Ethernet Automatic Protection Switching (EAPS)

ENA 12.6: Switch Operation, Configuration and Management

2011 Extreme Networks, Inc. All rights reserved

EAPS
Student Objectives
Identify the EAPS ring elements. Describe the EAPS domain and VLAN relationship. Identify the control VLAN configuration rules. Describe EAPS MAC address and flush-FDB MAC address. Describe EAPS fault detection. Describe EAPS fault restoration. Identify the steps to create an EAPS ring. Configure EAPS. Verify the EAPS configuration and status

Slide 2

Ethernet Automatic Protection Switching

EAPS is a simple Layer 2 loop prevention protocol designed to operate in networks where fast failover is essential EAPS is ideal for:
Service providers providing resilient Ethernet transport for customers Data centers requiring an always on resilient service Enterprise customers with a Voice Over IP infrastructure

EAPS Provides:
Sub 50 millisecond failover which is virtually undetectable by end-users Easy to setup and understand
Point and click provisioning from within Ridgeline Simple configuration steps from within the CLI

Centralized management when using Ridgeline Predictable operation

Slide 3

EAPS Overview
EAPS

ENA 12.6: Switch Operation, Configuration and Management

Standard Enterprise Design

Identify the network loops
Floor 2 - Edge
SummitX450e SummitX450e SummitX450e SummitX450e 3rd Network Loop

Floor 1 - Edge
2nd Network Loop SummitStack1 SummitStack2 SummitStack3 SummitStack4

Data Center Server Farm

1st Network Loop SummitX650 Top of Rack Switch SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 5

BD8K2

Standard Enterprise Design with EAPS

EAPS domain created for each network loop
Floor 2 - Edge
SummitX450e SummitX450e SummitX450e SummitX450e EAPS Domain #3

Floor 1 - Edge
EAPS Domain #2 SummitStack1 SummitStack2 SummitStack3 SummitStack4

Data Center Server Farm

EAPS Domain #1 SummitX650 Top of Rack Switch SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 6

BD8K2

Standard Enterprise Design with EAPS

EAPS elements added for each domain: node type, primary and secondary ports (secondary port on the master will block)
Floor 2 - Edge
SummitX450e SummitX450e SummitX450e SummitX450e EAPS Domain #3

Floor 1 - Edge
1:1 4:1

EAPS Domain #2 SummitStack3 SummitStack4

SummitStack1

SummitStack2

Data Center Server Farm

EAPS Domain #1 SummitX650 Top of Rack Switch SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 7

BD8K2

EAPS Domain and VLAN Relationship

Each link can carry one or more domains.

For every EAPS domain, a control VLAN needs to be created to carry all EAPS control traffic.
An EAPS domain can contain several protected VLANs.

Slide 8

EAPS Operation
EAPS

ENA 12.6: Switch Operation, Configuration and Management

EAPS Operation - Configuration

Each switch in the domain is configured with the following elements:
Node type Primary & secondary ports Control VLAN

The Master node is responsible for transmitting hello packets

Transmitted through the primary port (default setting)
Floor 1 - Edge
hello packet EAPS Domain #2 SummitStack1 SummitStack2 SummitStack3 SummitStack4

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 10

BD8K

BD8K2

EAPS Hello (Heath Check) packets

EAPS uses the Extreme Encapsulation Protocol (EEP) to transmit hello packets
EEP packets have a source MAC address of 00 e0 2b 00 00 01 EAPS packets have a destination MAC address of 00 e0 2b 00 00 04

Each switch (node) will examine the hello packet and then forward the packet to its neighbor switch through the ring port that did not receive the packet EAPS packets are sent with an 802.1p value of 7 (QP8) EAPS hello packets contain the following information:
Packet type
Health, Link Down, Links Up (Pre-Forwarding), Flush FDB

Control VLAN ID Originators system MAC address Hello fail timer value Domain state
Complete, Failed

Hello sequence number

Slide 11

EAPS Operation
The master node transmits hello packets within the control VLAN every second
Defined by the EAPS domains hello timer
Default is 1 second Values are from 100 milliseconds to 15 seconds

Floor 1 - Edge
chk SummitStack1 SummitStack2 SummitStack3 SummitStack4 EAPS Domain #2

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 12

BD8K2

EAPS Operation Link Failure

On detecting a link failure, the transit node transmits a links down packet through its other ring port The master declares the domain has failed and unblocks its secondary port sending a flush FDB packet out both ring ports The master continues to transmit hello packets
Floor 1 - Edge
flsh flshchk SummitStack1 SummitStack2 SummitStack3 dwn SummitStack4 EAPS Domain #2

