Cisco ACI is a data center SDN solution based on a declarative policy model architecture. Cisco ACI delivers software with hardware performance that provides a robust transport network. Cisco ACI allows application requirements to define the network (hence the name). The goal of Cisco ACI is to enable business growth and rapid application development.

What and Why Cisco ACI? (The Easy Way)

March 15, 2025 / By Salman Alhiary

Cisco ACI is an SDN solution that simplifies and automates creating, managing, and enforcing network security policies in data centers. It enables businesses to innovate faster and minimize downtime by simplifying, optimizing, and accelerating infrastructure deployment.

In this video, I answer some fundamental questions about Cisco ACI: What is Cisco ACI? What requirements led to this solution? and Why is it one of the preferred technologies in today’s data centers?

Download The PDF Slides

Summary

Cisco ACI captures higher-level business and user intent in the form of a policy, then translates this policy into the network constructs necessary to provision the network, security, and infrastructure services dynamically.
Cisco ACI is an overlay-based technology that uses Nexus 9000 switches in the underlay network and has several protocols to enable the overlay network to represent the virtual network interconnecting the end devices.
Cisco ACI can be configured from the APICs through GUI, REST API, and CLI.
For more information, check Cisco ACI References.
For ACI interview questions, check ACI Interview Questions: A Professional Services Role Guide.