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Configuring VRF-lite
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide a secure way for customers to share bandwidth over an ISP backbone network. A VPN is a collection of sites sharing a common routing table. A customer site is connected to the service provider network by one or more interfaces, and the service provider associates each interface with a VPN routing table. A VPN routing table is called a VPN routing/forwarding (VRF) table. With the VRF-lite feature, the Catalyst 4500 series switch supports multiple VPN routing/forwarding instances in customer edge devices. (VRF-lite is also termed multi-VRF CE, or multi-VRF Customer Edge Device). VRF-lite allows a service provider to support two or more VPNs with overlapping IP addresses using one interface. This chapter includes these topics:

Understanding VRF-lite, page 27-2 Default VRF-lite Configuration, page 27-3 VRF-lite Configuration Guidelines, page 27-4 Configuring VRFs, page 27-5 Configuring a VPN Routing Session, page 27-5 Configuring BGP PE to CE Routing Sessions, page 27-6 VRF-lite Configuration Example, page 27-7 Displaying VRF-lite Status, page 27-11

Note

The switch does not use Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) to support VPNs. For information about MPLS VRF, refer to the Cisco IOS Switching Services Configuration Guide at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/mpls/configuration/guide/mp_vpn_ipv4_ipv6_ps6922_TSD_Pro ducts_Configuration_Guide_Chapter.html

Note

For complete syntax and usage information for the switch commands used in this chapter, see the Cisco Catalyst 4500 Series Switch Command Reference and related publications at this location: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps4324/index.html If the command is not found in the Cisco Catalyst 4500 Command Reference, you can locate it in the larger Cisco IOS library. Refer to the Catalyst 4500 Series Switch Cisco IOS Command Reference and

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Configuring VRF-lite

related publications at this location: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/ps6350/index.html

Understanding VRF-lite
VRF-lite is a feature that enables a service provider to support two or more VPNs, where IP addresses can be overlapped among the VPNs. VRF-lite uses input interfaces to distinguish routes for different VPNs and forms virtual packet-forwarding tables by associating one or more Layer 3 interfaces with each VRF. Interfaces in a VRF can be either physical, such as Ethernet ports, or logical, such as VLAN SVIs, but a Layer 3 interface cannot belong to more than one VRF at any time.

Note

VRF-Lite support on Cat 4500 does not include the Provider Edge MPLS funcitonality. More specifically, MPLS label switching and MPLS control plane are not supported in the VRF-Lite implementation.

Note

VRF-lite interfaces must be Layer 3 interfaces. VRF-lite includes these devices:

Customer edge (CE) devices provide customer access to the service provider network over a data link to one or more provider edge routers. The CE device advertises the sites local routes to the provider edge router and learns the remote VPN routes from it. A Catalyst 4500 series switch can be a CE. Provider edge (PE) routers exchange routing information with CE devices by using static routing or a routing protocol such as BGP, RIPv1, or RIPv2. The PE is only required to maintain VPN routes for those VPNs to which it is directly attached, eliminating the need for the PE to maintain all of the service provider VPN routes. Each PE router maintains a VRF for each of its directly connected sites. Multiple interfaces on a PE router can be associated with a single VRF if all of these sites participate in the same VPN. Each VPN is mapped to a specified VRF. After learning local VPN routes from CEs, a PE router exchanges VPN routing information with other PE routers by using internal BGP (IBPG). Provider routers (or core routers) are any routers in the service provider network that do not attach to CE devices.

With VRF-lite, multiple customers can share one CE, and only one physical link is used between the CE and the PE. The shared CE maintains separate VRF tables for each customer and switches or routes packets for each customer based on its own routing table. VRF-lite extends limited PE functionality to a CE device, giving it the ability to maintain separate VRF tables to extend the privacy and security of a VPN to the branch office. Figure 27-1 shows a configuration where each Catalyst 4500 series switch acts as multiple virtual CEs. Because VRF-lite is a Layer 3 feature, each interface in a VRF must be a Layer 3 interface.

