Cisco Environment Discovery
Complete documentation of existing topology, VLANs, spanning tree, QoS, and security policy.
Campus Migration Services
Cisco to Arista Campus Migration Without Production Disruption
A structured path from Cisco Catalyst and Meraki to Arista's cognitive campus platform — without production disruption.
Move from CLI-driven, device-by-device management to CloudVision's centralized automation and streaming telemetry while maintaining full operational continuity.
Proven migration methodology executed repeatedly across enterprise campus environments.
Migration Methodology
A structured program, not a project — keeping your campus operating while the platform changes
Most organizations running Cisco Catalyst or Meraki today didn't make an active choice — they inherited it, renewed it, or defaulted to it because it was familiar. The barrier to Arista migration isn't the platform decision — it's executing the migration without disrupting operations.
The Migration Challenge
Cisco campus infrastructure has accumulated over decades with CLI-driven, device-by-device management that doesn't scale with modern complexity.
Catalyst end-of-life timelines accumulating
Meraki licensing costs increasing
CLI-driven operations don't scale
SmartNet contract complexity for every device
Migration Capabilities
Complete migration methodology from discovery through operational handoff.
Arista Target Architecture
Clean design based on Arista best practices and your operational requirements.
CloudVision Deployment
Centralized management platform with templates, dashboards, and telemetry collection.
Phased Migration Execution
Building-by-building deployment with rollback capability at each phase boundary.
Cisco Coexistence Management
Parallel operation design for Cisco and Arista during transition periods.
Operational Handoff
Training, documentation, and Aegis onboarding for post-migration operations.
Migration Process
Six-phase methodology from discovery through decommission.
1
Discovery and Assessment
Automated discovery of Cisco environment with migration readiness analysis.
2
Arista Design and Planning
Target architecture design with phased migration plan and rollback procedures.
3
Staging and Pre-Configuration
Hardware pre-staging with EOS loading and CloudVision enrollment.
4
Phased Deployment
Phase-by-phase cutover with validation before proceeding to next phase.
5
CloudVision Operationalization
Dashboard configuration, alerting setup, and team training on new platform.
6
Cisco Decommission
SmartNet cancellation documentation and asset disposition support.
What You Get
Complete documentation and operational capability for your new Arista environment.
Complete Documentation
As-built Cisco documentation, Arista reference architecture, and migration procedures.
Deployed Infrastructure
Validated Arista switching with CloudVision management and operational monitoring.
Operational Readiness
Team training, operational documentation, and decommission support.
Operational Outcomes
- Single EOS version across all campus devices
- CloudVision centralized management replacing CLI operations
- Real-time streaming telemetry replacing SNMP polling
- Zero-touch provisioning for future expansion
- Elimination of Cisco SmartNet renewal complexity
- Reduced configuration drift through compliance enforcement
Ideal Fit
- Organizations running Cisco Catalyst 9000 series or older platforms
- Infrastructure approaching end-of-support with platform currency concerns
- Teams dissatisfied with device-by-device Cisco management model
- Campus modernization initiatives with deployment funding
- Organizations evaluating transition to co-managed operations
Platform Comparison
Cisco Catalyst vs. Arista EOS Campus
Understanding the operational differences between platforms.
Cisco Catalyst 9000
Incumbent Platform
Capable platform with large installed base and broad ecosystem support. Well-understood by enterprise IT teams with Cisco-background engineers.
Best Fit
Organizations primarily concerned with familiarity and incumbent vendor inertia.
Tradeoffs
Predominantly CLI-based, per-device operational model. DNA Center provides automation but has not been uniformly adopted.
Recommended
Arista EOS Campus
Modern Platform
Single, consistent operating system across access, distribution, and core. CloudVision provides centralized, API-driven management with streaming telemetry as native features.
Best Fit
Organizations with engineering teams comfortable with programmatic tooling or moving toward network-as-code operations.
Tradeoffs
Requires deliberate migration decision and operational transition from familiar Cisco model.
IVI Recommendation
Fundamentally better architecture for automation and integration. Organizations that execute the migration well don't regret it.
Why IVI
Arista-primary systems integrator with proven migration methodology
Migration Expertise
Built methodology for Cisco-to-Arista migrations executed repeatedly at enterprise scale.
Proven Process
Structured program approach managing both technology and operational transition dimensions.
Same Team
Presales engineers are the same engineers who execute deployment — no handoff to separate delivery team.
Arista Platform Depth
Arista-primary integrator with co-managed operations practice built on Arista platform.
Platform Focus
Deep expertise in Arista EOS and CloudVision across campus, data center, and cloud networking.
Operational Integration
Aegis co-managed services built specifically for Arista environments.
Related Resources
Related Resources
Review related solution pages, supporting materials, and additional resources that help explain where this solution fits and how it can be applied.
FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Cisco to Arista campus migration.
We're running Cisco Meraki. Is the migration process different from Catalyst?
Yes. Meraki is a cloud-managed platform with a dashboard-centric operational model. The migration involves translating dashboard policies (VLANs, SSIDs, security policies, MX firewall rules) into Arista EOS and CloudVision configurations. We have a specific discovery process for Meraki environments and design the migration to preserve the operational simplicity you valued in Meraki — now on a platform you own and control.
How long does a campus migration typically take?
Duration depends on the size and complexity of your campus. A single-building migration with 20-30 switches can be completed in 2-4 weeks. A multi-building enterprise campus with 200+ switches typically runs 3-6 months in a phased program. We calibrate the pace to your business calendar and risk tolerance.
Can we migrate just part of the campus while keeping Cisco in other areas?
Yes. Cisco/Arista coexistence is a standard scenario we design for explicitly. We've run migrations where the data center and core were migrated to Arista first, with Cisco access layer remaining, and the access layer migrated in subsequent phases. We manage the VLAN and STP coexistence design so both platforms operate cleanly during the transition.
What does the Arista training requirement look like for our team?
Arista EOS is deliberately familiar to Cisco engineers — the CLI concepts and command structure are recognizable. Most engineers with Cisco background are productive on Arista EOS within days. CloudVision has a learning curve but our onboarding training addresses the specific operational workflows your team will use.
We have fiber channel SAN infrastructure connected to our campus switches. Does that complicate migration?
Storage networking attached to campus switching (typically via dedicated storage VLANs or storage-facing uplinks) is part of our discovery documentation. We design the migration to maintain storage network connectivity throughout and validate storage performance post-cutover. Complex storage networking involving FCoE or direct FC integration is handled through our storage networking practice.
What happens to our Cisco SmartNet contracts when we migrate?
We help you document the SmartNet contracts associated with migrated equipment as part of our decommission process. Timing of SmartNet cancellation typically aligns with completed phase cutovers. We produce the decommission documentation you need to initiate the cancellation process with Cisco or your VAR.