

As a final step, we delve into the device onboarding and provisioning processes. You can discover devices using CDP, LLDP, IP range, or CIDR. Discovery utilizes the device credentials defined in the Design/Network Settings step. The detected devices are listed in the Inventory section, where we can select them and assign them to a site. After adding the device to the site, we can proceed with provisioning. We choose the configuration templates associated with the site to deploy them onto the device. Additionally, any inherited global configurations are applied to the device. 

Figure 1-1: Cisco IBN Deployment - Phase 1 (click the image to enlarge).

The upcoming posts will provide a detailed explanation of these processes.