Cisco Nexus Dashboard Playbook
This playbook is designed to provide you with use case education, customer requirements, and actions you'll need to take to help your customers navigate their Cisco product adoption.
You will be guided through the specific objectives of each stage of adoption and how they relate to the aligning automated digital experience.
As we learn more about what it takes for customers to be successful with their adoption, new resources and updated information can be added to this playbook, including if a customer becomes Stalled in Stage or requires additional troubleshooting aid.
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.
How to coach for success with Cisco Nexus Dashboard
Help your customers get started with initial Cisco Nexus Dashboard onboarding steps, then learn how to tap into advanced features to further centralize, automate, and scale their network.
Help customers unlock the full potential of Cisco Nexus Dashboard's (ND) centralized management by guiding them through installation, configuration, and optimization. From enabling Telemetry and custom rules to leveraging advanced features like Delta analysis and microburst tracking, we ensure seamless deployment and ongoing success in achieving business outcomes.
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.
Customers enter the journey when they meet the following corresponding entry criteria:
NXOS Essentials, NXOS Advantage
DCN Essentials, DCN Advantage, DCN Premier
ACI Essentials, ACI Advantage, ACI Premier
DCN Essentials, DCN Advantage, DCN Premier
ACI Essentials, ACI Advantage, ACI Premier
Nexus 3000, Nexus 7000, Nexus 9000
Customers are eligible for the journey when they have purchased:
| Eligibility Rule | Hierarchy Component | Rule Description |
|---|---|---|
| Rule 1 | Infrastructure | Have Nexus 3000 or Nexus 7000 or Nexus 9000 |
| Rule 2 | License | Have one of the following licenses: NXOS Essentials, NXOS Advantage, DCN Essentials, DCN Advantage, DCN Premier, ACI Essentials, ACI Advantage, ACI Premier |
| Eligibility Scenarios |
|---|
| If Rule 1 and Rule 2 are TRUE, then your customer is ELIGIBLE |
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.
Guidance on helping your customer adopt Cisco Nexus Dashboard
In this stage, the customer will:
- Attend Accelerators: Nexus Dashboard and Nexus Dashboard Insights App Walk-thru
- Understand and plan for ND deployment models
- Plan the physical or virtual ND install
- Perform infrastructure readiness and installation steps
- Complete the initial configuration of Nexus Dashboard
- Install Nexus Dashboard Insights application
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Installed physical Nexus Dashboard
- Set up Nexus Dashboard cluster configuration
- Claimed Nexus Dashboard in Intersight
- Verified data persistant IP (DCNM)
- Installed and enabled NDI application
Tips for Partner:
- The instructions within this playbook apply to on-prem appliances (physical/virtual) only
- Verify that the customer can successfully log into Nexus Dashboard from out-of-band management
Activate
Subject Line: Install Cisco Nexus Dashboard Insights to begin your journey
Preheader: Gain full use of your investment by taking these actions today
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have not completed the Activate step
Goal: Promote creation of credentials necessary to activate and use the product
Preheader: Gain full use of your investment by taking these actions today
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have not completed the Activate step
Goal: Promote creation of credentials necessary to activate and use the product
Activate
In this stage, the customer will:
- Attend relevant virtual events
- Review the Guided Resources
- Explore Cisco Community
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Received this email
Tips for Partner:
- Ensure your customer is consuming current Cisco content
Welcome resources
Subject Line: Bookmark these Cisco Data Center Network Operations resources
Preheader: Everything you need for a successful deployment
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have activated and are ready to use the product
Goal: Provide customer with resources needed to adopt their product
Preheader: Everything you need for a successful deployment
Trigger: Customer receives this email when they have activated and are ready to use the product
Goal: Provide customer with resources needed to adopt their product
Welcome resources
In this stage, the customer will:
- Set up configuration of ND and NDI
- Plan onboarding of sites in ND
- Select sites to manage on NDI
- Plan to start using NDI application
- Enable site collection status
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Verified site is added to ND
- Created Insight group in NDI
Tips for Partner:
- Verify that the bug and assurance scan analysis results are visible to the customer on the NDI application
Best practices
Subject Line: Tips for your implementation: Cisco Data Center Network Operations
Preheader: Implement with these best practices for success
Trigger: Customer receives this email one week after the Resources: Getting started email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with implementation best practices
Preheader: Implement with these best practices for success
Trigger: Customer receives this email one week after the Resources: Getting started email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with implementation best practices
Best practices
In this stage, the customer will:
- Enable PTP
- Enable six data management IP addresses (DCNM)
- Set fabric node controls to Telemetry priority
- Check leaf and spine switch policy group (ACI)
- Identify applications, subnets, and flows to capture
- Configure flow Telemetry rules in NDI
- Configure email export
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Set up flow Telemetry requirements needed for ACI and DCNM
- Enabled PTP
- Verified leaf and spine switch policy group
- Configured Telemetry priority
- Configured flow rules in NDI
- Set up custom rules for anomalies and advisories
- Configured email alerts
Tips for Partner:
- The flow statistics will appear under Browse > Flow page and under the Analyze Alerts > Anomalies any flow anomalies will be reported.