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Configuring VRF-lite Default VRF-lite Configuration

Figure 27-1 Catalyst 4500 Series Switches Acting as Multiple Virtual CEs

VPN 1 CE Catalyst 4500 switch

Si

VPN 1 PE MPLS network MPLS-VRF router MPLS-VRF router VPN 2 CE = Customer edge device PE = Provider edge router
99721

PE

CE
Si

Catalyst 4500 switch

VPN 2

This is the packet-forwarding process in a VRF-lite CE-enabled network as shown in Figure 27-1:

When the CE receives a packet from a VPN, it looks up the routing table based on the input interface. When a route is found, the CE forwards the packet to the PE. When the ingress PE receives a packet from the CE, it performs a VRF lookup. When a route is found, the router adds a corresponding MPLS label to the packet and sends it to the MPLS network. When an egress PE receives a packet from the network, it strips the label and uses the label to identify the correct VPN routing table. Then the egress PE performs the normal route lookup. When a route is found, it forwards the packet to the correct adjacency. When a CE receives a packet from an egress PE, it uses the input interface to look up the correct VPN routing table. If a route is found, the CE forwards the packet within the VPN.

To configure VRF, create a VRF table and specify the Layer 3 interface associated with the VRF. Then configure the routing protocols in the VPN and between the CE and the PE. BGP is the preferred routing protocol used to distribute VPN routing information across the providers backbone. The VRF-lite network has three major components:

VPN route target communitiesLists of all other members of a VPN community. You need to configure VPN route targets for each VPN community member. Multiprotocol BGP peering of VPN community PE routersPropagates VRF reachability information to all members of a VPN community. You need to configure BGP peering in all PE routers within a VPN community. VPN forwardingTransports all traffic between all VPN community members across a VPN service-provider network.

Default VRF-lite Configuration

Table 27-1 shows the default VRF configuration.
Table 27-1 Default VRF Configuration

Feature VRF Maps

Default Setting Disabled. No VRFs are defined. No import maps, export maps, or route maps are defined.

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Configuring VRF-lite

Table 27-1 Default VRF Configuration (continued)

Feature VRF maximum routes Forwarding table

Default Setting None. The default for an interface is the global routing table.

VRF-lite Configuration Guidelines

Consider these points when configuring VRF in your network:

A switch with VRF-lite is shared by multiple customers, and all customers have their own routing tables. Because customers use different VRF tables, the same IP addresses can be reused. Overlapped IP addresses are allowed in different VPNs. VRF-lite lets multiple customers share the same physical link between the PE and the CE. Trunk ports with multiple VLANs separate packets among customers. All customers have their own VLANs. VRF-lite does not support all MPLS-VRF functionality: label exchange, LDP adjacency, or labeled packets. For the PE router, there is no difference between using VRF-lite or using multiple CEs. In Figure 27-1, multiple virtual Layer 3 interfaces are connected to the VRF-lite device. The Catalyst 4500 series switch supports configuring VRF by using physical ports, VLAN SVIs, or a combination of both. The SVIs can be connected through an access port or a trunk port. A customer can use multiple VLANs as long as they do not overlap with those of other customers. A customers VLANs are mapped to a specific routing table ID that is used to identify the appropriate routing tables stored on the switch. The Layer 3 TCAM resource is shared between all VRFs. To ensure that any one VRF has sufficient CAM space, use the maximum routes command. A Catalyst 4500 series switch using VRF can support one global network and up to 64 VRFs. The total number of routes supported is limited by the size of the TCAM. Most routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EIGRP, RIP and static routing) can be used between the CE and the PE. However, we recommend using external BGP (EBGP) for these reasons:
BGP does not require multiple algorithms to communicate with multiple CEs. BGP is designed for passing routing information between systems run by different

administrations.
BGP makes it easy to pass attributes of the routes to the CE.

VRF-lite does not support IGRP and ISIS. VRF-lite does not affect the packet switching rate. Multicast cannot be configured on the same Layer 3 interface at the same time. The capability vrf-lite subcommand under router ospf should be used when configuring OSPF as the routing protocol between the PE and the CE.

