🏗️ Cisco ACI – How to Onboard a New Leaf Switch
(Step-by-Step)
✅ Prerequisites
Before onboarding a
new leaf, make sure:
- ✔️
Cisco ACI fabric is already deployed and operational. - ✔️
APIC(s) are reachable and healthy. - ✔️
New leaf switch is physically installed in rack and powered off. - ✔️
Supported transceivers and uplink cables are connected from leaf to at
least one spine. - ✔️
Switch firmware is compatible with APIC version. - ✔️
Adequate APIC node license is available.
🔧 Step-by-Step Process
🔌 Step 1: Cable the Leaf Switch
- Connect uplinks (1 or more) from the new leaf
switch to existing spine switches using supported optics. - Ensure uplinks are connected before
powering on the switch to allow ZTP (Zero Touch Provisioning) via
LLDP.
⚡ Step 2: Power On the Leaf Switch
- Power on the leaf switch.
- It will automatically boot and try to
discover the fabric via LLDP (to spine) and TEP communication
through spine to APIC.
🔍 Step 3: Monitor Discovery in APIC
- Log in to APIC GUI
- Navigate to:
Fabric → Inventory → Fabric Membership → Nodes Pending Registration - Wait for the new leaf switch to appear
here. - You will see its Serial Number, Node
Role = Leaf, and Status = Blank/ Not Registered
📝 Step 4: Register the New Leaf
- Right-click on the serial number of the discovered
leaf. - Click “Register”
- In the registration window, enter:
- 🔢 Node ID: Unique numeric ID (e.g., 103)
- 🏷️ Node Name: Friendly name (e.g., Leaf103)
- Click Register
🌀 The APIC will push the basic config. The leaf
will reboot and rejoin the fabric using the new node identity.
⏱️ Step 5: Verify Registration
- After the leaf reboots, navigate to:
Fabric → Inventory → Topology - Confirm the new leaf:
- ✅
Appears with the correct Node ID and Name - ✅
Has status “Active” - ✅
Shows “Fully Fit” fabric membership state - ✅
Has Green Health Score (> 90)