CCNA R&S Article #4 - An Intro to Cisco DNA Center
CCNA R&S Article #4 – An Introduction to Cisco DNA Center
Cisco DAN Center is a powerful network controller &
management platform to manage network devices that include Cisco Switches,
Wireless AP, Controller, and Routers. This helps the network team to speed up network
changes throughout the entire network. It resulted in less time to make
configuration changes across the network and identify and resolve network-related
issues. There are 5 core applications/pillars that make DNA Center a powerful
network management platform. These five pillars are - Design, Policy, Provision, Assurance, and Platform
Design
This design application allows network administrators to
design the network aspect that we used to perform using spreadsheets, PowerPoint,
word documents, etc. During the design phase network team can use simple workflows
(guided instructions) to perform tasks like what are the Sites, Buildings, and Floors
of a facility, what should be the IP Schema, and Standard Configurations
parameters – DHCP, DNS, AD, AAA servers. This helps the team to standardize the
network configuration of the devices across the network.
Policy
The policy application allows network administrators to
draft security policies for the entire network. This includes both wired and wireless
networks. It helps to have a consistent security configuration across the network.
This defines who can talk to whom – for example defining the policies like
network camera group should not talk to IT devices like printers or scanners.
Provision
The Provision application allows a network administrator to automate
the actual deployment of devices. Let’s say you received the network device at the
site like switches and a couple of access points and are connected to the
network. During the provision, it is decided which site the devices would be
deployed on and what configuration they will be using.
Assurance
Once the network is deployed and secured using the security
policies. Users will be connecting to the network and accessing the
applications in Data Center. Who will ensure that the network is working the
way it was intended during the design phase and what is the health of the entire
network and devices? There comes the Assurance application to rescue. This
captures the logs, events, and alerts from the device and using the machine
learning engine presents meaningful data to the network team. With this
powerful capability to understand the network, the team can assure the network
is working and delivering the required services to end users.
Platform
Finally, once the network is deployed and the team has visibility
across the network, there comes the question can it talk to other network
solutions. The Platform application allows DNA Center to integrate with 3rd
party solutions (ITSM, IPAM, or 3rd Party applications to receive
alerts) and process to exchange data with DNA Center.
The below snapshot gives you an idea of how to access these
applications from DNA Center. Currently, the user is viewing the Assurance
Application.
Figure 1: DNA Center - Design, Policy, Provision, and Assurance
DNA Capabilities
Now that we have a basic understanding of the four core pillars (applications) of DNA Center, let’s talk about some of its capabilities.
|
Design
Capabilities |
Assurance
Capabilities |
Platform
Capabilities |
|
Network Discovery |
Network devices Health |
Northbound REST APIs |
|
Inventory Collection |
Client Health |
IT Service Management
Integration |
|
Plug-n-Play |
Application Health |
IP Address Management
Integration |
|
Software Management |
Wireless Heatmaps |
3rd Part logs, event
collector (NPM) |
|
Configuration Compliance and
Audit |
PoE Analytics |
|
|
RMA workflow |
Path Trace |
|
|
Wireless Automation |
Application QoS |
|
|
|
Device 360 and Client 360 |
|
|
|
Reporting |
|
In short, we can say DNA Center is a powerful network and management platform that gives time back to the network support team. All the tasks that used to take days can be performed in minutes, and the time that the team is saving can be utilized to support more digital transformation initiatives by the company.
