CCNP Route 300-101 – VRF lite

This article is going to take you through the configuration of VRF lite. VRF stands for Virtual Routing/Forwarding which is technology that allows you to have multiple routing tables that are kept isolated on a router. It is a feature similar to VLANs on a switch. VRF lite allows you to use the same subnets for each

You can refer to this Cisco document for further details: https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/lan/catalyst4500/12-2/25ew/configuration/guide/conf/vrf.html#wp1045190

Note that VRF is usually used when configuring MPLS but because we are not using it with MPLS, it is referred to as VRF lite.

Configuration of VRF lite for IPv4

The following steps will be required to successfully configure VRF lite:

  1. Create the VRF and set the route distinguisher (rd)

R1(config)# ip vrf [NAME]

R1(config-vrf)# rd 100:1

2. Assigning the interfaces to the VRF (Note: VRF clears the interface IP address so you will have to reconfigure the ip address after applying this command)

R1(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding [NAME]

Review VRF Configuration

  1. Show the Assigned VRF Interfaces

R1# show ip vrf interfaces

2. Show the VRFs

R1# show ip vrf

3. Show the Routing Table within a VRF

R1# show ip route vrf [NAME]

4. Show the routing protocols operating within VRF

show ip protocol vrf [NAME]

Configure EIGRP and VRF Lite

R1(config)# router eigrp AS

R1(config-router)# address-family ipv4 vrf [NAME] autonomous-system AS

R1(config-router-af)#network [Subnet] [wildcard_mask]

Configure OSPF and VRF Lite

R1(config)# router ospf [Process-id] vrf [NAME]

Configure RIPv2 and VRF Lite

R1(config)# router rip

R1(config-router)# address-family ipv4 vrf [NAME]

Configuration of VRF lite for both IPv4 & IPv6

  1. Create the VRF and set the route distinguisher (rd)

R1(config)# vrf definition [NAME]

R1(config-vrf)# rd 100:1

R1(config-vrf)#address-family [ipv4|ipv6]

2. Assigning the interfaces to the VRF (Note: VRF clears the interface IP address so you will have to reconfigure the ip address after applying this command)

R1(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding [NAME]

Export and Import Routes from one VRF to another

Importing routes from another VRF using the RD (route distinguisher)

R1(config-vrf)# route-import [RD]

Exporting routes from the VRF using the RD (route distinguisher)

R1(config-vrf)# route-export [RD]

example:

ip vrf GREEN

rd 100:1

route-export 100:1234

ip vrf RED

rd 200:1

router-import 100:1234

Set Default VRF Lite Name

This commands allows you to configure the router in the stated VRF mode.

R1#routing-context vrf [VRFNAME]

R1%VRFNAME#

 

 

CCNP Route 300-101 – EIGRP

EIGRP routing protocol for IPv4 and IPv6

  • Default hello messages timer: 5 seconds
  • Default hold-down timer: 15 seconds
  • Multicast address: 224.0.0.10 (IPv4) / FF02::A (IPv6)
  • IP Protocol: 88
  • Administrative distance of 90
  • Autonomous Number is required to be the same with the neighbors.

Basic EIGRP Configuration

!IPv4 EIGRP configuration

R(config)# router eigrp [AS]

R(config)#network [subnet] [wildcard_mask]

!IPv6 EIGRP configuration

R(config)# ipv6 router eigrp 1
R(config-router) eigrp router-id [X.X.X.X]
R(config-router) no shutdown

!Configure command under participating interface in IPv6 EIGRP

R(config-if) ipv6 eigrp [AS]

EIGRP Metrics

To enable to metric for EIGRP, you use the following commands:

R(config-router)# metric weights 0 [K1] [K2] [K3] [K4] [K5]

Where the K values are:

  • K1 – Bandwidth [Kbit/sec] (default 1)
  • K2 –  Load (default 0)
  • K3 – Delay (default 1)
  • K4 and K5 – Reliability (default 0)

Calculating the full Metric (Formula)

Metric = ([K1 * bandwidth + (K2 * Bandwidth) / (256 – Load) + K3 * Delay] * [K5 / (Reliability + K4)]) * 256

Calculating the Default Metric

eigrp_metric_calculation

EIGRP Packets

  • Hello (5)

eigrp_hello

  • Update (1)

eigrp_update

  • Query (3)

eigrp_query

  • Reply (4)

eigrp_reply

  • Ack (5)

eigrp_Hello_Ack

Administrative Distance (AD) – is how far is the router from it’s neighbor.

Feasible Distance (FD) – is how far is the router for the destination subnet.eigrp_diagram

  • R1 FD from 10.1.1.0/24 through R3
    • = (R1–>R3) + (R3–>R4) + (subnet 10.1.1.0/24)
    • = 5 + 5 + 1 = 11

 

Feasible successor – the advertised distance (AD) must be less than the feasible distance (FD) of the Successor (Feasible Successor AD < Successor FD)

EIGRP Neighborship

When the neighbor command is used, it forces the EIGRP to use unicast traffic to discover the neighbor.

R1(config-router)# neighbor [ip address]

The command and out display of the EIGRP neighbor:

show ip eigrp neighbors

show_eigrp_neighbor-cmd

As i continue my studies, this article will be updated.