Users Guide

a. To design a Standard Fabric:

1. Bandwidth and Port Count — Configure the number of edge port uplinks to the WAN

connection and downlinks required (for example, to servers or ToRs) for deployment as

well as for future expansion.

2. Deployment Topology — Select a Layer 2 or Layer 3 solution from a list of all applicable

deployment topologies based on the fabric requirements entered on the Bandwidth and

Port Count and Fabric Name and Type screens. To configure VLTi links and fabric links,

use the Advanced options. For more information, refer to Deployment Topology Use

Cases.

3. Fabric Customization — Select the switch names, models, and switch roles (aggregation

or access) and modify the fabric link bandwidth for two-tier and three-tier fabrics.

b. To design an Advanced Fabric:

1. Core Configuration (Three-tier topologies only) — Configure the core switch names and

models. Allocate the remaining bandwidth to the appropriate link types.

2. Aggregation Configuration — Configure the aggregation switch names and models.

Allocate the remaining bandwidth to the appropriate link types.

3. Access Configuration — Configure access switch names and models. Configure switch

model-specific settings. Allocate the remaining bandwidth to the appropriate link types.

4. Port Configuration — Configure the proposed port numbers for links.

2. Output — View future switches and links and the fabric in the following formats:

• graphical wiring plan

• tabular wiring plan

• graphical network topology

• tabular network topology

3. Summary — View a summary of the fabric design or export the design.

Fabric Design — Fabric Name and Type

To simplify and automate the design process, AFM provides the Fabric Design Wizard to design a Layer 2,

Layer 3, or Layer 3 with Resiliency (Routed VLT) fabric based on current and future data center capacity

requirements. Refer to Designing the Fabric and Using the Fabric Design Wizard.

To generate a physical wiring plan for the fabric during the design phase, enter the data center capacity

requirements. The wiring plan is typically given to the network operator, who uses it to build the physical

network. For information about designing a fabric, refer to Selecting Distributed Core and Selecting a

Layer 2 and Layer 3 with Resiliency (Routed VLT).

Designing a Fabric