Creating and Managing ESI Link Aggregation Groups (ESI-LAGs)

Ethernet Switch Identifier (ESI) refers to the set of Ethernet links that connect one or more access devices (called client devices) to a pair of core devices (called as peers) in a campus environment. ESI link aggregation groups (ESI-LAGs) enable one or more client devices to form a logical link aggregation group (LAG) interface with the peers. The peer should already be connected with each other before forming an ESI-LAG between them.

You can create ESI-LAGs by using EX9200 devices as the core devices.

Note:

Network Director supports an ESI-LAG configuration only if the ESI-LAG is created by using Network Director.

Supported devices in an ESI-LAG:

Peer devices in a core network: EX9200
Client devices in an access network: EX2300, EX4300, and EX4600

For creating an ESI-LAG, follow the procedure described in this topic:

This topic includes:

Accessing the ESI-LAG Page

To access the ESI-LAG page:

Click the Build mode icon in the Network Director banner.
Select Wired > Tasks > Manage ESI-LAG in the Tasks pane.

The Manage ESI-LAG page opens, which displays the existing ESI-LAG peers and enables you to create, edit, or delete an ESI-LAG. The Manage ESI-LAG page also displays the device name, device model, deployment status, and local IP address of the ESI-LAG peer devices. Click the peer devices of any ESI-LAG to view details such as, descriptions of the peer devices, peer-to-peer link details, and client-to-peer link details, of the ESI-LAG.

Creating an ESI-LAG

To create an ESI-LAG:

Click Create ESI-LAG .on the Manage ESI-LAG page.

The Create ESI-LAG page opens. It displays two tabs—Peer Devices and Client Devices. By default, the Peer Devices tab is selected and displays in orange color.

On the left of the Create ESI-LAG page, the Peer Devices tab lists EX9200 devices that are managed by Network Director. These are the available devices from which you can select the peer devices for the ESI-LAG you create. On the right, a schematic diagram of the two peer devices PEER␣1, PEER␣2, and boxes representing the client devices is displayed.

Creating an ESI-LAG involves the following tasks:

Selecting Peer Devices and Configuring Peer-to-Peer Link Settings
Selecting Client Devices and Configuring Client-to-Peer Link Settings
Saving ESI-LAG Settings
Deploying ESI-LAG Configuration

Selecting Peer Devices and Configuring Peer-to-Peer Link Settings

To select the peer devices and configure peer-to-peer link settings:

From the list of devices in the Peer Devices tab on the Create ESI-LAG page, select a device, and drag and drop it into the box labeled PEER␣1 or PEER␣2.
After you drag and drop the first peer device, the list of devices refilters and displays only devices that qualify to be the second peer.

For example, if you select an EX9200 device as one of the peer devices, then other EX9200 devices that are discovered by Network Director are listed for you to select as the second peer device.
Select the second device from the refiltered list of peer devices and drag and drop it into the second peer box.
The Peer to Peer Link Settings window opens. The Client Devices tab is automatically enabled in the background on the Create ESI-LAG page.
In the Peer to Peer Link Settings window, click Add Port to add ports of the peer devices to be used in the LAG.
A new row is added to the Peer to Peer Ports* table, where you must enter the port details for the peer devices.
From the drop-down menu for the Peer 1 device, select a port to assign to the ESI-LAG.
From the drop-down menu for the Peer 2 device, select a port to assign to the ESI-LAG.
In the Loop Back section, configure the loopback IPv4 address for Peer 1 and Peer 2 in the Peer 1 IPv4 Address and Peer 2 IPv4 Address text fields, respectively.
The loopback address ensures that the peer devices are reachable to management applications and other entities that want to communicate with the devices.
In the Logical Interface section,
- Provide the logical IPv4 address for Peer 1 and Peer 2 devices in the Peer 1 IPv4 Address and Peer 2 IPv4 Address text fields, respectively.
  
  The logical interfaces are created on the interfaces on which the ESI-LAG is to be configured.
- (Optional) In the BGP Group Name text field, edit the name for the BGP group to which the peer devices will be assigned.
  
  When the ESI-LAG is deployed on your network, a BGP group with the name assigned is created. Other BGP-related parameters are autogenerated and assigned to the peer devices.
- (Optional) In the Virtual Switch Instance text field, edit the name of the virtual switch instance assigned to the peer devices.
  
