Network Fabrics are the foundation for next-generation enterprise network architectures that can easily carry segmentation and policy constructs to support a hybrid workforce across multiple sites.
Cisco SD-Access Multisite is the leading Campus Fabric Architecture, enabling large enterprises to successfully deliver a secure, mobile experience. Not only does Cisco SD-Access Multisite apply consistent segmentation and policy throughout the campus, it does so across the whole enterprise.
Multisite Campus Fabric Architecture is built on Cisco DNA Center’s SD-Access, a networking fabric that provides simplified IP addressing, policy-based segmentation, and an intelligent, automated network fabric. Cisco SD-Access establishes a virtualization layer so that the network appears like a “single” large virtual switch to connecting workforce and devices. Virtualizing the network also enables agility and flexibility that has not been available in enterprise networks.
Cisco SD-Access Multisite utilizes a flexible interconnect “Transit Network” fabric. As a transit network, it does not have any “hosts”, and summarization is enabled by default. This helps scale the architecture to span multiple geographies and encompass even very large enterprises.
Figure 1: Cisco SD-Access Multisite Fabric
Figure 1 shows the Cisco SD-Access transit network fabric spanning multiple sites. Note that the transit network simply provides the interconnection to different networks and doesn’t have “hosts” of its own. The main tasks of the transit network fabric are to:
Summarize the individual site fabric.
Scale horizontally using the summarization so IT can use preset designs for each site as the network grows.
Secure operations by breaking the fabric into smaller sites/fault domains in case there is a security breach or network instability.
The Cisco SD-Access Multisite Architecture provides flexibility to connect multiple transits at the same time such as site-to-site connectivity and connectivity to data center or the Internet. SD-Access Multisite also gives network administrators the flexibility to determine site size depending upon on requirements such as fast roaming, fault domain, geographic location, latency, cost, and so on.