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Configuring VRF-lite Configuring VRFs

Configuring VRFs
To configure one or more VRFs, perform this task: Command
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4
Switch# configure terminal Switch(config)# ip routing Switch(config)# ip vrf vrf-name Switch(config-vrf)# rd route-distinguisher

Purpose Enters global configuration mode. Enables IP routing. Names the VRF, and enter VRF configuration mode. Creates a VRF table by specifying a route distinguisher. Enter either an AS number and an arbitrary number (xxx:y) or an IP address and arbitrary number (A.B.C.D:y). Creates a list of import, export, or import and export route target communities for the specified VRF. Enter either an AS system number and an arbitrary number (xxx:y) or an IP address and an arbitrary number (A.B.C.D:y).
Note

Step 5

Switch(config-vrf)# route-target {export | import | both} route-target-ext-community

This command is effective only if BGP is running.

Step 6 Step 7

Switch(config-vrf)# import map route-map Switch(config-vrf)# interface interface-id

(Optional) Associates a route map with the VRF. Enters interface configuration mode and specify the Layer 3 interface to be associated with the VRF. The interface can be a routed port or SVI. Associates the VRF with the Layer 3 interface. Returns to privileged EXEC mode.

Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 Step 11

Switch(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding vrf-name Switch(config-if)# end Switch# show ip vrf [brief interfaces] [vrf-name]

| detail |

Verifies the configuration. Display information about the configured VRFs. (Optional) Saves your entries in the configuration file.

Switch# copy running-config startup-config

Note

For complete syntax and usage information for the commands, refer to the switch command reference for this release and the Cisco IOS Switching Services Command Reference for Release 12.2. Use the no ip vrf vrf-name global configuration command to delete a VRF and to remove all interfaces from it. Use the no ip vrf forwarding interface configuration command to remove an interface from the VRF.

Configuring a VPN Routing Session

Routing within the VPN can be configured with any supported routing protocol (RIP, OSPF, or BGP) or with static routing. The configuration shown here is for OSPF, but the process is the same for other protocols.

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Configuring VRF-lite

To configure OSPF in the VPN, perform this task: Command

Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8
Switch# configure terminal Switch(config)# router ospf process-id vrf vrf-name Switch(config-router)# log-adjacency-changes Switch(config-router)# redistribute bgp autonomous-system-number subnets Switch(config-router)# network network-number area area-id Switch(config-router)# end Switch# show ip ospf process-id Switch# copy running-config startup-config

Purpose Enters global configuration mode. Enables OSPF routing, specifies a VPN forwarding table, and enters router configuration mode. (Optional) Logs changes in the adjacency state. This is the default state. Sets the switch to redistribute information from the BGP network to the OSPF network. Defines a network address and mask on which OSPF runs and the area ID for that network address. Returns to privileged EXEC mode. Verifies the configuration of the OSPF network. (Optional) Saves your entries in the configuration file.

Use the no router ospf process-id vrf vrf-name global configuration command to disassociate the VPN forwarding table from the OSPF routing process.

Configuring BGP PE to CE Routing Sessions

To configure a BGP PE to CE routing session, perform this task: Command
Step 1 Step 2
Switch# configure terminal Switch(config)# router bgp autonomous-system-number

Purpose Enters global configuration mode. Configures the BGP routing process with the AS number passed to other BGP routers and enters router configuration mode. Specifies a network and mask to announce using BGP. Sets the switch to redistribute OSPF internal routes. Defines a network address and mask on which OSPF runs and the area ID for that network address. Defines BGP parameters for PE to CE routing sessions and enters VRF address-family mode. Defines a BGP session between PE and CE routers. Activates the advertisement of the IPv4 address family. Returns to privileged EXEC mode.

Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9

Switch(config-router)# network network-number mask network-mask Switch(config-router)# redistribute ospf process-id match internal Switch(config-router)# network network-number area area-id Switch(config-router-af)# address-family ipv4 vrf vrf-name Switch(config-router-af)# neighbor address remote-as as-number Switch(config-router-af)# neighbor address activate Switch(config-router-af)# end

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Command
Step 10 Step 11
Switch# show ip bgp Switch# copy running-config startup-config

Purpose [ipv4] [neighbors] Verifies BGP configuration. (Optional) Saves your entries in the configuration file.

