HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!!!
I can't believe we're already towards the end of September! In New England, we're entering the fall months, which means leaves changing colors, apple picking, pumpkin spice lattes and…FEATURE FRIDAYSSSSSS! (Okay, Feature Fridays are all times of the year… I think I have a problem)
Anyway, for this Feature Friday I want to discuss Ethernet Over SVR or EoSVR.
Secure Vector Routing (SVR) Recap
To recap a little, a few weeks ago we did a two-parter on Secure Vector Routing (SVR) and how it enables you to send traffic securely without the added overhead of using tunneled protocols. Pretty cool stuff. For a refresh, check out these posts: SVR Part 1 and SVR Part 2.
We then went and talked about how we can use SVR to advertise BGP routes to other Session Smart Routers (SSRs). This is what we call BGP Over SVR and gives you the ability to use a dynamic routing protocol while also getting the encryption, authentication, and reduced bandwidth that you all know and love with SVR. You can review the BGP Over SVR post here.
At the end of the BGP Over SVR post, I asked what other protocols you would like to see protected by SVR. Well, in this post, I want to discuss one of those other protocols, and this time it is a Layer 2 protocol. Ethernet!!!!
Ethernet Over SVR
Ethernet Over SVR allows you to extend your Layer 2 network across multiple sites. So, we could have 2 branches in the same L2 domain with a WAN in between them, all of this being protected by SVR.
Extending our L2 network across sites allows devices to talk to each other on the same broadcast domain even though they are in different physical locations. You also have the ability to retain your IP and MAC addresses when you move your servers to new locations. This can be very useful for license conservation.
Benefits
When comparing Ethernet Over SVR to traditional MPLS networks, you also get the following benefits:
- Eliminates additional CE routers needed to deploy MPLS pseudowires.
- First packet processing with metadata for VxLAN packets eliminates the need to tunnel the VxLAN packet within another IP packet (e.g. GRE) reducing bandwidth consumption.
- SVR packets can travel over multiple transport types (Internet or MPLS), providing multipath failover redundancy and seamless application performance.
- Increased security; SVR packets are encrypted and authenticated.
How it Works
The way Ethernet Over SVR works with the SSR is Layer 2 and IP traffic destined for your LAN arrives on the SSR and is transported over an Ethernet Over SVR bridge to the destination SSR within the customer network. The bridge is configured between no more than two routers, and the configuration is validated before committing it to the running config.
There are four types of packets that are enabled for Ethernet Over SVR:
- Non-IP, multicast, and broadcast packets.
- IP packets.
- VxLAN packets carrying Non-IP packets.
- VxLAN packets carrying IP packets.
Ethernet Over SVR in Use
I could talk about the benefits Ethernet Over SVR all day, but I'm told people like to know how it's actually being used by customers. Well, our customers and partners, CMC Networks and Redvine, have partnered to deliver EoSVR to their customers in Africa. Their goal with EoSVR was to deliver a dedicated layer 2 service between any two nodes enabling services that normal layer 3 networks can't. One of their biggest realized benefits is that EoSVR enables them to quickly upgrade core infrastructure without impacting customers. Read this article to learn more about how CMC and Redvine are using EoSVR.
If you are interested in learning more about Ethernet Over SVR, check out our documentation:
Alright, now it is time to hear from you:
- Do you extend your L2 network at all? If so, why?
- Have you tried out Ethernet Over SVR yet? What has been your experience with it?
- How do you celebrate Fall and what are your favorite Fall activities?
I hope you all enjoy the start of fall and I cannot wait to speak to you soon! Take care!
#FeatureFridays #SVR #SSR #ethernet #L2 #vxlan #CMC #Redvine
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Justin Melloni
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