VLAN Extension across WAN

[ancarr]

Currently all of our remote sites are connected at Layer 3. VLANs from the central location don't propagate to the remote locations. Recently however I have heard that it may be advantageous for us to extend the VLANs at the central location to the remote sites. Some of the advantages would be that we could configure equipment at the central location and not have to readdress it to be used at the remote site. We would also be able to place a machine in the same remote site VLAN and be able to troubleshoot issues they may be experiencing at the remote site. How do we accomplish this?

I would like to keep the Layer 3 routing and add this feature. We have 6509s at the central site and 2811s at the remote sites. We are currently running OSPF for routing.

[Jon Marshall]

Keith

You can use L2TPv3 to extend a L2 vlan across a L3 routed WAN -

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/12_3t/12_3t2/feature/guide/gtl2tpv3.html

There are other alternative such as a VPLS setup but these depend on the Service Provider offerings. Is your WAN currently MPLS or P2P links.

Jon

[ancarr]

We currently use a Metro-E product for WAN Connectivity.

[Jon Marshall]

Not that familiar with Metro-E so wouldn't like to comment on what is and isn't available. May be a conversation with your SP would help.

L2TPv3 is not dependant on SP though.

Jon

[ancarr]

I will investigate L2TPv3.

Thanks very much for the help...

Keith

[ariela]

You can investigate the possibility to use a L2VPN MPLS (pseudowire):

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/ios/12_2sr/12_2srb/feature/guide/srstatpw.html

HTH

Andrea

[ariela]

Just for your information:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/netsol/ns341/ns396/ns223/ns227/networking_solutions_white_paper09186a0080103e51.shtml

you need to contact your ISP for ERS or ERMS services (with BPDU transport).

HTH

Andrea