topic Re: Can the same VLAN ID be configured in multiple VRFs in VOSS? in ExtremeSwitching (VSP/Fabric Engine)

Can the same VLAN ID be configured in multiple VRFs in VOSS?

Jon_P — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 09:09:38 GMT

Hi,

I would like to configure 2 VRFs on a VOSS / Fabric Engine device running 8.10.2.

We need to configure the same VLAN numbers in each VRF, ie both will have separate instances of VLANs 10, 11 & 12.

Is this possible? If yes, how can I configure it, as I seem to have to create the VLANs before assigning them to a VRF, and the system complains that the VLAN ID is already in use.

Re: Can the same VLAN ID be configured in multiple VRFs in VOSS?

EXTR_Paul — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 13:15:50 GMT

This is not possible with VOSS. As well as most other vendors in the campus networking space.

In a VSP the VLAN ID has local significance on the switch. Once a VLAN ID is created you can't recreate the same ID twice globally on the switch.

This is how most enterprise campus switches work. With that said, having the same VLAN ID re-used within different VRFs is a feature often seen in the WAN/carrier/ISP space when a carrier needs to provide the same VLAN ID to hundreds of customers.

But not so much in the enterprise campus space.

Depending what you are trying to accomplish you might want to look at FlexUNI. VSP FlexUNI's allow you to map the same ingress VLAN ID's to different I-SIDs This might not solve you problem, but its something to look at.

Re: Can the same VLAN ID be configured in multiple VRFs in VOSS?

WillyHe — Fri, 27 Oct 2023 15:28:07 GMT

I agree with Paul, FlexUNI can be a solution, it just depends on what you exactly like to achieve.

LAN switches for a "normal" network operate like this.

A VLAN ID is unique on a switch.
A VLAN can only belong to one VRF.

Having said that, a combination of smart VLAN, I-SID and FlexUNI design can be a solution for special requirements.

Re: Can the same VLAN ID be configured in multiple VRFs in VOSS?

Ludovico_Steven — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 15:08:40 GMT

The platform VLAN-ids (which you associate to a VRF and where you create IP interfaces) will need to be unique. But use of Flex-uni on the ethernet interfaces, can re-map those platform VLAN-ids to the same q-tags for both VRFs (but on different Ethernet ports, obviously)