EVPN VXLAN w/ Integrated Routing and Bridging, IRB, using Distributed Anycast Gateway on Cisco Catalyst 9000 w IOS-XE In 20 Minutes!

We’re in the Lab. GNS3.

Prerequisites:

1. A Working GNS3 Network Simulation System. (See my GNS3 Network Simulator on Google Cloud Platform (GCP) in 10 Minutes)

2. Cisco 9000 IOS-XE Software

Import and Install Cisco CAT IOS-XE 9000v Appliance

Navigate to the GNS3 Marketplace and download the Cisco IOS-XE Appliance to your local machine.

Launch GNS3 and import the Cisco Catalyst 9000v Appliance. File > Import appliance. Select the cisco-cat9k.gns3a file that you downloaded in the previous step. Install the appliance on the main server. GNS3 will automatically search for the IOS-XE software in your downloads folder. Proceed to finish installing the software.

Build Out Topology

Cisco publishes a configuration example. Build it in GNS3. Two Nexus 9000’s, two layer 2 switches, and four PC’s.

Using the drag and drop functionality of the GNS3 graphical user interface, place the devices in the topology. Click the Add a link button and wire up the devices.

Enable DNA Advantage License

Console in to the Nexus9k’s and enter the following commands from privileged exec mode.

configure terminal 
license boot level network-advantage addon dna-advantage 
end 
write memory 
reload

Configure The Cisco Nexus 9000s

Note: Our GNS3 Cisco Nexus 9000v will have different interface numbering than the example configurations illustrated on cisco.com. Specifically, I used GigabitEthernet1/0/1 and GigabitEthernet1/0/2 on the Nexus 9k’s. Other than that modification, the Cisco example configurations should take as is. So, with the exception of modifying interface numbering, paste their configs in as is.

Configure The Layer 2 Switches

We need to set the interface to the Nexus as a dotq trunk interface and the PC interfaces to be in VLAN 201. This is done via the GNS3 GUI.

Configure PC’s w IP Address

Add an IP address to each PC. Cisco’s example configures 192.168.1.x/24 on the LAN. Enter:

ip 192.168.1.1/24 192.168.1.201 on PC1

ip 192.168.1.2/24 192.168.1.201 on PC2, and so on…

Verify Configuration

The following commands help to verify that your configuration is working as expected. Did you configure EVPN VXLAN w Distributed Anycast Gateway on IOS-XE in under 20 minutes? Let me know!

show nve peers
show l2vpn evpn peers vxlan
show l2vpn evpn evi 1 detail
show l2vpn evpn default-gateway
show bgp l2vpn evpn all
show ip route vrf green
show platform software fed switch active matm macTable vlan 201