Get Unlimited Access to our 795 Cisco Lessons Now Get $1 Trial
You are here: Home » VXLAN

VXLAN Multicast Anycast RP

In the VXLAN Flood and Learn Multicast Data Plane lesson, we configured VXLAN flood and learn using multicast. This worked, but we had a single spine switch configured as the static Rendezvous Point (RP). If you don’t want a single point of failure, you can add a second spine switch. This introduces another issue: which spine switch should be the RP?

You can configure RP redundancy with protocols like auto-RP or bootstrap. However, failover for these protocols is not very fast.

Another option is anycast RP. This is a technique where multiple devices act as a single RP using the same IP address. However, this also introduces an issue. Leaf switches have two uplinks, one to each spine switch. It’s possible that some leaf switches join one spine switch, and others join the second spine switch. This is not random; we use a hashing algorithm to decide which uplink to use:

LEAF1# show ip multicast vrf default
Multicast Routing VRFs (1 VRFs)
VRF Name              VRF      Table       Route   Group   Source  (*,G)   State
                      ID       ID          Count   Count   Count   Count

default               1        0x00000001  3       1       1       1       Up
    Multipath configuration (1): s-g-hash
    Resilient configuration: Disabled

ECMP multicast uses the s-g-hash based on the source and group address. This hashing algorithm is predictable because it does not use random values.

We need something that can synchronize information between RPs. There are two protocols we can use for this:

Cisco Nexus switches can use anycast RP without MSDP. PIM messages will be exchanged between spine switches so all spine switches know about the multicast sources. In this lesson, I’ll explain how to configure anycast RP and we’ll do a packet capture to see it in action.

Configuration

This is the topology we’ll use:

Vxlan Anycast Rp Lab Nx Os Topology

We’ll need two spine switches. I’m using Cisco NX-OS 9000v version 9.3(9) on the switches. The hosts (S1 and S2) are simple Ubuntu containers because they only need to send some ICMP traffic between each other.

I use static MAC addresses on all devices so that it’s easier to debug and do a packet capture. All MAC addresses look like 0050.c253.X00Y, where X is the device number and Y is the interface number.

Also, since we already configured the underlay and overlay in the VXLAN flood and learn multicast lesson, I’m focusing only on the configuration of anycast RP in this lesson. We start with a pre-configured underlay/overlay network.




Configurations

Want to take a look for yourself? Here, you will find the startup configuration of each device. You can also download the containerlab topology.

LEAF1

hostname LEAF1

feature ospf
feature pim
feature vn-segment-vlan-based
feature nv overlay

vlan 10
  vn-segment 10010

interface nve1
  no shutdown
  source-interface loopback0
  member vni 10010
    mcast-group 239.1.1.1

interface Ethernet1/1
  no switchport
  mac-address 0050.c253.3001
  ip address 192.168.13.3/24
  ip ospf network point-to-point
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  no shutdown

interface Ethernet1/2
  no switchport
  mac-address 0050.c253.3002
  ip address 192.168.23.3/24
  ip ospf network point-to-point
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  no shutdown

interface Ethernet1/3
  no shutdown
  switchport access vlan 10

interface loopback0
  ip address 3.3.3.3/32
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode

router ospf 1

LEAF2

hostname LEAF2

feature ospf
feature pim
feature vn-segment-vlan-based
feature nv overlay

vlan 10
  vn-segment 10010

interface nve1
  no shutdown
  source-interface loopback0
  member vni 10010
    mcast-group 239.1.1.1

interface Ethernet1/1
  no switchport
  mac-address 0050.c253.4001
  ip address 192.168.14.4/24
  ip ospf network point-to-point
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  no shutdown

interface Ethernet1/2
  no switchport
  mac-address 0050.c253.4002
  ip address 192.168.24.4/24
  ip ospf network point-to-point
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  no shutdown

interface Ethernet1/3
  no shutdown
  switchport access vlan 10

interface loopback0
  ip address 4.4.4.4/32
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode

router ospf 1

SPINE1

hostname SPINE1

feature ospf
feature pim

interface Ethernet1/1
  no switchport
  mac-address 0050.c253.1001
  ip address 192.168.13.1/24
  ip ospf network point-to-point
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  no shutdown

interface Ethernet1/2
  no switchport
  mac-address 0050.c253.1002
  ip address 192.168.14.1/24
  ip ospf network point-to-point
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  no shutdown

interface loopback0
  ip address 1.1.1.1/32
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode

router ospf 1

SPINE2

hostname SPINE2

feature ospf
feature pim

interface Ethernet1/1
  no switchport
  mac-address 0050.c253.2001
  ip address 192.168.23.2/24
  ip ospf network point-to-point
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  no shutdown

interface Ethernet1/2
  no switchport
  mac-address 0050.c253.2002
  ip address 192.168.24.2/24
  ip ospf network point-to-point
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode
  no shutdown

interface loopback0
  ip address 2.2.2.2/32
  ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
  ip pim sparse-mode

router ospf 1

The configuration is almost identical to when we used multicast with a single RP. To configure anycast RP, we need to do this:

  • Create a new loopback interface on the spine switches with the IP address we want to use for anycast RP.
  • Enable OSPF on this loopback.
  • Enable PIM on this loopback.
  • Configure the spine switches to use the IP address on the new loopback interface as RP.
  • Configure all IP addresses of the spine switches for the anycast RP set.
  • Configure all switches to use the anycast RP address.

