One OSPF process per vrf, or one process with multiple vrf

[ssieger]

Hi,

regarding NX-OS, one OSPF process per vrf, or one process with multiple vrf, that is the question. Can anybody explain the differences?

Tia,

Stephan

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi,

If you are using vrf Lite, each vrf has a separate routing table.  So, you need one OSPF process per vrf.

HTH

[ssieger]

Hi,

i'm using vrf lite, both configurations are working fine. My configuration is smaller if i use one ospf process, and put all the vrf's in it, but i find no reason why two kind of configuration are possible.

[Reza Sharifi]

Hi,

In the Nexus world you can put both vrfs under the same process, but if you have to remove that process later, you will lose both vrfs vs if you have a separate process per vrf and if you remove one of the processes you only lose one vrf.

HTH

[ssieger]

Hi,

yes thats right and one reason, thanks.

May be somebody has some other ideas or reasons?

Greetings.

[mgalazka]

NX-OS has a (relatively) low limit of OSPF processes, so if you wanted to do separate OSPF instance per VRF-lite instance, it will not scale.  I don't recall the limit off-hand, but I want to say it was under 5, at least in early 5.x code.

I'd recommend utilizing the VRF separation within the same OSPF process, and breaking out OSPF processes only when you really want separation for process restart or some such.

Hope this helps.

Matt

[Reza Sharifi]

Starting 6.1 the max number of OSPF process is 16.

HTH

[ssieger]

Thanks Matt and Reza,

we are planning to provide 30 vrf, so that is a good reason to use one ospf process with multiple vrf, unless there is also a limitation...:-(

THX