--- title: "Deploying Cisco SDA: Lessons from Our Lab | IPTel" description: Why deploy Cisco SD-Access, how we built it in our lab — high-level design and fabric overlay — and what we learnt along the way. image: https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Blogs/Deploying%20Cisco%20SDA/Deploying%20Cisco%20SDA%20(Instagram).gif --- [![IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500 (1)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500%20(1).png?width=200&height=59&name=IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500%20(1).png "IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2-pnd-optimised-500 (1)")](https://iptel.com.au) - [Home](https://iptel.com.au/) - [Solutions](https://iptel.com.au/solutions) Technologies - [Cisco Access Manager](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-access-manager) - [Cisco Catalyst Center](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-catalyst-center) - [Cisco Meraki](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-meraki) - [Cisco SDA Fabric](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-sda-fabric) - 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[Buying Panels](https://iptel.com.au/professional-supply-panels) - [IPTel Store](https://store.iptel.com.au) - [Request a Quote](https://iptel.com.au/request-a-quote) - [Managed Services](https://iptel.com.au/managed-services-enquiry) Case Studies - [DP World Video](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Case%20Studies/DP%20World_Case_Study.mp4) - [DP World](https://blog.iptel.com.au/dp-world-case-study) - [Backup Assure](https://blog.iptel.com.au/backup-assure-a-disaster-recovery-case-study) [Contact Us](https://iptel.com.au/contact-us) [Blog](https://blog.iptel.com.au) This is a search field with an auto-suggest feature attached. - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. ## Deploying Cisco SDA Apr 10, 2025 Software Defined Access - or SDA for short - is the technology used for automated network deployment, configuration and maintenance. The best way to find out if it works? Deploy it in your lab - and that's exactly what we did! ![Deploying Cisco SDA](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/Deploying%20Cisco%20SDA/Deploying%20Cisco%20SDA.png?width=2240&height=1200&name=Deploying%20Cisco%20SDA.png) --- ## Why Deploy SDA? Let's start with the obvious question. Why deploy SDA? In our case, it was an easy answer - we need to be able to train and lab up configurations for our customers, so the investment of equipment, as well as time and effort is well worth it. SDA is a bit of a revolution in the networking space - the promise of automated and easy networking is worth exploration. Read on to find out how we did! Related reading - [Cisco SDA](https://blog.iptel.com.au/the-cios-guide-to-cisco-sda-fabric) - [Cisco SDA Fabric](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-sda-fabric) - [Cisco SD-Access Lab](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cisco-sd-access-lab) - [Software Defined Networking Explained](https://blog.iptel.com.au/software-defined-networking) --- ## High Level Design You always need to start a network installation with a design - even if it's only a high level one. Here's our high level design for our little SDA lab setup: ## ![SD Access Deployed](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/SD%20Access%20Deployed/SD%20Access%20Deployed.png?width=661&height=485&name=SD%20Access%20Deployed.png) Luckily we have our own air conditioned comms room - you'll need that to keep the switching cool - as well as shield you from the noise from the fans! Related reading - [Cisco Catalyst Center Beginners Guide](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cisco-catalyst-center-beginners-guide) --- ## Installing SDA in our Lab So how did it go? Really well! Fortunately we have a small/medium sized office space, so the work of removing the old and installing the new was quite quick. ![What is Cisco SDA\_ (Instagram)](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/What%20is%20Cisco%20SDA/What%20is%20Cisco%20SDA_%20(Instagram).png?width=175&height=175&name=What%20is%20Cisco%20SDA_%20(Instagram).png)The satisfying part was being able to leverage Cisco DNA Center's automation tools (DNA Center has since been renamed Cisco Catalyst Center) to commission the new LAN devices quickly and easily. As we booted and connected each SDA switch, a template was pushed by DNAC to configure the devices. This is in contrast to scripting on the terminal and having to console into every switch...   