Dell SmartFabric Services User Guide Release 10.5.3

Networks

This section describes the following type of networks that you can create and associate these networks with the entities present in a fabric:

• General purpose networks
• VXLAN networks
• L3 VLAN networks
• L3 Routed networks
• Multirack L3 VLAN networks
  NOTE Prior to 10.5.3.0 release, you cannot configure Multirack L3 VLAN networks using SFS GUI. This network type is applicable for NSX-T deployment and you can configure this network using OMNI UI. For more information about this network type, see OpenManage Network Integration User Guide.

You can create these networks using SFS GUI and then associated these networks with servers profiles, uplinks, or interfaces for traffic flow. For more information, see Create a network.

General purpose networks

General purpose networks can be categorized as L2 VLAN networks in SFS L2 personality and L2 VXLAN networks in SFS L3 personality. In L3 personality, when you create a general purpose network, SFS automatically creates a virtual network (VXLAN) corresponding to a VLAN network. This virtual network has one-to-one mapping with the network, for each VLAN there exists a virtual network with VNI same as the VLAN ID. If you delete a VLAN network, it automatically deletes the associated VXLAN network.

For example, if you create a L2 general purpose network with VLAN ID 50, SFS creates a VXLAN network with VNI 50 and associates to VLAN 50.

VXLAN networks

VXLAN network extends L2 connectivity over an underlay L3 connected network. Association of VXLAN network to interface creates a binding and associates this interface to VXLAN bridge. L3 VXLAN network supports asymmetric-IRB. Create a virtual network template and a network template, and associate the virtual network template to network template.

• The virtual network template defines the VNET-ID.
• Network template defines the VLAN ID.

L3 VXLAN network is a VXLAN type of network that contains a list of IP addresses and an anycast IP address. Optionally, you can specify DHCP relay addresses. L3 VXLAN network can be configured over a leaf switch. L3 VXLAN network can be attached to an uplink. Each VLTi uplink interface contains an IP address that is allocated from the list of IP addresses that are configured on the L3 VXLAN network.

L3 VLAN network

L3 VLAN network is used for L3 VLAN underlay. Specify:

• VLAN ID
• Pair of IP addresses to be assigned to the VLT pair
• VRRP gateway IP address for VIP

L3 VLAN network contains a list of IP addresses and a gateway IP address. Optionally, you can specify DHCP relay addresses. You can configure and attach a L3 VLAN network to an uplink. Each VLTi uplink interface contains an IP address that is allocated from the list of IP addresses that are configured on the L3 VLAN network.

L3 Routed network

L3 routed network is used to assign IP address on a single interface. L3 routed network contains a list of IP addresses and a gateway IP address. Optionally, you can specify the DHCP relay addresses. L3 routed network can be configured on a leaf or a spine switch. L3 routed network can be attached to an uplink. Each uplink interface contains an IP address that is allocated from the list of IP addresses that are configured on the L3 routed network. An LACP port channel cannot be the remote end for these uplinks. If gateway IP address is specified and VRRP is enabled, the switches configure this IP address as the gateway IP address. Attach this network to any uplink that has a single interface. This network can only be attached to a single entity.

Multirack L3 VLAN network

Multirack L3 VLAN network is a template that contains rack-specific IP configurations for a L3 VLAN. You can configure IPv4 attributes for each rack in an NSX-T deployment consisting of multirack leaf and spine topology. A rack holds a pair of switches that are configured with VLT. The rack identifier is the same as the fabric ID. A rack containing a single switch without VLT does not support multirack L3 VLAN network.

In an NSX-T topology that is connected to an SFS cluster, you can create a multi rack L3 VLAN network. Specify the network identifier, L3 VLAN ID, and list of rack-specific IPv4 configurations for this network. Attach the created network as untagged or tagged on any uplink or server interface of the rack. After you attach the network, SFS automatically creates a L3 VLAN and applies the rack-specific IP configurations to the respective rack within the topology. You can modify the IPv4 configuration for a specific rack in the multi rack L3 VLAN network.