  When the ESI-LAG is deployed on your network, a virtual switch instance with the name assigned is created in the routing instance of the peer devices. You can configure only one routing instance by using Network Director.
- (Optional) In the VRF Instance Name text field, edit the name of the VRF instance assigned to the peer devices.
  
  When the ESI-LAG is deployed on your network, a VRF instance by the name assigned is created and assigned to the peer devices.
- In the Autonomous System Number text field, enter the autonomous system number to which the peer devices are assigned as part of ESI-LAG.
In the Peer To Peer VLAN table:
- Click Add VLAN to add VLANs. This VLAN is configured between the peers to ensure connectivity and data flow between the peers.
  
  When you click Add VLAN, enter the following values for the VLAN:
  - VLAN ID
  - VLAN Name
  - VNI ID
  - IP Type, IP Address of the peers and Mask for the routed interface address of the VLAN
  - Anycast Gateway for the VLAN
Click Update.
A row is added that displays the VLAN associated with the peer devices.
(Optional) Click a VLAN and click Remove VLAN to remove any VLAN that you do not want to be part of the ESI-LAG configuration.
Click OK.
The Peer to Peer Link Settings window closes, and the Create ESI-LAG page appears.

The Client Devices tab is selected by default. In the schematic diagram, the links that you configured between the peer devices changes to green, indicating that the links are successfully configured. The color does not indicate the operational status of the link.

Selecting Client Devices and Configuring Client-to-Peer Link Settings

To select a client device and configure client-to-peer link settings:

In the Client Devices tab on the Create ESI-LAG page, select the client device.
Select a device from the list of client devices, and drag and drop it into one of the boxes labeled Drag & Drop Clients here to add.
The Client to Peer Link Settings window opens.
Click Add Port to select the client and peer ports.
A new row is added to the table, where you must enter the port details for the peer and client devices.
Select the client port from the Client Port drop-down list.
From the drop-down menu, select the peer port you want to connect to the client port.
Note:
You can configure only one interface to connect the client to a peer.
Click Update. A row is added that displays the client port and peer port.
Note:
If you have selected Peer␣1 Port and linked it to a client port first, then select Peer␣2 Port and link it to a client port. Both Peer␣1 port and Peer␣2 port cannot be selected in one row. The client device must be connected to both peer devices.
In the Client to Peer VLANs* table in the Client to Peer Link Settings window, click Select VLAN to assign the client to one or more VLANs.
The Choose VLANs pop-up window appears listing the VLANs to which the Peers are assigned.
Select one or more VLANs from the Choose VLANs pop-up window to which you want to assign the client.
Click OK.
The selected VLANs are added to the Client to Peer VLANs* table.
(Optional) Remove a VLAN that you have created, in the client device by selecting the VLAN and clicking Remove VLAN .
Click Update.
The client is assigned to the selected VLANs.
Click OK to submit the settings that you entered in the Client to Peer Link Settings window and close the window.
The Client to Peer Link Settings window closes.

Saving ESI-LAG Settings

To save the ESI-LAG settings that you configured:

Click Save on the Create ESI-LAG page.
Network Director saves the ESI-LAG settings and displays the message ESI-LAG save is successful and is ready to be deployed to the devices.
Click OK.
The Manage ESI-LAG page lists the ESI-LAG that you created. By default, the Deployment State for the ESI-LAG displays as Pending Deployment.

Deploying ESI-LAG Configuration

To deploy a new or edited ESI-LAG configuration:

In the Deploy mode, click Configuration Deployment > Deploy Configuration Changes in the Tasks pane.
The Devices with Pending Changes page opens, displaying devices that have pending configuration changes.
In the list on the Devices with Pending Changes page, select the devices that you configured as the peer and client devices of the ESI-LAG.
Note:
To view the deployment information for a device, select the device and click View. The Configuration window opens, which shows the CLI and XML view of the configuration that will be deployed on the device.
Click Deploy Now to deploy the configuration.
The Device Configuration window opens. The Deployment Status shows the status as INPROGRESS and changes to SUCCESS once the deployment is successfully completed.

Editing an ESI-LAG

On the Manage ESI-LAG page, you can add, edit, or delete peer ports, edit existing peer-to-peer link settings, add client, remove client, and edit client-to-peer link settings. However, you cannot add or delete peer devices of the ESI-LAG.

Note:

You cannot edit an ESI-LAG after it is configured and the devices are deployed on the network (that is, the state of the devices is DEPLOYED.)

