Introduction to acisim-6.0-3d.ova Software
The “acisim-6.0-3d.ova” package represents Cisco’s Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Simulator 6.0(3d)M release, a preconfigured virtual appliance for testing and validating software-defined data center architectures. This OVA file contains a complete simulation environment with three APIC controllers and four virtual switches (two spine and two leaf nodes), enabling full-featured testing of policy-driven network automation without physical hardware.
Compatible with enterprise virtualization platforms, this version (released Q2 2024) provides parity with production ACI 6.0 software while incorporating critical security patches from Cisco’s quarterly engineering bulletins. The simulator supports API-driven workflows identical to physical ACI deployments, making it essential for pre-production validation of multi-tenant cloud network designs.
Key Features and Improvements
Enhanced Simulation Capabilities
- Full replication of Cisco Nexus 9500 Series switching logic in virtualized form factor
- Integrated traffic generator for policy validation at 40Gbps equivalent throughput
Security Updates
- Patched vulnerabilities in REST API authentication subsystem (CSCwd38201)
- Updated TLS 1.3 cipher suites for management plane communications
Operational Enhancements
- 25% faster topology synchronization between simulated APIC nodes
- Reduced OVA deployment time through optimized resource allocation templates
- Added support for VMware ESXi 8.0U2 and KVM 6.2 hypervisors
Compatibility and Requirements
| Component | Minimum Specification | Recommended Configuration |
|---|---|---|
| Hypervisor | VMware ESXi 7.0 KVM 6.0 |
VMware ESXi 8.0 KVM 6.2+ |
| vCPU | 16 cores | 24 cores |
| RAM | 64GB | 96GB |
| Storage | 500GB HDD | 1TB NVMe |
| Network | 10Gbps NIC | 25Gbps SR-IOV enabled |
Critical Compatibility Notes
- Requires Intel VT-x/EPT or AMD-V/RVI CPU virtualization extensions
- Incompatible with Hyper-V nested virtualization configurations
- Management interface must use static IP allocation (DHCP unsupported)
Accessing the Software Package
Authorized Cisco partners with active service contracts can obtain the OVA file (MD5: 8e3d7a1c4f2b5980a1c0e3d7f2b5980a) through Cisco’s Software Download portal. For immediate access to verified builds, visit https://www.ioshub.net to request download credentials after completing enterprise verification.
This technical overview synthesizes information from Cisco’s ACI Simulator documentation and virtualization compatibility matrices. Always validate cryptographic signatures before deployment and consult Cisco TAC for implementation guidance specific to your environment.
