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Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller
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What Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller is
Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller (NDFC) manages and automates Cisco MDS and Nexus deployments across SAN, LAN, and IP fabric for media networking. It brings together control, monitoring, visualization, troubleshooting, and lifecycle operations in a centralized, on-premises system. Its modes include Fabric Discovery and Fabric Controller for LAN deployments, along with SAN Controller. The HTML-based web interface is the main workspace, with an integrated manager for individual switches and directors. NDFC can manage Cisco MDS and Nexus switches, visualize Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects, discover VMware vCenter servers, and find storage arrays from Dell EMC, IBM, HDS, NetApp, and Pure Storage through SMI-S. It gathers data through SNMP, NX-API, streaming telemetry, and SMI-S. Automation includes templated deployment, compliance alerts, and automatic remediation. REST APIs with built-in documentation support orchestration integrations such as Ansible. Release 12 runs on virtual or physical Nexus Dashboard deployments. Pricing is available on request; each managed Cisco Nexus device requires a right-to-manage license.
Who it suits
NDFC suits organizations managing Cisco MDS and Nexus fabrics that need centralized operations, automation, monitoring, and API-based orchestration.
What it does well
- Supports LAN, IP fabric, and SAN operating modes
- Automates deployment and configuration-compliance remediation
- Collects data through SNMP, NX-API, streaming telemetry, and SMI-S
- REST APIs support third-party orchestration integrations
- Role-based access can vary across fabrics
What to know first
- Pricing is available on request
- Each managed Cisco Nexus device requires a right-to-manage license
- Virtual deployment has specified CPU, memory, and storage requirements
- A critical REST API and web UI vulnerability was reported
Limits
NDFC has no free plan and pricing is on request. Each managed Cisco Nexus device needs a right-to-manage license; virtual LAN and IPFM deployments list requirements of 16 vCPUs, 64 GB RAM, and 500 GB SSD. SAN virtual deployments require a small or large node depending on SAN Insights.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Cisco DCN Essentials subscription | 3-year, 5-year, or 7-year subscription terms · Fabric inventory and provisioning · fabric and switch upgrades · basic alerts and correlation · platform integrations | On request |
| Cisco DCN Premier subscription | 3-year, 5-year, or 7-year subscription terms · Advantage features · premier anomaly correlation · pre-change analysis · network telemetry and analytics · enhanced integrations · assurance and compliance | On request |
| Cisco DCN Advantage subscription | 3-year, 5-year, or 7-year subscription terms · Essentials features · advanced alerts and correlation · capacity and conformance · energy management · DNS integration · streaming export | On request |
As cisco.com lists them, read 1 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Visit the Cisco NDFC website and request pricing.
- Select an applicable Cisco DCN subscription term: 3, 5, or 7 years.
- Deploy Release 12 on a virtual or physical Nexus Dashboard.
- Choose Fabric Discovery, Fabric Controller, or SAN Controller mode.
- Ensure each managed Cisco Nexus device has an NDFC right-to-manage license.
- Connect data sources and orchestration tools through supported interfaces and REST APIs.
Verdict
NDFC provides centralized lifecycle management and automation for Cisco MDS and Nexus deployments, with multiple fabric modes and API integrations. Buyers should account for per-device licensing, deployment requirements, and the reported critical security advisory.
Questions
Is Cisco NDFC free?
No. It is paid, and pricing is available on request.
What subscription plans are available?
Cisco DCN Essentials, Advantage, and Premier subscriptions are listed, with 3-year, 5-year, or 7-year terms. Their features differ by tier.
Where does Release 12 run?
It runs on Nexus Dashboard in virtual or physical deployments for LAN, IPFM, and SAN.
Does each managed device need a license?
Each Cisco Nexus device managed by NDFC requires an NDFC right-to-manage license. Release 12.0 onward is Smart Licensing-only.
What APIs and protocols does NDFC support?
Its northbound APIs are REST APIs with built-in Swagger-style documentation. Listed protocols include OSPF, IS-IS, BGP, VXLAN, EVPN, SNMP, SCP, and REST.
What security advisory is reported?
Cisco reported a critical arbitrary command-execution vulnerability in the REST API and web UI, with a base CVSS score of 9.9.
Facts from Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller's own pages
- Access control
- NDFC provides role-based access control for fabric objects, including granular roles that can differ across fabrics for the same user. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- APIs and automation
- All northbound NDFC APIs are REST APIs, include built-in Swagger-style documentation, and support integration with third-party or custom orchestration tools such as Ansible. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Automation and compliance
- Cisco describes automation, graphical visibility, templated deployment with configuration-compliance alerts and automatic remediation, and day-two operations as NDFC benefits. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Core operations
- NDFC provides management, control, automation, monitoring, visualization, and troubleshooting across Cisco MDS and Cisco Nexus solutions. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Deployment platform
- NDFC Release 12 runs on Nexus Dashboard and supports virtual or physical Nexus Dashboard deployments for LAN, IPFM, and SAN. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Infrastructure limits
- For virtual Nexus Dashboard deployments, the datasheet lists 16 vCPUs, 64 GB RAM, and 500 GB SSD for LAN and IPFM modes; SAN requires a small or large node depending on SAN Insights. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Licensing requirement
- Each Cisco Nexus device managed by NDFC requires an NDFC right-to-manage license, and Release 12.0 onward is Smart Licensing-only. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Operating modes
- The AppCenter listing provides Fabric Discovery for LAN deployments, Fabric Controller for LAN deployments, and SAN Controller modes. · dcappcenter.cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Cisco Nexus Dashboard Fabric Controller provides complete lifecycle management and automation for Cisco MDS and Cisco Nexus deployments across SAN, LAN, and IP fabric for media networking. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Security advisory
- Cisco reported a critical NDFC arbitrary command-execution vulnerability in the REST API and web UI with a base CVSS score of 9.9. · sec.cloudapps.cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Support
- Cisco Solution Support with Software Support Service is included in Cisco Data Center Networking subscriptions and legacy NDFC Smart Licenses, providing Cisco TAC support, knowledge-base access, and software downloads. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Supported environments
- NDFC can manage Cisco MDS and Nexus switches, visualize Cisco UCS Fabric Interconnects, discover VMware vCenter servers, and discover Dell EMC, IBM, HDS, NetApp, and Pure Storage arrays through SMI-S. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Telemetry inputs
- NDFC collects data through SNMP, NX-API, streaming telemetry, and the industry-standard SMI-S provider interface. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
- Web interface
- NDFC uses an HTML-based web user interface as its main interface and includes an integrated device manager for individual switches or directors. · cisco.com, 1 Oct 2026
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