topic Re: Edge Node or Extended Node in Fabric in a Box in Software-Defined Access (SD-Access)

Edge Node or Extended Node in Fabric in a Box

Se1r — Wed, 07 May 2025 19:53:00 GMT

Hello team,

I would like to ask if it is supported to have a Fabric-in-a-Box (FIAB) deployment with Edge Node switches connected to the FIAB switch (these cannot be stacked as they are located on different floors in a branch office).

Is it supported to have a FIAB with Edge Nodes deployed using LAN Automation?
Or should I deploy them as Extended Nodes instead? I’m interested in having VNs and SGTs supported on each floor—not just simple trunk connections.

On another note, deploying Extended Nodes requires PnP, which typically needs a DHCP server. Is it possible to perform this deployment without relying on DHCP?

I’m attaching a diagram of the scenario. Thank you!

Re: Edge Node or Extended Node in Fabric in a Box

jedolphi — Thu, 08 May 2025 05:59:01 GMT

Hello. FIAB with downstream Edge Nodes is fine. LAN Automation should work as usual with FIAB as seed.

Re: Edge Node or Extended Node in Fabric in a Box

Se1r — Thu, 08 May 2025 07:01:25 GMT

Hello Jedolphi,

Thank you for your response.

I think it’s simpler to deploy Edge Nodes using LAN Automation to the FIAB, since it’s a small office.

To provide redundancy, is it valid to use two links from the same FIAB to the same Edge Node using LAN Automation?

I’ve seen that LAN Automation does not allow configuring port-channels.

The idea would be to have two links from the FIAB stack to the same switch.

Let me know if this approach is recommended, or if there’s a better way to achieve redundancy in this scenario.

Thanks

Re: Edge Node or Extended Node in Fabric in a Box

Andrii Oliinyk — Thu, 08 May 2025 07:08:54 GMT

"To provide redundancy, is it valid to use two links from the same FIAB to the same Edge Node using LAN Automation?"
AO> it's valid as ultimately interswitch links are turned into routed interconnects. to have stuff come smoothly though i'd advice implement 2nd interconnect with "Add link" feature of LAN-A

Re: Edge Node or Extended Node in Fabric in a Box

jedolphi — Thu, 08 May 2025 08:07:32 GMT

Right you are Andrii. Overlay traffic will ECMP route over multiple parallel underlay links. If you connect the factory default switch to FIAB with multiple links and you run LAN Automation on those multiple links then they will all be brought up in the same LAN Automation session. Or use the 'Add Link' workflow on day N, whatever works best for you.