EVPN in the Data Center

EVPN in the Data Center

by Dinesh G. Dutt
Released July 2018
Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
ISBN: 9781492029038

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Book description

Ethernet VPN (EVPN) has recently been gaining support among companies looking to solve problems in the design of data center networks. This mature technology has been a part of service provider networks for years, but data center network architects and operators have to contend with complex concepts and terminology spread across multiple standards documents to piece together the relevant model for their data center. This practical ebook cuts through the fog to explain how you can deploy this technology in the core of your data center.

By guiding you through EVPN concepts and practicalities, author Dinesh Dutt (BGP in the Data Center) illustrates why this technology is the piece you need to successfully adopt VXLAN in your Clos-based network. You’ll also discover why EVPN can be simpler to use in data centers than in service provider networks.

  • Understand network virtualization overlays (NVO) and network tunneling
  • Learn the constructs that Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) provides to support NVOs
  • Understand how bridging works in EVPN networks, including the behavior with dual-attached hosts
  • Examine different routing models with EVPN
  • Inspect the most common deployment scenarios in EVPN configuration and put them to use in other situations

Table of contents

  1. Acknowledgments
  2. 1. Introduction to EVPN
    1. Software Used in This Book
  3. 2. Network Virtualization
    1. What Is Network Virtualization?
      1. Types of Virtual Networks
    2. Network Tunneling
      1. The Consequences of Tunneling
      2. Packet Load Balancing
      3. Network Interface Card Behavior
      4. Maximum Transmission Unit
      5. Lack of Visibility
    3. VXLAN
    4. Protocols to Implement the Control Plane
    5. Support for Network Virtualization Technologies
      1. Merchant Silicon
      2. Software
      3. Standards
    6. Summary
  4. 3. The Building Blocks of Ethernet VPN
    1. A Brief History of EVPN
    2. Architecture and Protocols for Traditional EVPN Deployment
    3. EVPN in the Data Center
    4. BGP Constructs for Virtual Networks
      1. Address Family Indicator/Subsequent Address Family Indicator
      2. Route Distinguisher
      3. Route Target
      4. RD, RT, and BGP Processing
      5. Route Types
    5. Modifications to Support EVPN over eBGP
      1. Keeping the NEXT HOP Unmodified
      2. Retaining Route Targets
    6. FRR Support for EVPN
      1. Automatic Propagation of NEXT HOP
      2. RT/RD Derivation
      3. What Is Not Supported in FRR
    7. Summary
  5. 4. Bridging with Ethernet VPN
    1. An Overview of Traditional Bridging
    2. Overview of Bridging with EVPN
      1. What Ifs
      2. Why Does NVE L3 Get an Advertisement for MACA?
      3. Handling BUM Packets
      4. Handling MAC Moves
    3. Support for Dual-Attached Hosts
      1. The Host-Switch Interconnect
      2. VXLAN Model for Dual-Attached Hosts
      3. Switch Peering Solutions
      4. Handling Link Failures
      5. Duplicate Multidestination Frames
    4. ARP/ND Suppression
    5. Summary
  6. 5. Routing with Ethernet VPN
    1. The Case for Routing in EVPN
      1. Routing Use Cases in the Data Center
    2. Routing Models
    3. Where Is the Routing Performed?
      1. Centralized Routing
      2. Distributed Routing
    4. How Routing Works in EVPN
      1. Asymmetric Routing
      2. Symmetric Routing
      3. VRFs in EVPN Routing
      4. Summarized Route Announcements
      5. BGP Support for EVPN Routing
      6. Comparing Asymmetric and Symmetric Models
    5. Vendor Support for EVPN Routing
    6. Summary
  7. 6. Configuring and Administering Ethernet VPN
    1. The Sample Topology
    2. Configuration Cases
      1. Configuring the MTU
    3. The End First: Complete FRR Configurations
      1. The Invariants: Configuration for the Spines, Firewall, and Servers
      2. Centralized Routing
      3. Asymmetric Distributed Routing
      4. Symmetric Routing
    4. Dissecting the Configuration
      1. Configuring the Underlay
      2. Configuring the Overlay: FRR
      3. Configuring the Overlay: Interfaces
    5. Examining an EVPN Network
      1. Show Running Configuration
      2. Show BGP Summary
      3. Show EVPN VNIs and VTEPs
      4. Identify Which VTEP Advertised a MAC Address
    6. Comparing FRR and Cisco EVPN Configurations
    7. Considerations for Deploying EVPN in Large Networks
    8. Summary

Product information

  • Title: EVPN in the Data Center
  • Author(s): Dinesh G. Dutt
  • Release date: July 2018
  • Publisher(s): O'Reilly Media, Inc.
  • ISBN: 9781492029038