On the Manage ESI-LAG page, click Edit corresponding to the ESI-LAG peers that you want to modify.

The Edit ESI-LAG page opens. It displays two tabs—Peer Devices and Client Devices. If both the peer devices of the ESI-LAG are already configured as part of the ESI-LAG configuration, the Client Devices tab is selected, and it displays in orange color. On the left of the Edit ESI-LAG page, a list of client devices are displayed.

If one of the peer devices is Unknown, the Peer Devices tab is selected, and it displays in orange color. On the left of the Edit ESI-LAG page, a list of peer devices, that are of the same type and ELS capability as of the discovered peer, are displayed.

On the right of the Edit ESI-LAG page, a schematic diagram of the existing two peer devices PEER␣1, PEER␣2, and a representation of the client devices as boxes are displayed.

Managing Peer Devices and Peer-to-Peer Link Settings
Managing Client Devices and Client-to-Peer Link Settings

Managing Peer Devices and Peer-to-Peer Link Settings

To add, edit, or delete a peer port, or edit peer-to-peer link settings:

Click EVPN-VXLAN link that is displayed between PEER␣1 and PEER␣2 in the schematic diagram.
The Peer to Peer Link Settings window opens.

The peer ports that you already configured are displayed in the Peer to Peer Ports table.
Do one of the following:
- To add a port, click Add Port.
  
  A new row is added to the table, where you must enter the port details for the peer devices.
  
  From the drop-down menu for the PEER␣1 device or PEER 2 device, select a port to assign to the ESI-LAG.
- To edit a peer port, click the port and edit the port.
- To delete a peer port, select the port that you want to remove from the ESI-LAG, and click Remove Port.
Note:
You must specify at least one link between the peer devices.
Click Update.
(Optional) Edit the Peer 1 or Peer 2 loop back address, Peer 1 or Peer 2 logical interfaces. BGP Group Name, Virtual Instance Switch Name, VRF Instance Name, or Autonomous System Number.
(Optional) Edit the Peer To Peer VLANs as follows:
- To add a VLAN, click Add VLAN.
  
  A new row is added to the Peer To Peer VLANs table. Enter the values for VLAN ID, VLAN Name, VNI ID, IP type, IP addresses and mask for the integrated routing and bridging interface of the VLAN and the anycast gateway in the corresponding fields. Click Update to save the new VLAN in the table.
- To edit a VLAN, click on the VLAN and edit one or more attributes of the VLAN—VLAN ID, VLAN Name, VNI ID, IP type, IP addresses and mask for the integrated routing and bridging interface of the VLAN and the anycast gateway.
- To remove a VLAN, select the VLAN and click Remove VLAN.
  
  The VLAN is removed from the table.
Click OK.
The Peer to Peer Link Settings window closes, and the Edit ESI-LAG page is displayed.

Managing Client Devices and Client-to-Peer Link Settings

To add or remove client devices, and edit client-to-peer link settings:

Click Client Devices tab on the Edit ESI-LAG page.
The Client Devices tab on the Create ESI-LAG page lists switches that are managed by Network Director. On the right, a schematic diagram of the two peer devices PEER␣1, PEER␣2, and a representation of the client devices as boxes is displayed.
Select a device from the list of client devices, and drag and drop it into one of the boxes labeled as Drag & Drop Clients here to add.
Note:
To delete a client device from an ESI-LAG configuration, click the x mark on the client device in the carousel. The client device is removed from the carousel.

You cannot delete a client device if the client device is already deployed.

The Client to Peer Link Settings window opens.
In the Client to Peer Ports table, you can edit or delete the configured client and peer ports.
To remove the configured client and peer ports, click on a row and click Remove Port. The port is removed from the Client to Peer Ports table.

To add a port, click Add Port and select the client and peer ports. Click Update to save the port.

To edit a port, click on the port and edit the port. Click Update to save the edited port values.

Note:
You can add only one interface connection between a client and a peer.
In the Client to Peer VLANs* table, in the Client to Peer Link Settings window, Network Director displays the VLAN configured in the ESI-LAG
In this table, you can edit the configured VLAN, add a new VLAN or remove a configured VLAN.

To add a new VLAN, click Select VLAN and select the VLANs from the list that displays in the Choose VLAN Profile pop-up window.

To edit a VLAN, click on the VLAN and edit the VLAN ID or VLAN Name.

