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Automate the world (or at least the DC)
August 26, 2020

Automate the world (or at least the DC)

Daniel Hosking | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 8 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (Cisco ACI)

We have used ACI as part of our existing platforms and also deployed it as part of various Cisco infrastructure projects for clients. In addition we have also on occasion performed consulting functions to clients that either had tried to deploy themselves or had work done by another integrator and had run into un expected complications.
  • Simplicity of automation
  • Speed and ease of deployment
  • Learning curve, new approach to doing things
  • Finding people with experience and skills in the market
  • ROI depends on the deployment.
  • Fewer resources are required due to automation and centralisation.
  • It is not suited to smaller deployments as the efficiencies that it provides are not fully realised.
Most of our client networks are legacy and are not a spine and leaf topologies, they are traditional three-tier networks. Cisco ACI is compatible with these networks and easily accommodates them by easily integrating, usually at the aggregation layer. Integrating with the Cisco ACI fabric provides our clients with same advantages of policy automation and visability as well as a path to fully transition to SDN.
Cisco ACI scales well and is suited in scenarios such as multi-cloud or large data centre implementations. It is not suited to smaller deployments as the efficiencies that it provides are not fully realised. It is well suited in large environments that contain both virtual and bare-metal machines allowing a great deal of flexibility. It is also perfect to support multi-tenancy platforms.
Cisco ACI provides the ability to provide consistent policy including security across both legacy three tire networks, as well as new greenfield spine and leaf deployments. This is beneficial to us as most of our client networks are legacy and not a spine and leaf topologies, they are traditional three-tier networks. This is especially beneficial with aspects as such as security for consistency and ease of deployment.
Cisco Nexus, Duo Security, now part of Cisco, Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE)
Cisco ACI is well suited in scenarios such as multi-cloud or large data centre implementations. It is not suited to smaller deployments as the efficiencies that it provides are not fully realised. It is well suited in large environments that contain both virtual and bare metal machines allowing a great deal of flexibility. It is also perfect to support multi-tenancy platforms.