Device Group

Device groups provide a mechanism for applying consistent configurations across multiple NX-OS devices, sitting in the middle of the configuration hierarchy (Global → Device Group → Device) to enable shared settings that can still be overridden per device. Each device group is identified by a name and contains a list of member devices, with support for variables and template assignments that are inherited by all group members. Device groups are particularly effective for organizing devices by role (spine, leaf, border), location, or function, reducing configuration duplication while maintaining the flexibility to customize individual devices as needed.

Diagram

Classes

device_groups (nxos)

Name	Type	Constraint	Mandatory
name	String		Yes
devices	List	String	No
variables	Map		No
templates	List	String	No

Examples

Example 1: Basic device groups organizing switches by role

nxos:
  device_groups:
    - name: SPINES
      devices:
        - SPINE1
        - SPINE2

    - name: LEAFS
      devices:
        - LEAF1
        - LEAF2

Example 2: Leaf group with shared VXLAN VTEP, BGP, and anycast gateway configuration

nxos:
  device_groups:
    - name: LEAFS
      configuration:
        fabric_forwarding:
          anycast_gateway_mac: 20:20:00:00:10:12
        interfaces:
          loopbacks:
            - id: 1
              interface_groups: [LOOPBACK_INTERFACE]
              ip_address: ${vtep_ip}/32
          ethernets:
            - id: 1/1
              interface_groups: [FABRIC_INTERFACE]
            - id: 1/2
              interface_groups: [FABRIC_INTERFACE]
          nve:
            shutdown: false
            advertise_virtual_rmac: true
            host_reachability_protocol: bgp
            source_interface_type: loopback
            source_interface_id: "1"
        routing:
          bgp:
            asn: "65000"
            peer_templates:
              - name: SPINE-PEERS
                remote_as: "65000"
                update_source_interface_type: loopback
                update_source_interface_id: "0"
                address_families:
                  - address_family: l2vpn-evpn
                    send_community_standard: true
                    send_community_extended: true
            neighbors:
              - ip: 10.1.100.1
                inherit_peer: SPINE-PEERS
              - ip: 10.1.100.2
                inherit_peer: SPINE-PEERS

Example 3: Spine group with anycast RP, BGP route reflector, and fabric interfaces

nxos:
  device_groups:
    - name: SPINES
      configuration:
        interfaces:
          loopbacks:
            - id: 100
              interface_groups: [LOOPBACK_INTERFACE]
              ip_address: 10.1.101.1/32
          ethernets:
            - id: 1/1
              interface_groups: [FABRIC_INTERFACE]
            - id: 1/2
              interface_groups: [FABRIC_INTERFACE]
        routing:
          pim:
            anycast_rps:
              - address: ${anycast_ip}
                set_address: ${lo0_ip}
          bgp:
            asn: "65000"
            peer_templates:
              - name: LEAF-PEERS
                remote_as: "65000"
                update_source_interface_type: loopback
                update_source_interface_id: "0"
                address_families:
                  - address_family: l2vpn-evpn
                    send_community_standard: true
                    send_community_extended: true
            neighbors:
              - ip: 10.1.100.3
                inherit_peer: LEAF-PEERS
              - ip: 10.1.100.4
                inherit_peer: LEAF-PEERS