DC. Part 2. EVPN/VXLAN for Data Centre with Nokia (Alcatel-Lucent) SR OS and Cisco IOS XR

Anton Karneliuk. IT & Network Expert / Architect / Manager; Project Manager; Entrepreneur; 2x CCIE (RS/SP) #49412; MSc Telecommunications.

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  1. Thank you for this article, it’s very interesting!! however I found a few things are not really true. In SROS, the way to do anycast GW is to configure “passive VRRP”. The name maybe misleading, but it does exactly what you want, and it is supported since 14.0.R6 if I remember correctly. Also, SROS can actually learn MAC and IP for hosts connected to a VPLS and advertise both in a MAC route. And from 15.0.R6 on, if you enable arp-populate-host-routes under the VPRN interface attached to an R-VPLS, we can learn host routes out of the ARP table and advertise them in routes type 5… check out the latest release notes and L2/EVPN user guide please. Let me know if you have questions.

    1. Hello Jorge,

      Thanks for the feedbac. You might be right, but it’s not trivial to find the Nokia docs in free access that could explain something well. Sad but true. I’ve tried to google as you propsed on this commands. So the document is https://infoproducts.alcatel-lucent.com/cgi-bin/dbaccessfilename.cgi/3HE13300AAAATQZZA01_V1_Advanced%20Configuration%20Guide%20for%207450%20ESS%207750%20SR%20and%207950%20XRS%20for%20Releases%20up%20to%2014.0.R7%20-%20Part%20II.pdf there is one example on side about VRRP and that’s it.
      About arp-populate (https://infoproducts.alcatel-lucent.com/html/0_add-h-f/93-0267-HTML/7X50_Advanced_Configuration_Guide/Routed_CO.html), there is also no links to EVPN. Same also for arp-hosts (https://infoproducts.alcatel-lucent.com/html/0_add-h-f/93-0267-HTML/7X50_Advanced_Configuration_Guide/arp-hosts.html).

      Regarding that SROS can learn MAC/IP from connected host, the statement is copied from your official doc, where it’s said that SROS doesn’t do this. Probably I understood it wrong. But if you share the exact example, I’d be very happy and can update the article than and make other users of Nokia products happy as well!

      BR,
      Anton

  2. Well, if you can’t understand the technology (or even find the right document about it), why to pretend to be an expert?
    Jorge pointed you to a different guide, which is called “Layer 2 Services and EVPN Guide”. Very hard to find indeed.. or actually not, it is located at the same place as all other documents: https://infoproducts.alcatel-lucent.com/. Feel free to use it!
    There’s a section called “EVPN-MPLS Multi-Homing and Passive VRRP” with all the details.
    In advanced configuration guides, you may also find this information (just take a newest one) — there are a few pages dedicated to just that. But it’s better to start with the basics 😉

    1. Hi Sergey,
      I’m doing what I like to do, trying to connect not connected things. And if Nokia, as some other vendor 🙂 has hell amount of easy to find information, there life will be much more easier for all customers. But as Nokia doesn’t have it, someone (me) should do that 😉
      Cheers,
      Anton

      1. i work in nokia but i find your config easy to understand than internal docs.My usual google search is karneliuk + technology name . Don’t get discouraged by some comments

  3. Hi Anton,
    I’m sorry that sometimes our docs are not that easy to find. Note that the Advanced Config Guides that you are pointing out are just config examples and done with a specific release. At the beginning of each guide we say what release, and all the statements are valid for that release of course.
    What I would recommend is to go here and find the latest release notes and the latest Layer-2 and EVPN user guide for the 7750SR.
    https://infoproducts.alcatel-lucent.com/cgi-bin/doc_list.pl
    Search for Passive VRRP in here – you can see an example along with EVPN multi-homing, and you can also go to the command reference for details:
    https://infoproducts.alcatel-lucent.com/cgi-bin/dbaccessfilename.cgi/3HE11970AAABTQZZA01_V1_7450%20ESS%207750%20SR%207950%20XRS%20and%20VSR%20Layer%202%20Services%20and%20EVPN%20Guide:%20VLL%20VPLS%20PBB%20and%20EVPN%20R15.0.R4.pdf

    For arp-populate-host-routes (not arp-populate!!):

    Syntax arp-populate-host-route
    no arp-populate-host-route
    Context config>service>vprn>interface
    config>service>ies>interface
    Description This command enables the addition/deletion of host routes in the route-table derived from ARP entries in the ARP cache. In order to enable this command, the interface must be shutdown. The command will trigger the population of host-routes in the route-table out of their corresponding static, dynamic or evpn types in the ARP table. ARP entries installed by subscriber management, local interfaces and others, do not create host-routes.

    The no version of this command disables the creation of host routes from the ARP cache.
    Default no arp-populate-host-route
    Parameters None

    I’ll try to write an advance config guide with all these concepts for the next publication.
    Thank you for the feedback,
    Jorge

    1. Hello Joerg,
      regarding the latter command you are right, I’ve just checked VSR 15.0.R7, such command exists indeed. But if you have read the article carefuly, VSR 14.0R4 was used so there is no contradictions. I’m happy that you evolve your products in right direction! And I’m happy that you have also found the point for the improvement of Nokia config docs.
      Regarding passive VRRP, also found your command but somewhat it’s completely separated chapter to EVPN Layer 3 and R-VPLS, that’s why I have found it. Thanks for pointing, I’ll update the article accordingly.
      I’m very glood you provided valuable feedback. Hope to see them in future as well 😉
      BR,
      Anton

  4. Hi, anycast-gateway command is available such as on Nokia 210 WBX series (ToR for Cloud Networking), this device has the same command as SROS + other cloud/VSC commands, I have seen this device even since early of 2018, so not sure when was the release date.

      1. Hi, sorry I meant that not about passive vrrp, but the exact anycast-gateway command. I guess 210 WBX configuration guide isn’t made public, just wonder why Nokia doesn’t make it public as other docs.

        1. I’ve just slightly worked with 210 WBX, unfortunately, so can’t say for sure, I’m afraid.

          However, I do fully agree that there is no 210 WBX documentation, unfortunately. Not sure why Nokia decided not to disclose that.

          Cheers,
          Anton

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