Explains support for configuring instances as external service nodes on UCS E-Series server modules in Cisco 4000 Series ISR and Cisco Catalyst 8000 Series Edge Platforms, enabling hybrid clusters and allowing AppQoE services requiring higher CPU to run on constrained routers.
A UCS E-Series server support for external service nodes is a deployment capability that
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configures instances as external service nodes on supported UCS E-Series server modules
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enables hybrid clusters on Cisco 4000 Series ISR and Cisco Catalyst 8000 Series Edge Platforms, and
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allows AppQoE services such as DRE to run on routers that have lower CPU and RAM.
How Cisco Catalyst 8000V works on Cisco UCS E-Series servers
Starting from Cisco IOS XE Catalyst SD-WAN Release 17.6.1a, Cisco Catalyst 8000V instances can be configured as external service nodes on supported UCS E-Series server modules. These server modules reside in Cisco 4000 Series Integrated Services Routers (Cisco 4000 Series ISR) and Cisco Catalyst 8000 Series Edge Platforms. These routers come with integrated service nodes. However, you can use supported UCS E-Series servers to deploy Cisco Catalyst 8000V instances on these routers, therefore enabling them to act as hybrid clusters with integrated service nodes and external service nodes. This capability ensures that AppQoE services such as DRE, that require higher CPU, can run on routers that otherwise have lower CPU and RAM.
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You can install VMware vSphere ESXi 6.7 hypervisors on UCS-E series server modules that reside in Cisco 4000 Series ISR and Cisco Catalyst 8000 Series Edge Platforms.
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You can then install Cisco Catalyst 8000V on these servers.
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The installed Cisco Catalyst 8000V instances should be configured with the app-heavy profile. This ensures that more cores are allocated to the service plane. The app-heavy profile separates service plane and data plane cores, therefore improving service plane performance.