Transitioning from traditional CLI to API-driven programmability.
For over a decade, Cisco Systems has maintained two parallel networking operating systems: IOS (Internetwork Operating System) for enterprise access/aggregation and NX-OS for data center environments. Originally derived from the SAN-OS operating system for MDS Fibre Channel switches, NX-OS was built from the ground up to address the unique challenges of data centers: , high availability , manageability , and programmability . This manifests as consistent operations across NX-OS VXLAN
This manifests as consistent operations across NX-OS VXLAN EVPN, ACI, and Nexus Hyperfabric. The same management plane and policy framework apply regardless of the underlying architecture, allowing organizations to match the right technology to each workload while maintaining operational consistency. For DevOps teams, the API-first design enables Infrastructure-as-Code integration directly into CI/CD pipelines, ensuring the network can move as fast as the applications it supports. Treats network infrastructure as code (IaC)
Treats network infrastructure as code (IaC), allowing operators to declare the desired state of a Nexus fabric and automatically provision VXLAN networks alongside cloud resources. Telemetry vs. Traditional SNMP and programmability .