This is what anycast RP looks like on the spine switches:

Vxlan Anycast Rp Two Loopbacks Rp Set

We’ll use 12.12.12.12 as the RP address. The spine switches still need a unique IP address on their loopback 0 interfaces because they use this to communicate with each other.

Let’s get started:

SPINE1 & SPINE2
(config)# interface loopback1
(config-if)# ip address 12.12.12.12/32
(config-if)# ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
(config-if)# ip pim sparse-mode

Now we configure the RP set:

SPINE1 & SPINE2
(config)# ip pim anycast-rp 12.12.12.12 1.1.1.1
(config)# ip pim anycast-rp 12.12.12.12 2.2.2.2

On both spine switches, we need to configure:

  • the IP address we want to use for anycast RP.
  • Our own IP address.
  • The IP address of the other spine switch.

On all switches, we configure 12.12.12.12 as the RP:

SPINE1, SPINE2, LEAF1 & LEAF2
(config)# ip pim rp-address 12.12.12.12

That’s all we need to do.

Verification

Let’s make sure we have PIM neighbors:

SPINE1# show ip pim neighbor 
PIM Neighbor Status for VRF "default"
Neighbor        Interface            Uptime    Expires   DR       Bidir-  BFD    ECMP Redirect
                                                         Priority Capable State     Capable
192.168.13.3    Ethernet1/1          1d01h     00:01:35  1        yes     n/a     no
192.168.14.4    Ethernet1/2          1d01h     00:01:22  1        yes     n/a     no
SPINE2# show ip pim neighbor
PIM Neighbor Status for VRF "default"
Neighbor        Interface            Uptime    Expires   DR       Bidir-  BFD    ECMP Redirect
                                                         Priority Capable State     Capable
192.168.23.3    Ethernet1/1          1d01h     00:01:16  1        yes     n/a     no
192.168.24.4    Ethernet1/2          1d01h     00:01:43  1        yes     n/a     no

That seems to be the case. Let’s check the RP settings:

SPINE1# show ip pim rp
PIM RP Status Information for VRF "default"
BSR disabled
Auto-RP disabled
BSR RP Candidate policy: None
BSR RP policy: None
Auto-RP Announce policy: None
Auto-RP Discovery policy: None

Anycast-RP 12.12.12.12 members:
  1.1.1.1*  2.2.2.2

RP: 12.12.12.12*, (0), 
 uptime: 1d01h   priority: 255, 
 RP-source: (local),  
 group ranges:
 224.0.0.0/4
SPINE2# show ip pim rp
PIM RP Status Information for VRF "default"
BSR disabled
Auto-RP disabled
BSR RP Candidate policy: None
BSR RP policy: None
Auto-RP Announce policy: None
Auto-RP Discovery policy: None

Anycast-RP 12.12.12.12 members:
  2.2.2.2*  1.1.1.1

RP: 12.12.12.12*, (0), 
 uptime: 1d01h   priority: 255, 
 RP-source: (local),  
 group ranges:
 224.0.0.0/4

SPINE1 and SPINE2 know about the RP address, and they know about each other. This is what the leaf switches think of it:

LEAF1# show ip pim rp
PIM RP Status Information for VRF "default"
BSR disabled
Auto-RP disabled
BSR RP Candidate policy: None
BSR RP policy: None
Auto-RP Announce policy: None
Auto-RP Discovery policy: None

RP: 12.12.12.12, (0), 
 uptime: 1d01h   priority: 255, 
 RP-source: (local),  
 group ranges:
 224.0.0.0/4
LEAF2# show ip pim rp
PIM RP Status Information for VRF "default"
BSR disabled
Auto-RP disabled
BSR RP Candidate policy: None
BSR RP policy: None
Auto-RP Announce policy: None
Auto-RP Discovery policy: None

RP: 12.12.12.12, (0), 
 uptime: 1d01h   priority: 255, 
 RP-source: (local),  
 group ranges:
 224.0.0.0/4

The leaf switches use 12.12.12.12 as the RP. Here are the multicast routing tables:

SPINE1# show ip mroute 239.1.1.1
IP Multicast Routing Table for VRF "default"

