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VPLS on ASR1000

mohammedrafiq
Level 1
Level 1

  Hi All,

One of our customer would like to connect 3 datacentres and decided to use VPLS to extend layer 2 VLANs . For this purpose they have bought six Cisco ASR1000 edge routers( two at each side).They also wanted to buy MPLS SP backbone but have decided to buy 2x10G dark fibre links instead.

My question is,

1-Will it still possible to run VPLS over dark fibre?

Because all the documents I read regarding VPLS are deployed over MPLS backbone.

2-Does anyone have any sample configuration for implementation VPLS  in ASR1000 ?

Thanks and Regard,

7 Replies 7

Reza Sharifi
Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame

Hi,

VPLS is supported on the ASR 1000 series.

Usually you use VPLS to extend layer-2 over a layer-3 MPLS/VPN.  If your customer does not want to use a services provide and has its own dark fiber, than they don't have to run MPLS.  They can simply extend the vlans across multiple location using layer-2 with STP.  Not a very good design, but possible.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/routers/ps9343/solution_overview_c22-448026.html

HTH

Thanks Reza,

We did purpose extending l2 VLANS with STP, but customer still insist to run VPLS any way because that is thier approved decisions from managment.My point is can we still able to run VPLS over darkfiber?

Regards,

Hello Mohammed,

you just need to run an IGP like OSPF and LDP over p2p OSI L3 links that you build on the dark fiber pairs and you are fine you are able to run VPLS over the setup. (you may need also MP BGP depending on the specific flavour of VPLS you are going to implement).

I would go this way because it allows you to use the links also for other purposes if needed in the future and it will allow to use all the links, STP would block at least one fiber pair to build a loop free L2 topology.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

Thanks,

Have you got any sample config for this type of setup?

Regards,

Hello Mohammed,

here is the link to the configuration guide chapter about VPLS on ASR 1000

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios-xml/ios/mp_l2_vpns/configuration/xe-3s/mp-vpls.html#GUID-C7B135B6-E2EC-4968-8FBE-7CD623BE2D86

see the full mesh configuration example that uses three PE nodes

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios-xml/ios/mp_l2_vpns/configuration/xe-3s/mp-vpls.html#GUID-F0E0035E-22DC-40B9-9EF2-32915BB7DB77

You have two ASRs in each site so you can build 2 x 3PE VPLS full mesh that run in parallel and you need to handle redundancy in each site.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

Thanks,

But what other options aere available, without implementing VPLS .If we decide to connect three datacentres in triangle as L2 over dark fiber, how the STP will behave?

R\egards,

Hello Mohammed,

STP would handle the triangle by putting in blocking state one link after root bridge election.

I agree that STP is simpler to configure. It also depends on how many links between sites will be deployed.

You have said that there are three sites and  six ASR 1000 devices, how many inter-site links will be used?

The more redundant links are present the more links will be blocked by STP.

So I would say STP is acceptable if there are only 3 inter site links, because it will block only one link. If there are six inter site links (between the ASR 1000 devices)  the number of links blocked by STP will increase and this might be too much.

Hope to help

Giuseppe

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