Use the no router bgp autonomous-system-number global configuration command to delete the BGP routing process. Use the command with keywords to delete routing characteristics.

VRF-lite Configuration Example

Figure 27-2 is a simplified example of the physical connections in a network similar to that in Figure 27-1. OSPF is the protocol used in VPN1, VPN2, and the global network. BGP is used in the CE to PE connections. The example commands show how to configure the CE switch S8 and include the VRF configuration for switches S20 and S11 and the PE router commands related to traffic with switch S8. Commands for configuring the other switches are not included but would be similar.
Figure 27-2 VRF-lite Configuration Example

Catalyst 4500 Switch S8 VPN1 Switch S20 208.0.0.0 Fast Ethernet 3/8 Fast Ethernet 3/7 CE Fast Ethernet 3/5
Si

Router

Catalyst 4500 Switch S9

Si

VPN1 Switch S13

Switch S10 108.0.0.0 VPN2 PE CE Switch S14

VPN2 Switch S11 118.0.0.0

Fast Ethernet 3/11

Global network Switch S15

Global network Switch S16 168.0.0.0 Fast Ethernet 3/3

CE = Customer edge device PE = Provider edge router

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Configuring Switch S8
On switch S8, enable routing and configure VRF.
Switch# configure terminal Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z. Switch(config)# ip routing Switch(config)# ip vrf v11 Switch(config-vrf)# rd 800:1 Switch(config-vrf)# route-target export 800:1 Switch(config-vrf)# route-target import 800:1 Switch(config-vrf)# exit Switch(config)# ip vrf v12 Switch(config-vrf)# rd 800:2 Switch(config-vrf)# route-target export 800:2 Switch(config-vrf)# route-target import 800:2 Switch(config-vrf)# exit

Configure the loopback and physical interfaces on switch S8. Fast Ethernet interface 3/5 is a trunk connection to the PE. Interfaces 3/7 and 3/11 connect to VPNs:
Switch(config)# interface loopback1 Switch(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v11 Switch(config-if)# ip address 8.8.1.8 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# interface loopback2 Switch(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v12 Switch(config-if)# ip address 8.8.2.8 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# interface FastEthernet3/5 Switch(config-if)# switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q Switch(config-if)# switchport mode trunk Switch(config-if)# no ip address Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# interface FastEthernet3/7 Switch(config-if)# switchport access vlan 208 Switch(config-if)# no ip address Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# interface FastEthernet3/11 Switch(config-if)# switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q Switch(config-if)# switchport mode trunk Switch(config-if)# no ip address Switch(config-if)# exit

Configure the VLANs used on switch S8. VLAN 10 is used by VRF 11 between the CE and the PE. VLAN 20 is used by VRF 12 between the CE and the PE. VLANs 118 and 208 are used for VRF for the VPNs that include switch S11 and switch S20, respectively:
Switch(config)# interface Vlan10 Switch(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v11 Switch(config-if)# ip address 38.0.0.8 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# interface Vlan20 Switch(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v12 Switch(config-if)# ip address 83.0.0.8 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-if)# exit

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Switch(config)# interface Vlan118 Switch(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v12 Switch(config-if)# ip address 118.0.0.8 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# interface Vlan208 Switch(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v11 Switch(config-if)# ip address 208.0.0.8 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-if)# exit

Configure OSPF routing in VPN1 and VPN2:

Switch(config)# router Switch(config-router)# Switch(config-router)# Switch(config-router)# Switch(config)# router Switch(config-router)# Switch(config-router)# Switch(config-router)# ospf 1 vrf vl1 redistribute bgp 800 subnets network 208.0.0.0 0.0.0.255 area 0 exit ospf 2 vrf vl2 redistribute bgp 800 subnets network 118.0.0.0 0.0.0.255 area 0 exit

Configure BGP for CE to PE routing:

