Cisco ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) Consulting

Motech Support LLC

What is Cisco ACI?

Cisco ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure) is a software-defined networking (SDN) solution designed for modern data centers.

It uses a spine-leaf architecture combined with policy-based automation to simplify network operations, improve scalability, and enhance security.

At Motech Support LLC, we specialize in designing, configuring, and troubleshooting Cisco ACI environments in production networks.

Why ACI is Critical for Modern Data Centers

ACI enables:

• Centralized network management via APIC

• Automation and policy-driven networking

• Multi-tenant segmentation (VRFs, EPGs)

• High scalability using VXLAN overlay

• Consistent security with contracts

Without proper ACI design, organizations may face:

• Complex troubleshooting

• Policy misconfigurations

• Traffic blackholes

• Tenant isolation issues

ACI Architecture Overview

A typical ACI fabric includes:

APIC Controllers

• Centralized management system

• Provides GUI, API, and automation

• No data-plane traffic

Spine Switches

• High-speed backbone

• Forward traffic only (no endpoint learning)

Leaf Switches (VTEPs)

• Connect endpoints (servers, VMs)

• Perform VXLAN encapsulation

• Enforce policies

Endpoints

• Physical servers

• Virtual machines

• Containers

How ACI Works (Traffic Flow)

1. Endpoint sends traffic to Leaf switch

2. Leaf encapsulates packet using VXLAN

3. Traffic forwarded through Spine

4. Destination Leaf decapsulates packet

5. Traffic delivered to destination endpoint

Key ACI Concepts

VXLAN Overlay

• Encapsulates Layer 2 over Layer 3

• Enables scalable fabric

IS-IS (Underlay)

• Provides fabric connectivity

• Runs between Spine and Leaf

MP-BGP (Overlay)

• Distributes endpoint information

• Enables control-plane learning

EPG (Endpoint Group)

• Logical grouping of endpoints

• Example: Web, App, Database

Contracts

• Define communication rules between EPGs

• Acts like a firewall policy

VRF (Tenant Isolation)

• Separates different environments

• Example: Production, Dev, Test

Common ACI Issues We Solve

Endpoint Not Reachable

• Incorrect EPG assignment

• Contract missing

VXLAN Forwarding Issues

• VTEP communication problem

• Overlay/underlay mismatch

Contract Misconfiguration

• Traffic blocked between EPGs

• Incorrect filters

Fabric Health Issues

• Spine/Leaf communication problems

• IS-IS adjacency issues

APIC Connectivity Issues

• Controller communication failure

• Policy push issues

Our ACI Troubleshooting Approach

At Motech Support, we act as expert consultants:

1. Validate Fabric Health

show fabric health

2. Check Endpoints

show endpoint ip <IP>

3. Verify Contracts

show zoning-rule

4. Inspect Routing / Overlay

show ip route
show bgp l2vpn evpn

5. Analyze Faults

show fault

Recovery vs Misconfiguration

Most ACI issues are not hardware failures.

We focus on:

• Fixing policy and configuration issues

• Restoring proper traffic flow

• Avoiding unnecessary hardware replacement

• Reducing downtime and cost

White-Label ACI Support for MSPs

We provide white-label ACI consulting for MSPs:

• Escalation support during outages

• Fabric troubleshooting

• Design validation

• Migration and deployment assistance

MSPs rely on us when:

• ACI complexity exceeds internal expertise

• Critical outages occur

• Fast resolution is required

Where ACI is Used

• Enterprise data centers

• Cloud and hybrid environments

• Financial institutions

• Healthcare systems

• SaaS platforms

Why Choose Motech Support for ACI Consulting?

• Strong expertise in Cisco Nexus & ACI

• Real production troubleshooting experience

• Fast response during critical incidents

• Consultant-driven recovery approach

• MSP-focused service model

Get Expert Help

Need help with Cisco ACI design or troubleshooting?

support@motech-support.com