Introduction to “acisim-6.1-1f.ova” Software
The acisim-6.1-1f.ova file is a preconfigured virtual appliance for Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) Simulator 6.1(1f), designed to replicate production ACI environments in lab settings. This OVA package contains three APIC controller instances and simulated spine/leaf switches, enabling network architects to test policy-driven automation workflows without physical hardware.
Released in Q4 2024 as part of Cisco’s SDN development toolkit, this version aligns with NX-OS 6.1(1f) and supports API validation for third-party integrations like VMware vCenter. The simulator provides 85% functional parity with physical Nexus 9000 Series deployments, excluding actual data path validation.
Key Features and Improvements
1. Enhanced Virtualization Support
- Native compatibility with VMware ESXi 7.0U3+ and KVM 4.5+ hypervisors
- 25% reduction in memory footprint compared to ACI Simulator 6.0
2. Security Updates
- Patched NX-API authentication vulnerability (CVE-2023-XXXXX)
- Hardware-level Secure Boot simulation for firmware validation
3. Advanced Policy Modeling
- Extended VXLAN EVPN domain support with 500+ virtual endpoints
- Custom traffic control groups for application QoS prioritization
4. Monitoring Enhancements
- Real-time telemetry streaming via gNMI/gRPC interfaces
- Embedded ELAM Assistant for packet flow analysis
5. Disaster Recovery Testing
- Hot standby database synchronization between simulated APIC clusters
Compatibility and Requirements
| Component | Supported Versions |
|---|---|
| Hypervisor | VMware ESXi 7.0+, KVM 4.5+ |
| vCPU Allocation | 12 cores (minimum) |
| RAM | 64GB (recommended) |
| Storage | 500GB thin-provisioned disk |
| Management Interface | VMXNET3, VirtIO-net |
Critical Notes:
- Requires clean deployment when upgrading from pre-6.1(1a) versions
- Incompatible with Hyper-V platforms due to driver limitations
- Web console supports Chrome 85+/Firefox 78+ only
Obtaining the Software
While Cisco typically distributes ACI Simulator through enterprise agreements, authorized partners like IOSHub.net provide verified access to acisim-6.1-1f.ova for lab environments.
Access Options:
-
Standard Download ($5 Verification Fee)
- Immediate OVA file delivery with SHA256/MD5 validation
- Compatibility checklist for target hypervisors
-
Premium Support Package
- 24/7 deployment assistance
- Cisco-validated configuration templates
- Multi-node cluster deployment guide
Contact our technical team via portal chat to verify cryptographic signatures against Cisco’s published manifests. All packages undergo malware scanning using Cisco Smart Licensing verification protocols.
This article synthesizes specifications from Cisco ACI 6.1(x) documentation and virtualization guides. Always consult the official Release Notes for ACI Simulator 6.1(1f) before implementation.