Data Center - Core

dwn BD8K1
Slide 13

BD8K2

EAPS Operation Link Restoration

On link restoration, the transit node transmits a pre-forwarding packet through its other ring port. The domain state is links up

The master continues to transmit hello packets and waits until it receives a hello packet before it declares the domain complete
The master then blocks its secondary port and sends a flush FDB packet and then continues to transmit hello packets
Floor 1 - Edge
flsh flshchk SummitStack1 SummitStack2 SummitStack3 pre SummitStack4 EAPS Domain #2

Data Center - Core

pre BD8K1
Slide 14

BD8K2

EAPS Operation Fail Timer (Send Alert)

If three hello packets fail to be received by the master, the domain state will be as follows:
If the domain was previously complete, it will remain in a complete state but with a fail timer expired If the domain has just been enabled it will be in an init state but with a fail timer expired
Floor 1 - Edge
chk SummitStack1 SummitStack2 SummitStack3 SummitStack4 EAPS Domain #2

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 15

BD8K2

EAPS Operation Fail Timer (Unblock Port)

If three hello packets fail to be received by the master, the domain will be marked as failed The master unblocks its secondary port sending a flush FDB packet out both ring ports The master continues to transmit hello packets
Floor 1 - Edge
flsh flshchk SummitStack1 SummitStack2 SummitStack3 SummitStack4 EAPS Domain #2

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 16

BD8K2

Configuring EAPS
EAPS

ENA 12.6: Switch Operation, Configuration and Management

EAPS Configuration Steps

VLAN Configuration
1. 2. Ensure any VLANs to be protected by EAPS contain the tagged ring ports for each domain created Create a control VLAN for each domain and ensure they contain the tagged ring ports for each specific domain (Maximum of 2 ports in each control VLAN)

EAPS Configuration
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Create an EAPS domain Configure one switch as a master node. All other switches will be transit nodes Configure the primary port and secondary port for each switch Add the designated control VLAN to the EAPS domain Add the protected VLANs to the EAPS domain Enable the EAPS domain Repeat steps 1 through 6 for each EAPS domain required Finally enable EAPS globally

Slide 18

EAPS Configuration Overview (Domain #2)

The control VLAN (VLAN ctrl-2will have a tag of 102
Ports 1:1 and 4:1 for the SummitStacks will be added to the ctrl-2 VLAN as tagged ports Ports 1:1 and 2:1 for the BD8Ks will be added to the ctrl-2 VLAN as tagged ports

The protected VLAN (VLAN data) has a tag of 10

The above ports must be added tagged to the data VLAN on each switch, along with any end-user ports. End-user ports are usually untagged.
Floor 1 - Edge
1:1 4:1 1:1 4:1 1:1 4:1 1:1 4:1

EAPS Domain #2

SummitStack1

SummitStack2

SummitStack3

SummitStack4

VLAN: ctrl-2 802.1Q Tag: 102 EAPS Domain: ed-2

Data Center - Core

1:1

1:1

2:1

2:1

BD8K1
Slide 19

BD8K2

Configuring EAPS (SummitStack2) - 1

To create an EAPS domain:
create eaps <eapsDomain>

To configure the EAPS mode:

configure eaps <eapsDomain> mode [master | transit]

To configure the ring ports:

configure eaps <eapsDomain> primary <pri_port> configure eaps <eapsDomain> secondary <sec_port>

To configure the control VLAN:

configure eaps <eapsDomain> add control <vlan>

To add the protected VLANs:

configure eaps <eapsDomain> add protected <vlan>
Slide 20

Configuring EAPS (SummitStack2) - 2

To enable an EAPS domain:
enable eaps <eapsDomain>

To enable EAPS globally:

enable eaps

To verify EAPS globally:

show eaps

To verify the EAPS domain:

show eaps <eapsDomain>

Slide 21

Configuring EAPS (SummitStack2) - 3

To rename an EAPS domain:
configure eaps <eapsDomain> name <new_name>

To change the ring ports:

disable eaps <eapsDomain> unconfigure eaps <eapsDomain> primary <pri_port> unconfigure eaps <eapsDomain> secondary <sec_port>
Remember to re-enable EAPS when the new ring ports have been assigned

To configure the fail timer expiry action:

configure eaps <eapsDomain> failtime expiry action [sendalert | open-secondary-port]

To verify the changes:

show eaps <eapsDomain>

Slide 22

EAPS
You should now:
Be able to identify the EAPS ring elements Understand the EAPS domain and VLAN relationship Know the control VLAN configuration rules Know the EAPS MAC address Understand EAPS fault detection Understand EAPS fault restoration Be able to identify the steps to create an EAPS ring Be capable of configuring EAPS Know how to verify the EAPS configuration and status

Slide 23