Switch(config)# router bgp 800 Switch(config-router)# address-family ipv4 vrf vl2 Switch(config-router-af)# redistribute ospf 2 match internal Switch(config-router-af)# neighbor 83.0.0.3 remote-as 100 Switch(config-router-af)# neighbor 83.0.0.3 activate Switch(config-router-af)# network 8.8.2.0 mask 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-router-af)# exit Switch(config-router)# address-family ipv4 vrf vl1 Switch(config-router-af)# redistribute ospf 1 match internal Switch(config-router-af)# neighbor 38.0.0.3 remote-as 100 Switch(config-router-af)# neighbor 38.0.0.3 activate Switch(config-router-af)# network 8.8.1.0 mask 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-router-af)# end

Configuring Switch S20

Configure S20 to connect to CE:
Switch# configure terminal Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z. Switch(config)# ip routing Switch(config)# interface Fast Ethernet 0/7 Switch(config-if)# no switchport Switch(config-if)# ip address 208.0.0.20 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# router ospf 101 Switch(config-router)# network 208.0.0.0 0.0.0.255 area 0 Switch(config-router)# end

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Configuring Switch S11

Configure S11 to connect to CE:
Switch# configure terminal Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z. Switch(config)# ip routing Switch(config)# interface Gigabit Ethernet 0/3 Switch(config-if)# switchport trunk encapsulation dot1q Switch(config-if)# switchport mode trunk Switch(config-if)# no ip address Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# interface Vlan118 Switch(config-if)# ip address 118.0.0.11 255.255.255.0 Switch(config-if)# exit Switch(config)# router ospf 101 Switch(config-router)# network 118.0.0.0 0.0.0.255 area 0 Switch(config-router)# end

Configuring the PE Switch S3

On switch S3 (the router), these commands configure only the connections to switch S8:
Router# configure terminal Enter configuration commands, one per line. End with CNTL/Z. Router(config)# ip vrf v1 Router(config-vrf)# rd 100:1 Router(config-vrf)# route-target export 100:1 Router(config-vrf)# route-target import 100:1 Router(config-vrf)# exit Router(config)# ip vrf v2 Router(config-vrf)# rd 100:2 Router(config-vrf)# route-target export 100:2 Router(config-vrf)# route-target import 100:2 Router(config-vrf)# exit Router(config)# ip cef Router(config)# interface Loopback1 Router(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v1 Router(config-if)# ip address 3.3.1.3 255.255.255.0 Router(config-if)# exit Router(config)# interface Loopback2 Router(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v2 Router(config-if)# ip address 3.3.2.3 255.255.255.0 Router(config-if)# exit Router(config)# interface Fast Ethernet3/0.10 Router(config-if)# encapsulation dot1q 10 Router(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v1 Router(config-if)# ip address 38.0.0.3 255.255.255.0 Router(config-if)# exit Router(config)# interface Fast Ethernet3/0.20 Router(config-if)# encapsulation dot1q 20 Router(config-if)# ip vrf forwarding v2 Router(config-if)# ip address 83.0.0.3 255.255.255.0 Router(config-if)# exit

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Router(config)# router bgp 100 Router(config-router)# address-family ipv4 vrf v2 Router(config-router-af)# neighbor 83.0.0.8 remote-as 800 Router(config-router-af)# neighbor 83.0.0.8 activate Router(config-router-af)# network 3.3.2.0 mask 255.255.255.0 Router(config-router-af)# exit Router(config-router)# address-family ipv4 vrf vl Router(config-router-af)# neighbor 83.0.0.8 remote-as 800 Router(config-router-af)# neighbor 83.0.0.8 activate Router(config-router-af)# network 3.3.1.0 mask 255.255.255.0 Router(config-router-af)# end

Displaying VRF-lite Status

To display information about VRF-lite configuration and status, perform one of the following tasks: Command
Switch# show ip protocols vrf vrf-name

Purpose Displays routing protocol information associated with a VRF. Displays IP routing table information associated with a VRF. Displays information about the defined VRF instances.

Switch# show ip route vrf vrf-name [connected] [protocol [as-number]] [list] [mobile] [odr] [profile] [static] [summary] [supernets-only] Switch# show ip vrf

[brief | detail | interfaces] [vrf-name]

Note

For more information about the information in the displays, refer to the Cisco IOS Switching Services Command Reference at: http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/ipswitch/command/reference/isw_book.html

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