• 👉 Overview
• 👀 What ?
• 🧐 Why ?
• ⛏️ How ?
• ⏳ When ?
• ⚙️ Technical Explanations
• Introduction to Cisco vManage
• Core Components and Architecture
• Key Features and Benefits
• Example: Changing QoS Policy Using Cisco vManage
• Step-by-Step Process
• Conclusion
• 🖇️ References

👉 Overview

👀 What ?

Cisco vManage is a part of Cisco's Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) solution that offers a centralized network management dashboard, enabling easy configuration, management, and monitoring of a wide area network.

🧐 Why ?

Cisco vManage is important because it simplifies the complexity of managing a wide area network. It is designed to address the challenges of scaling, managing, and securing a WAN, providing a single pane of glass for network visibility and control. This makes it a vital tool for network administrators and IT professionals managing a large network infrastructure.

⛏️ How ?

To utilize Cisco vManage, users need to first set up their SD-WAN network, including vSmart controllers and vEdge routers. Once these are in place, users can log into the vManage dashboard to manage and monitor their network. This includes configuring network policies, managing security settings, and monitoring network performance and health.

⏳ When ?

Cisco vManage became a part of Cisco's SD-WAN solution after the acquisition of Viptela by Cisco in 2017. Since then, it has been widely adopted by organizations looking to simplify their network management.

⚙️ Technical Explanations

Introduction to Cisco vManage

Cisco vManage is a key component of Cisco's SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) solution, providing centralized management and control over the entire SD-WAN infrastructure. It simplifies the deployment, monitoring, and troubleshooting of the network through an intuitive and user-friendly interface.

Core Components and Architecture

1. Unified Control Plane:
• vManage acts as the central hub for the SD-WAN control plane, coordinating with vSmart controllers and vEdge routers.
• It pushes network policies to vSmart controllers, which then propagate these policies to the vEdge routers, ensuring consistent policy enforcement across the network.
2. Communication with Network Components:
• vManage collects and aggregates data from vEdge routers, providing a comprehensive view of the network's performance, security, and operational status.
• This communication enables real-time monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities.

Key Features and Benefits

1. Intuitive Dashboard:
• The vManage dashboard offers a visual representation of the network, including performance metrics, traffic patterns, and security status.
• This allows network administrators to quickly identify and address potential issues.
2. Policy Management:
• Administrators can define, manage, and deploy network policies directly from the vManage interface.
• Policies can include Quality of Service (QoS), security policies, traffic routing, and more.
3. Monitoring and Analytics:
• vManage provides detailed analytics and reporting capabilities, helping administrators understand network behavior and performance.
• These insights are crucial for optimizing network operations and ensuring compliance with business objectives.

Example: Changing QoS Policy Using Cisco vManage

Step-by-Step Process

1. Login to vManage Dashboard:
• Network administrators access the vManage dashboard through a web browser by entering the IP address of the vManage server.
• Credentials are required to log in and gain access to the administrative interface.
2. Navigate to Policies Section:
• Once logged in, administrators navigate to the 'Policies' section, where all network policies are managed.
• This section includes options for creating, modifying, and deploying various network policies.
3. Create a New QoS Policy:
• Administrators can create a new QoS policy to prioritize certain types of traffic. For example, prioritizing voice traffic to ensure high-quality VoIP calls.
• The policy creation involves specifying the policy name, description, and the specific QoS settings.

Example Command to Define QoS Policy:

Copy

policy qos VOICE_TRAFFIC
 match ip dscp ef
 set qos-group 1

• In this command:
• VOICE_TRAFFIC is the policy name.
• match ip dscp ef specifies the Differentiated Services Code Point (DSCP) value for voice traffic.
• set qos-group 1 assigns the traffic to a specific QoS group.
4. Apply the QoS Policy:
• After creating the policy, administrators apply it to the desired parts of the network, selecting specific vSmart controllers and vEdge routers.

Example Command to Apply QoS Policy:

Copy

policy-list VOICE_TRAFFIC
 sequence 10
 match qos-group 1
 set local-preference 100

• In this command:
• VOICE_TRAFFIC is the policy name.
• sequence 10 defines the sequence order for policy evaluation.
• match qos-group 1 specifies the QoS group for matching traffic.
• set local-preference 100 sets the local preference for routing decisions.
5. Confirm Changes:
• Administrators confirm the changes to deploy the new QoS policy. The vManage system then pushes the policy to the selected network components.
• The dashboard updates to reflect the new policy, allowing administrators to monitor its impact on the network.

Conclusion

Cisco vManage is a powerful tool for managing and optimizing SD-WAN environments. It provides a centralized platform for policy management, real-time monitoring, and comprehensive analytics, enabling network administrators to enhance network performance and security. By leveraging features like the intuitive dashboard and flexible policy controls, organizations can ensure their networks align with business objectives and operate efficiently.

🖇️ References