At this point, we had a working underlay network after a couple of hours. We defined the fabric roles of each of our LAN devices, which can be either Border, Control Plane, or Edge. We also set our Wireless Controller as a fabric WLC so we can use SDA wireless.  Related reading - [Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) Introduction](https://blog.iptel.com.au/zero-trust-architecture) - [Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) Deployment](https://blog.iptel.com.au/zero-trust-deployment) --- ## Configure the Fabric Overlay Next up, we defined the overlay design of our network in DNA Center (scalable groups, IP addressing, segmentation, etc.), as well as what SSIDs we want in the fabric, and deployed it to the fabric overlay.  The image below shows us during the configuration with our Virtual Networks (VNs) pre-configured:   ![SDA Fabric Overlay](https://blog.iptel.com.au/hs-fs/hubfs/Blogs/SD%20Access%20Deployed/SDA%20Fabric%20Overlay.png?width=811&height=290&name=SDA%20Fabric%20Overlay.png) We are now the proud operators of an SDA office, with end-to-end micro-segmentation, endpoint analytics and fabric networking!   Related reading - [Cisco SD Access: Micro Segmentation Explained](https://blog.iptel.com.au/blog/cisco-sd-access-micro-segmentation-explained) --- ## Cisco SDA Deployment: FAQs ### Why Deploy Cisco SD-Access? SD-Access automates network deployment and configuration and delivers consistent segmentation and policy across wired and wireless. ### What Is the Best Way to Evaluate SDA? Build it in a lab first, so the design, workflows and integration with Cisco ISE are proven before production. ### What Is the Fabric Overlay? The VXLAN-based virtual network that runs over the routed underlay and carries user traffic and segmentation. ### Does SD-Access Need Cisco Catalyst Center? Yes. Catalyst Center is used to design, provision and manage the SD-Access fabric. --- ## Deploying Cisco SDA: Summary If you're going to install - and operate - an SDA Fabric environment, you need to really train on it and test it out first. There's nothing quite like the real thing - and training on this means we're much better prepared for the real thing. Deploying a customer network - especially when we need to integrate and update an existing network - takes some real care and the ability to work through change controls in a lab environment gives the certainty that the change will go smoothly when we undertake it in production. Overall, we've spent a bit of money on the lab, but it's worth it to be able to configure up real equipment - and now we actually use SDA Fabric for our office, so we get to enjoy the benefits of a Zero Trust Architecture. Related reading - [Zero Trust Architecture](https://blog.iptel.com.au/zero-trust-architecture) - [Deploying Zero Trust Architecture](https://blog.iptel.com.au/zero-trust-deployment) ### Need Help With SD-Access? IPTel designs and deploys [Cisco SD-Access fabric](https://iptel.com.au/technologies/cisco-sda-fabric) for Australian campuses. If that would be useful, [get in touch with the IPTel team](https://iptel.com.au/contact-us) or email [sales@iptel.com.au](mailto:sales@iptel.com.au). #### Related Articles ###### [Cisco SDA Migration](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cisco-sda-migration) Mar 31, 2026 ###### [Cisco Webex Calling](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cisco-webex-calling) July 3, 2025 ###### [Cisco SD-Access Lab](https://blog.iptel.com.au/cisco-sd-access-lab) July 6, 2026 ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mark McSherry", "url" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/author/mark-mcsherry" }, "dateModified" : "2026-10-03T07:48:22.227Z", "datePublished" : "2025-04-10T00:22:29.000Z", "headline" : "Deploying Cisco SDA: Lessons from Our Lab | IPTel", "image" : [ "https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/Blogs/Deploying%20Cisco%20SDA/Deploying%20Cisco%20SDA%20(Instagram).gif" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/cisco-sd-access-deployed", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.iptel.com.au/hubfs/IPTel_Solutions_February2020%20-%20Header%20SiteMap/Images/IPTellogo-byline-2020-dark-v2.png" }, "name" : "IPTel Solutions Pty Ltd" } } ```