You can remove a VLAN that you have created, but not deployed, in the client device by selecting the VLAN and clicking Remove VLAN .
Click Update.
Click OK to submit the settings that you entered in the Client to Peer Link Settings window.
The Client to Peer Link Settings window closes.
Click Save in the Manage ESI-LAG page.
Network Director saves the ESI-LAG settings and displays the message ESI-LAG save is successful and is ready to be deployed to the devices.
Click OK.
The Manage ESI-LAG page lists the newly created ESI-LAG. By default, the Deployment State for the edited ESI-LAG displays as Pending Deployment.

To deploy the edited ESI-LAG, see Deploying ESI-LAG Configuration.

Deleting an ESI-LAG

To delete ESI-LAG:

Click the Build mode icon in the Network Director banner.
Select Wired > Tasks > Manage ESI-LAG in the Tasks pane.

The Manage ESI-LAG page opens, displaying the configured ESI-LAG peers and enables you to delete ESI-LAGs.
Click Delete for the corresponding ESI-LAG Peers that you want to delete, in the Manage ESI-LAG page.

Note:
If you delete an ESI-LAG, Network Director removes the ESI-LAG configuration settings from the peer devices and also deletes the LAG configuration from the client devices. The Deployment State changes to Pending Removal if the ESI-LAG is already deployed. If it is not deployed, that is, if it is Pending Deployment, then the ESI-LAG is removed from the Manage ESI-LAG page.

ESI-LAG Automation Parameters

Network Director configures a number of parameters internally and automates the creation or modification of ESI-LAGs.

Table 1 describes the parameters that are internally configured by Network Director.

Table 1: ESI-LAG Automation Parameters
Parameter	Description
LAG	Used to create a LAG between peer devices, and between the client and peer devices.
LACP active	Used to configure LACP in peer devices and the client device. LACP is used to discover multiple links from a client device connected to peers. LACP must be configured on all member links to work properly.
LACP periodic fast	Used to configure LACP periodic fast in Peer switches and client switch. LACP fast periodic is achieved by configuring fast intervals (in seconds) for periodic transmission of LACP.
Loopback Address	Used to configure loopback address. The loopback address ensures that the device provides an IP address to management applications as the device must always be available to hosts attempting to route packets to the device. Setting a loopback address ensures that the device can receive packets addressed to the loopback address as long as the device is reachable through any entry (ingress) interface.
ESI ID	Used to configure an Ethernet Segment Identifier (ESI) on a per-interface basis. All interfaces configured with the same ESI, on any devices within the same EVPN domain, appear as part of the same L2 segment or LAG.
ESI mode	Used to configure ESI all-active mode to enable Active-Active Multihoming in peers.
Policy options	Used to specify routing policy evpn-pplb for EVPN.
Routing option	Used to specify forwarding table with per-packet load balancing (PPLB) export policy for EVPN, autonomous system number and router-id.
Virtual Switch Configuration	Used to create a virtual switch routing instance and auto-generate related parameters.
vtep-source-interface	Used to specify the source interface for a Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN) tunnel and configure a llogical interface unit 0 (lo0.0) on the loopback interface.
instance-type - (virtual-switch)	Used to provide support for Layer 2 bridging. This routing instance type is used to isolate a LAN segment with its Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) instance and to separate its VLAN identifier space.
route distinguisher id	Used to specify a route distinguisher for the routing instance.
vrf-target	Used to specify a virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) target community
Protocol	Used to enable the Ethernet VPN (EVPN) protocol.
VLAN-VxLAN Mapping	Used to map the VLAN and VxLAN configuration to the virtual switch
VPN routing and forwarding (VRF) instance	Used to create a VRF routing instance and auto-generate the VRF routing parameters.
instance-type (vrf)	Used to provide support for Layer 3 VPNs, where interface routes for each instance goes only into the corresponding forwarding table
vrf-target	Used to specify a virtual routing and forwarding (VRF) target community
route distinguisher id	Used to assign a route distinguisher to the routing instance automatically.
BGP Protocol	Used to enable BGP protocol on peer devices and auto-generates the BGP parameters.
BGP sessions	Used to auto-generate internal group type, set the loopback address as the local address and the peer loop back address as the neighbor address.
VPN family	Used to auto-generate inet, inet-vpn, and evpn signaling for BGP.
mutipath	Used to allow load sharing among multiple eBGP and multiple iBGP paths.
OSPF Protocol	Used to enable OSPF on peer devices and configur egaArea IP as 0.0.0.0 on loopback and LAG Interface.

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