Configuration Groups was created in v 20.9.x, this is due to the lack of flexibility in feature Tempates. With Feature Templates you could assign them to different devices but lacking the flexibility. Now with Configuration Group (image below from Cisco Site) you can essentially create a Group which consists of Feature Profiles that allows you to mix and match for each device. Features allows the user to add/remove such as MPLS, LTE or Internet under the Feature Profile WAN.
Example below is if you had a group of devices and within a region, they required the same Feature such as Loggin and Banner, you could share the same Feature Profile but in a separate Configuration Group. Likewise you could just create one Feature Profile with Features under the same Feature profile for one set or group of devices.
Example below shows :
- Feature Profile – Transport Profile 1 – Only West Coast Configuration Group devices is using it.
- Feature Profile – System Profile – Logging and Banner Features is being used by West Coast and East Coast but in 2 different Configuration Group.
Transport Profile = Colour or the transports you will be using such as MPLS, Business Internet, and which VPN it is under (0 Transport or Management 512).
System Profile = Consists of AAA, Banner, BFD, Logging, NTP etc
Service Profile = Consists of the Overlay Servive VPN like 1-500 etc
When you choose which Features to add into the Feature Profile this is called ‘Parcel’. So if you wanted to setup Logging you would include the logging Parcel into the System Profile (Feature Profile).
From Cisco Website – Definitions
The Configuration Group feature provides a simple, reusable, and structured approach for the configurations in Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN.
- Configuration Group: A configuration group is a logical grouping of features or configurations that can be applied to one or more devices in the network managed by Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN. You can define and customize this grouping based on your business needs.
- Feature Profile: A feature profile is a flexible building block of configurations that can be reused across different configuration groups. You can create profiles based on features that are required, recommended, or uniquely used, and then put together the profiles to complete a device configuration.
- Feature: A feature profile consists of features. Features are the individual capabilities you want to share across different configuration groups.
Restrictions for Configuration Groups
- You can associate a device to either a configuration group or a device template, but not both.
- You can add a device to only one configuration group.
- You can add only one tag rule to a configuration group.
- (Minimum supported release: Cisco Catalyst SD-WAN Manager Release 20.12.1) You can only apply the dual device configuration group to a site with two or less devices. For additional devices in the same site, use a single device configuration group.