Fabricpath
Cisco FabricPath is a Cisco NX-OS software innovation combining the plug-and-play simplicity of Ethernet with the reliability and scalability of Layer 3 routing.
Using FabricPath, you can build highly scalable Layer 2 multipath networks without the Spanning Tree Protocol. Such networks are particularly suitable for large virtualization deployments, private clouds, and high-performance computing (HPC) environments.
- Classic Ethernet ( CE )
- Regular internet with regular flooding, regular STP, etc.
- Leaf switch
- Connects CE domain to FP domain
- Spine switch
- FP backbone switch all ports in the FP domain only
- FP Core Ports
- Links on leaf up to Spine, or Spine to Spine
- i.e. the switchport mode fabricpath links
- CE Edge Ports
- Links of leaf connecting to regular CE domain (to servers / switches)
- i.e. NOT the switchport mode fabricpath links
Activating the fabricpath feature set.
For the activation is the “ENHANCED_LAYER2.PK” license needed, or the grace-period of 120 days:
vlan 100 mode fabricpath name test interface Ethernet2/1 switchport switchport mode fabricpath no shutdown interface Ethernet2/2 switchport switchport mode fabricpath no shutdown N7K3# sh run int e2/9 interface Ethernet2/9 switchport switchport access vlan 100 no shutdown
N7K3# sh fabricpath isis
Fabricpath IS-IS domain : default
System ID : 0026.c734.4f2f IS-Type : L1 Fabric-Control SVI: Unknown
SAP : 432 Queue Handle : 15
Maximum LSP MTU: 1492
Graceful Restart enabled. State: Inactive
Last graceful restart status : none
Graceful Restart holding time:60
Metric-style : advertise(wide), accept(wide)
Start-Mode: Complete [Start-type configuration]
Area address(es) :
00
Process is up and running
CIB ID: 1
Interfaces supported by Fabricpath IS-IS :
Ethernet2/1
Ethernet2/2
Ethernet2/5
Ethernet2/6
Ethernet2/10
Ethernet2/11
Level 1
Authentication type and keychain not configured
Authentication check specified
LSP Lifetime: 1200
L1 LSP GEN interval- Max:8000 Initial:50 Second:50
L1 SPF Interval- Max:8000 Initial:50 Second:50
MT-0 Ref-Bw: 400000
Max-Path: 16
Address family Swid unicast :
Number of interface : 6
Distance : 115
L1 Next SPF: Inactive
N7K3# sh fabricpath switch-id
FABRICPATH SWITCH-ID TABLE
Legend: '*' - this system
'[E]' - local Emulated Switch-id
'[A]' - local Anycast Switch-id
Total Switch-ids: 4
=============================================================================
SWITCH-ID SYSTEM-ID FLAGS STATE STATIC EMULATED/
ANYCAST
--------------+----------------+------------+-----------+--------------------
1 0026.c751.bd2f Primary Confirmed Yes No
2 0026.c71f.a62f Primary Confirmed Yes No
* 3 0026.c734.4f2f Primary Confirmed Yes No
4 0026.c7cb.4b2f Primary Confirmed Yes No
N7K3# sh cdp nei Capability Codes: R - Router, T - Trans-Bridge, B - Source-Route-Bridge S - Switch, H - Host, I - IGMP, r - Repeater, V - VoIP-Phone, D - Remotely-Managed-Device, s - Supports-STP-Dispute Device-ID Local Intrfce Hldtme Capability Platform Port ID N7k1(TBC751BD00B) Eth2/1 147 R S I s N7K-C7018 Eth2/5 N7k1(TBC751BD00B) Eth2/2 148 R S I s N7K-C7018 Eth2/6 N7K2(TBC71FA600B) Eth2/5 170 R S I s N7K-C7018 Eth2/5 N7K2(TBC71FA600B) Eth2/6 170 R S I s N7K-C7018 Eth2/6 R1 Eth2/9 134 R S I 3725 Fas0/0 Total entries displayed: 5 N7K3# sh fab fabric fabricpath N7K3# sh fabri fabric fabricpath N7K3# sh fabricpath route FabricPath Unicast Route Table 'a/b/c' denotes ftag/switch-id/subswitch-id '[x/y]' denotes [admin distance/metric] ftag 0 is local ftag subswitch-id 0 is default subswitch-id FabricPath Unicast Route Table for Topology-Default 0/3/0, number of next-hops: 0 via ---- , [60/0], 0 day/s 03:03:28, local 1/1/0, number of next-hops: 2 via Eth2/1, [115/400], 0 day/s 03:01:13, isis_fabricpath-default via Eth2/2, [115/400], 0 day/s 03:01:13, isis_fabricpath-default 1/2/0, number of next-hops: 2 via Eth2/5, [115/400], 0 day/s 03:00:59, isis_fabricpath-default via Eth2/6, [115/400], 0 day/s 03:00:59, isis_fabricpath-default 1/4/0, number of next-hops: 4 via Eth2/1, [115/800], 0 day/s 03:00:59, isis_fabricpath-default via Eth2/2, [115/800], 0 day/s 03:00:59, isis_fabricpath-default via Eth2/5, [115/800], 0 day/s 03:00:59, isis_fabricpath-default via Eth2/6, [115/800], 0 day/s 03:00:59, isis_fabricpath-default