Add NetScaler as a device in Cisco ACI using APIC

You need to add a NetScaler as an L4-L7 device to the APIC for the network automation.  The APIC performs network stitching between Leaf  and the NetScaler device, based on the deployed service graph. You need to configure the basic settings of the device configuration, such as configuration management IP addresses, device manager, and credentials.

To register the NetScaler as a device in the APIC by using the APIC GUI:

1. On the menu bar, go to Tenants > All Tenants.

2. In the Work pane, double-click the tenant’s name.

3. In the Navigation pane, select tenant_name > L4-L7 Services > L4-L7 Devices.

4. In the Work pane, select Actions > Create L4-L7 Devices.

5. In the Create L4-L7 Devices dialog box, in the General section, do the following:

   1. Select the Managed check box.

   2. In the Name field, enter a name for the device.

   3. In the Service Type drop-down list, select NetScaler.

   4. In the Device Type field, select Physical.

      Note

      Make sure that for VMware ESX, you select Virtual and associate the respective Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) domain.

   5. In the Physical Domain drop-down list, select the physical domain.

   6. In the Mode field, select Single Node or HA Cluster, depending on your requirement.

   7. In the Device Package drop-down list, select Citrix-NetScalerMAS-1.0.

   8. In the Model drop-down list, select the device model. For example, NetScaler-MPX, or NetScaler-VPX.

6. In the Connectivity section, select Out-Of-Band or In-Band in the APIC to Device Management Connectivity field, depending on how NetScaler is configured in the fabric.

7. In the Credentials section, specify the user name and password for access to the device.

8. In the Device 1 and Device 2 section, respectively, complete the management related configuration.

9. In the Cluster section, complete the management related configuration for the cluster. Make sure that in the Device Manager drop-down list, you select the device manager you created in Adding NetScaler Console as a Device Manager in Cisco APIC

   

10. Click NEXT. The Device Configuration page appears. The hybrid mode device package does not provide device and cluster specific configuration details such as high-availability, enable/disable features and modes, configuration for NTP, SNMP, SNMP Alarms, and so on. These configurations must be done by using NetScaler Console.

11. Click FINISH. When you have successfully registered the device in the APIC, the device is added and is displayed in the Navigation pane.  To view the registered device, in the Navigation pane, go to tenant_name > L4-L7 Services > L4-L7 Devices > device_name.

    Important

    After you register the device, make sure that there are no faults in the APIC. You can view the faults by clicking the Faults tab in the Work pane.

    

    You can also register a NetScaler device by using APIs. The following is a sample XML payload for adding L4-L7 Device:

    <polUni>
    
        <fvTenant name="coke">
    
        <vnsLDevVipname="ADCCluster1"funcType="GoTo" svcType="ADC">
    
         <vnsRsMDevAtt tDn="uni/infra/mDev-Citrix-NetScalerMAS-1.0" />
    
         <vnsRsALDevToPhysDomP tDn="uni/phys-phys"/>
    
         <vnsCMgmt name="devMgmt"host="10.102.102.67"port="80"/>
    
         <vnsCCred name="username" value="nsroot"/>
    
         <vnsCCredSecret name="password" value="****"/>
    
         <vnsRsALDevToDevMgr tnVnsDevMgrName="MAS1"/>
    
         <vnsCDev name="ADC1" devCtxLbl="C1">
    
         <vnsCIf name="1_1">
    
         <vnsRsCIfPathAtt tDn="topology/pod-1/paths-101/pathep-[eth1/33]"/>
    
         </vnsCIf>
    
         <vnsCIf name="1_2">
    
         <vnsRsCIfPathAtt tDn="topology/pod-1/paths-101/pathep-[eth1/35]"/>
    
         </vnsCIf>
    
         <vnsCMgmt name="devMgmt" host="10.102.102.65" port="80"/>
    
         <vnsCCred name="username" value="nsroot"/>
    
         <vnsCCredSecret name="password" value="****"/>
    
         </vnsCDev>
    
         <vnsCDev name="ADC2" devCtxLbl="C1">
    
         <vnsCIf name="1_1">
    
         <vnsRsCIfPathAtt tDn="topology/pod-1/paths-101/pathep-[eth1/34]"/>
    
         </vnsCIf>
    
         <vnsCIf name="1_2">
    
         <vnsRsCIfPathAtt tDn="topology/pod-1/paths-101/pathep-[eth1/36]"/>
    
         </vnsCIf>
    
         <vnsCMgmt name="devMgmt" host="10.102.102.66" port="80"/>
    
         <vnsCCred name="username" value="nsroot"/>
    
         <vnsCCredSecret name="password" value="****"/>
    
         </vnsCDev>
    
         <vnsLIf name="outside">
      
         <vnsRsMetaIf tDn="uni/infra/mDev-Citrix-NetScalerMAS-1.0/mIfLbl-outside"/>
    
         <vnsRsCIfAtt tDn="uni/tn-coke/lDevVip-ADCCluster1/cDev-ADC1/cIf-1_1"/>
    
         <vnsRsCIfAtt tDn="uni/tn-coke/lDevVip-ADCCluster1/cDev-ADC2/cIf-1_1"/>
    
         </vnsLIf>
    
         <vnsLIf name="inside">
    
         <vnsRsMetaIf tDn="uni/infra/mDev-Citrix-NetScalerMAS-1.0/mIfLbl-inside"/>
    
         <vnsRsCIfAtt tDn="uni/tn-coke/lDevVip-ADCCluster1/cDev-ADC1/cIf-1_2"/>
    
         <vnsRsCIfAtt tDn="uni/tn-coke/lDevVip-ADCCluster1/cDev-ADC2/cIf-1_2"/>
    
         </vnsLIf>
    
         </vnsLDevV
    
         </fvTenant>
    
         </polUni>