In Cisco ACI, node
states describe the status of a fabric node (like a leaf or spine
switch) in relation to the APIC controller and the overall fabric. Here’s a
breakdown of the common node states you mentioned:
🔹 Active
- The node is fully discovered, registered,
and operational in the fabric. - It is participating in policy enforcement
and forwarding traffic.
🔹 Inactive
- The node is known to the APIC but is not
currently participating in the fabric. - This could be due to administrative
shutdown or connectivity issues.
🔹 Discovering
- The APIC has detected the node and is in
the process of gathering its information. - This is a transitional state before
becoming active.
🔹 Undiscovered
- The node is not yet detected by the APIC.
- It may be powered off, disconnected, or
not properly cabled.
🔹 Unknown
- The APIC cannot determine the state of the
node. - This could be due to communication failure
or misconfiguration.
🔹 Unsupported
- The node is running a software version or
hardware type that is not compatible with the current ACI fabric. - It cannot be managed or used until
upgraded or replaced.
🔹 Decommissioned
- The node has been intentionally removed
from the fabric. - It no longer participates in any fabric
operations and is not expected to return unless re-commissioned.
🧠 Summary Table
| Node State | Description | Common Causes |
|---|---|---|
| Active | Node is fully discovered and operational within the fabric. | Successful discovery, proper cabling, compatible firmware. |
| Inactive | Node is known to APIC but not participating in the fabric. | Admin shutdown, link issues, or configuration mismatch. |
| Discovering | Node is in the process of being onboarded into the fabric. | Initial connection, waiting for LLDP adjacency or infra VLAN. |
| Undiscovered | Node is not detected by APIC. | Cabling issues, powered off, wrong port type, or missing infra VLAN. |
| Unknown | APIC cannot determine the node’s state. | Communication failure, misconfigured switch, or APIC database inconsistency. |
| Unsupported | Node hardware or software is incompatible with the current ACI fabric. | Outdated firmware, non-ACI image, or unsupported model. |
| Decommissioned | Node has been intentionally removed from the fabric. | Manual decommissioning via APIC or CLI. |