- Make sure the site is configured for flow rules under Configure Site Group then navigate to Flow tab.
Core features
Subject Line: Enable these core features for Cisco Data Center Network Operations
Preheader: Get to know these configuration best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email when there's a new contact one week after the Resources: Getting started email or when existing contacts’ stage = Use, Engage, Adopt, and Optimize
Goal: Highlight core product features and provide resources to learn more
Preheader: Get to know these configuration best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email when there's a new contact one week after the Resources: Getting started email or when existing contacts’ stage = Use, Engage, Adopt, and Optimize
Goal: Highlight core product features and provide resources to learn more
Core features
In this stage, the customer will:
- Generate Delta analysis reports
- Enable microburst
- Enable Kafka export
- Enable TAC Log Collection
- Verify at least one DCNM Connectivity Analysis was completed
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Verified completed Delta analysis jobs
- Enabled microburst
- Enabled Kafka
- Enabled TAC log collection
- Verified the number of completed DCNM Connectivity Analysis
Tips for Partner:
- Verify that Delta analysis rules are configured and generating results under Troubleshoot > Delta analysis page in the NDI application
- Verify microburst events are seen
- Verify Kafka is exporting to consumer or see under Troubleshoot > Connectivity Analysis if Connectivity Analysis policy is configured (if used by the customer)
- Verify that the microbursts are configured and they are generating information under Troubleshoot
Feature focus
Subject Line: Tips for Cisco Data Center Network Operations deployment
Preheader: Best practices to grow the fabric
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Core features email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with information on how to plan and deploy their policies
Preheader: Best practices to grow the fabric
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Core features email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with information on how to plan and deploy their policies
Feature focus
In this stage, the customer will:
- Become familiar with custom dashboard and GUI
- Configure pre-change analysis jobs on all fabrics
- Review conformance reports
- Run pre-software and post-software upgrade reports for fabric switches and controllers
- Run upgrade workflow to upgrade switches and controllers
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Created custom dashboard
- Completed pre-change analysis job
Tips for Partner:
- Verify under Dashboard on the NDI application that customer dashboards have been created under Change Management > Pre-change Analysis
Top 3 recommendations
Subject Line: What you should know about successful Cisco Data Center Network Operations customers
Preheader: Use these top 3 best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Feature focus email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with best practices for using and tuning their policies
Preheader: Use these top 3 best practices
Trigger: Customer receives this email two weeks after the Feature focus email is sent
Goal: Provide customer with best practices for using and tuning their policies
Top 3 recommendations
In this stage, the customer will:
- Plan for Nexus Dashboard cluster upgrade and target release
- Verify cluster is healthy and existing configuration is backed up
- Upload recommended Nexus Dashboard image to Nexus Dashboard
- Execute the upgrade
The customer will exit this stage when they have:
- Verified the Nexus Dashboard is on a current and recommended release
- Verified NDI is on a current and recommended release
Tips for Partner:
- Verify that the customer can successfully log into ND from out-of-band management
Advanced features
Subject Line: Unlock these advanced features for Cisco Data Center Network Operations
Preheader: Mature your Cisco Data Center Network Operations posture
Trigger: Customer receives this email four weeks after the Top 3 recommendations for success email is sent
Goal: Provide advanced features and integrations like virtual events
Preheader: Mature your Cisco Data Center Network Operations posture
Trigger: Customer receives this email four weeks after the Top 3 recommendations for success email is sent
Goal: Provide advanced features and integrations like virtual events
Advanced features
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.
To further support your customers along their digital journey, you can provide them with key resources:
Refer to the last page of this playbook for definitions, descriptions, and all associated resources to help your customer through their adoption.