Managed CPEs in L2VPNs

[sultan-shaikh]

Hi All,

Has anyone deployed L2VPNs with Managed CPEs...!!! Yes, I understand that it sounds a little weird and there aren't many deployments that have this sort of thing... or maybe I don't know much of any such deployments... but this is what I am looking at...

As a start I have thought of configuring 2 separate xconnects... one for the customer and the other for Management... Does this make sense?

Kindly suggest...

Thanks

Cheers

~sultan

[swaroop.potdar]

There shouldnt be any problem if you configure a second xconnect for management.

But the question would be, why not a L3 MGMT VPN, and why L2.

As the primary L2VPN is a service required by the customer so xconnect is ok for them, but for your usage you can have a L3VPN.

Just a thought, as using a L3MGMT VPN would reduce the multiple P2P L2VPN's coming towards your management device.

Also want to understand is there a specific reason to use a L2MGMT VPN.

HTH-Cheers,

Swaroop

[romccallum]

maybe he is managing things of not IP origin. I have thought about using this to manage mux's across an MPLS network which obviously isnt also running CLNS.

[sultan-shaikh]

Hi Swaroop / Robert,

Thanks for your kind replies, the reason for considering L2 Mgmt is because the CPEs would be connected to pure L2 devices (edge ring)...

Please let me know incase I need to be more specific...

Also as Robert has correctly pointed out that I might be required to manage non IP devices...

Please suggest...

Thanks

Cheers

~sultan

[mheusinger]

Hello,

There could be an issue depending on your service offering and IOS/hardware involved. For L2 management you need to xconnect a specific VLAN from the customer and redirect the traffic into your network management network. This should pose no problem.

The question is then, whether you want to create an xconnect for every OTHER customer VLAN? Or is it required to have QinQ? Or simply EoMPLS to support a customer trunk between customer switches?

Using EoMPLS for all but one VLAN could be tricky if not impossible. Also: does your PE support VLAN based L2VPN? other than that you could always use a second port for a separate management connection, in fact then you could place the second port in a L3 management VPN. The CPE switch could then have an access port in the management VLAN with the PE being the default gateway. There should be no limitations with this scenario other than doubled port cost (in $ and not OSPF metric ;-).

Hope this helps! Please rate all posts.

Regards, Martin

[sultan-shaikh]

Hi All,

Thanks for your kind replies...

In addition, what would be CE management in VPLS scenario ???

My problem is compounded because we would be partnering other carriers in Asia Pac region to service our customers in locations we don't have any presence, so for instance say I have a customer with 6 sites with 3 sites in China and Japan resp., I would be having a NNI interconnect with a Partner with 3 sites connected to his L2 platform and 3 sites on our L2 platform in VPLS/Any to Any configuration, we have a similar configuration for L3VPN and I did the Management using Management VRF without much sweat... Now I am breaking my head on what are the options for L2 VPNs and VPLS management, as a starting point I had thought of xconnect from each site upto my Management CE, it seemed quite feasible for L2VPN, but now I have to think of something for VPLS too... it can be done with xconnects but then I think it would be a weird configuration... that too when my Managemet CE is not L2VPN capable, does not support xconnect/vfi configuration, infact it doesn't need to as long as I can have a trunk port towards the PE from the same aka AC...

In real mess..!!, waiting for your kind replies...

Thanks a ton !!

Cheers

~sultan

[sultan-shaikh]

Hi All,

Thought of this idea...

Would have Trunk ports between CE and PE at each site, and have lo interface (IP 10.1.1.0/24 range) in Management VLAN 1, the Management CE would be connected to one of the PEs through Trunk port with VLAN 1, each customer site would send VLAN 1 alongwith for Management and the usual 'Data' VLAN.

There would be xconnect mesh between customer sites and Management CE site.

Please let me know if this sounds feasible.

Thanks

Cheers

~sultan

[sultan-shaikh]

Hi All,

Here is the design for the solution I previously mentioned... would this work...

Thanks

Cheers

~sultan

[sultan-shaikh]

The attachment...