(*, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:02:59, pim ip 
  Incoming interface: loopback1, RPF nbr: 12.12.12.12
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 1)
    Ethernet1/2, uptime: 00:02:59, pim


(3.3.3.3/32, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:02:34, pim mrib ip 
  Incoming interface: Ethernet1/1, RPF nbr: 192.168.13.3, internal
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 1)
    Ethernet1/2, uptime: 00:02:34, pim


(4.4.4.4/32, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:02:39, pim mrib ip 
  Incoming interface: Ethernet1/2, RPF nbr: 192.168.14.4, internal
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 0)

you can see LEAF1 and LEAF2 as a source for 239.1.1.1. Same thing on SPINE2:

SPINE2# show ip mroute 239.1.1.1
IP Multicast Routing Table for VRF "default"

(*, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:02:58, pim ip 
  Incoming interface: loopback1, RPF nbr: 12.12.12.12
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 1)
    Ethernet1/1, uptime: 00:01:11, pim


(3.3.3.3/32, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:02:36, pim mrib ip 
  Incoming interface: Ethernet1/1, RPF nbr: 192.168.23.3, internal
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 0)


(4.4.4.4/32, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:02:41, pim mrib ip 
  Incoming interface: Ethernet1/2, RPF nbr: 192.168.24.4, internal
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 1)
    Ethernet1/1, uptime: 00:01:11, pim

Both spine switches have learned that LEAF1 and LEAF2 are sources. Let’s check the leaf switches:

LEAF1# show ip mroute 239.1.1.1
IP Multicast Routing Table for VRF "default"

(*, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:01:24, ip pim nve 
  Incoming interface: Ethernet1/2, RPF nbr: 192.168.23.2
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 1)
    nve1, uptime: 00:01:18, nve


(3.3.3.3/32, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:01:24, mrib ip pim nve 
  Incoming interface: loopback0, RPF nbr: 3.3.3.3
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 1)
    Ethernet1/1, uptime: 00:01:22, pim

LEAF1 shows itself as a source. So does LEAF2:

LEAF2# show ip mroute 239.1.1.1
IP Multicast Routing Table for VRF "default"

(*, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:03:13, nve ip pim 
  Incoming interface: Ethernet1/1, RPF nbr: 192.168.14.1
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 1)
    nve1, uptime: 00:03:13, nve


(4.4.4.4/32, 239.1.1.1/32), uptime: 00:03:13, nve mrib ip pim 
  Incoming interface: loopback0, RPF nbr: 4.4.4.4
  Outgoing interface list: (count: 2)
    Ethernet1/2, uptime: 00:01:23, pim
    Ethernet1/1, uptime: 00:02:53, pim

Everything is looking good. At the moment, the leaf switches don’t know about each other as NVE peers:

LEAF1# show nve peers

LEAF2# show nve peers

Let’s send a ping from S1 to S2:

lab@s1:~$ ping 172.16.12.2
PING 172.16.12.2 (172.16.12.2) 56(84) bytes of data.
From 172.16.12.1 icmp_seq=1 Destination Host Unreachable
From 172.16.12.1 icmp_seq=2 Destination Host Unreachable
From 172.16.12.1 icmp_seq=3 Destination Host Unreachable
64 bytes from 172.16.12.2: icmp_seq=4 ttl=64 time=6.98 ms
64 bytes from 172.16.12.2: icmp_seq=5 ttl=64 time=3.76 ms
^C
--- 172.16.12.2 ping statistics ---
5 packets transmitted, 2 received, +3 errors, 42.8571% packet loss, time 6065ms
rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 3.559/4.567/6.978/1.399 ms, pipe 3

This works. The leaf switches learn about each other:

LEAF1# show nve peers
Interface Peer-IP                                 State LearnType Uptime   Router-Mac       
--------- --------------------------------------  ----- --------- -------- -----------------
nve1      4.4.4.4                                 Up    DP        00:00:25 n/a
LEAF2# show nve peers
Interface Peer-IP                                 State LearnType Uptime   Router-Mac       
--------- --------------------------------------  ----- --------- -------- -----------------
nve1      3.3.3.3                                 Up    DP        00:00:38 n/a

This is good. Everything is working as expected.

We're Sorry, Full Content Access is for Members Only...

If you like to keep on reading, Become a Member Now! Here is why:

  • Learn any CCNA, CCNP and CCIE R&S Topic. Explained As Simple As Possible.
  • Try for Just $1. The Best Dollar You’ve Ever Spent on Your Cisco Career!
  • Full Access to our 795 Lessons. More Lessons Added Every Week!
  • Content created by Rene Molenaar (CCIE #41726)

Give Membership a try - it's just $1 ►

570 Sign Ups in the last 30 days

satisfaction-guaranteed
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed!
You may cancel your monthly membership at any time.
No Questions Asked!

Ask a question or start a discussion by visiting our Community Forum