Catalyst 9200/9300 inter-VLAN routing | Essentials vs Advantage

[umer zubairi]

@Reza Sharifi I need to know whether Catalyst 9200/9300 supports inter-VLAN routing with DNA Essentials OR the Advantage is required for this basic L3 functionality. 

[Georg Pauwen]

Hello,

--> Layer 3 interfaces require no license. Any feature not included in a license package is bundled with the Cisco NX-OS image and is provided at no extra charge to you.

That means you just need to enable 'feature interface-vlan' to get your SVIs. 

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/td/docs/switches/datacenter/nexus9000/sw/7-x/interfaces/configuration/guide/b_Cisco_Nexus_9000_Series_NX-OS_Interfaces_Configuration_Guide_7x/b_Cisco_Nexus_9000_Series_NX-OS_Interfaces_Configuration_Guide_7x_chapter_0101...

[umer zubairi]

Thanks Georg, but this is about Catalyst 9000 series, not N9K.

[Georg Pauwen]

My bad...

I'll check if I can find the feature information for the 9300...

[Georg Pauwen]

Hello,

SVIs are supported in Essentials. With Essentials, you are limited to RIP. If you want other protocols (OSPF/EIGRP/BGP) you need Network Advantage.

[umer zubairi]

Yes, but whether the inter-VLAN routing supported with Essentials or no?

For example, I've two VLANs with SVIs (Gateways for both) residing on the same switch, will they be able to internally communicate with each other without adding a L3 device to allow routing between them.

[Abheesh Kumar]

Hi,
Yes, intervlan will work with Essential license.

HTH
Abheesh

[umer zubairi]

Thanks Abheesh, in fact, I need to procure nodes for an existing setup.

Did you check in your environment using Catalyst 9200 or 9300 series if it supports inter-VLAN routing in production networks.

Documentation is not clear on this particular part.

[Abheesh Kumar]

Hi Umer,

Network Essentials will do the basic routing functionality so Intervlan communication will work.

Below is the license details for your info.

Network Essentials and Advantage package features

Features	Network Essentials	Network Advantage
Switch fundamentals Layer 2, Routed Access (RIP, EIGRP Stub, OSPF - 1000 routes), PBR, PIM Stub Multicast (1000 routes)), PVLAN, VRRP, PBR, CDP, QoS, FHS, 802.1X, MACsec-128, CoPP, SXP, IP SLA Responder, SSO	✓	✓
Advanced switch capabilities and scale BGP, EIGRP, HSRP, IS-IS, BSR, MSDP, PIM-BIDIR,* IP SLA, OSPF	✗	✓
Network segmentation VRF, VXLAN, LISP, SGT, MPLS, mVPN	✗	✓
Automation NETCONF, RESTCONF, gRPC, YANG, PnP Agent, ZTP/Open PnP, GuestShell (On-Box Python)	✓	✓
Telemetry and visibility Model-driven telemetry, sampled NetFlow, SPAN, RSPAN	✓	✓
High availability and resiliency  Nonstop Forwarding (NSF), Graceful Insertion and Removal (GIR), Fast Software Upgrade (FSU)	✗	✓
IOT integration AVB, PTP, CoAP	✗	✓
Security MACsec-256	✗	✓

HTH

Abheesh

[vijha]

Hi,

Please follow below document:

https://www.cisco.com/c/dam/en/us/products/collateral/software/one-wireless-subscription/nb-06-dna-acces-wl-sw-faq-ctp-en.pdf

Network advantage license need to be bought for Layer 3 routing.

Regards,

Vibha Jha

Cisco Sales Acceleration Center.

[kvnkoeppen]

To be clear to do the most basic L3 routing of inter-VLAN routing on a VLAN Interface you have to purchase the DNA Advantage?

"Network advantage license need to be bought for Layer 3 routing."

[vijha]

Full routing can be enabled only with the purchase of Advantage License. Also, you can have SD Access and Assurance enabled with DNA advantage license.

Please go through the below document for more information:

http://www3.cisco.com/c/dam/global/da_dk/assets/training/seminaria-materials/Licenses-Networking-for-everybody-with-DNA.pdf

Regards,

Vibha Jha

Cisco Sales Acceleration Center

sac-support@cisco.com

[Abheesh Kumar]

Hi Vibha,

Thank for sharing the link, so for intervlan routing needed Advantage license...?

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/catalyst-9300-series-switches/data_sheet-c78-738977.html#Licensing

[vijha]

Hi Abheesh,

Your understanding is correct.

Regards,

Vibha Jha

Sales Acceleration Center

sac-support@cisco.com

[iswift]

That's interesting because in Umer's previous post :-

Network Essentials and Advantage package features

Features	Network Essentials	Network Advantage
Switch fundamentals Layer 2, Routed Access (RIP, EIGRP Stub, OSPF - 1000 routes), PBR, PIM Stub Multicast (1000 routes)), PVLAN, VRRP, PBR, CDP, QoS, FHS, 802.1X, MACsec-128, CoPP, SXP, IP SLA Responder, SSO	✓

we can clearly see Routed Access is included.
To route between L3 SVIs we don't need a dynamic routing capability (a routing protocol) we just need L3 functionality.

Playing devil's advocate I'd buy an Essentials license, and be prepared to upgrade to Advantage if it doesn't work.