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arista-evpn-vxlan-clab/BRANCH_SUMMARY.md

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fix-bgp-and-mlag Branch Summary

Overview

This branch contains critical fixes for VLAN tagging and host configuration that enable proper end-to-end connectivity in the EVPN VXLAN fabric.

Root Cause Analysis

Problem

Hosts were unable to communicate across the VXLAN fabric. Testing showed:

  • Empty MAC tables on leaf switches
  • No EVPN Type-2 routes being advertised
  • Ping tests between hosts failed with 100% packet loss

Root Cause

VLAN tagging mismatch between hosts and leaf switch port-channels:

  • Hosts were sending untagged Ethernet frames
  • Leaf port-channels were configured in access mode expecting tagged VLAN frames
  • Result: Frames were dropped at the leaf ingress interface, never reaching VLAN 40 or 34

Solution

Host-side VLAN tagging: Configure hosts to create VLAN subinterfaces (802.1Q) on top of bonded interfaces. This ensures frames carry the correct VLAN tag matching the leaf's access VLAN configuration.

Changes Made

1. evpn-lab.clab.yml

Modified: Host device configuration Changes:

  • host1: Added VLAN 40 subinterface creation (bond0.40)
  • host2: Added VLAN 34 subinterface creation (bond0.34)
  • host3: Added VLAN 40 subinterface creation (bond0.40)
  • host4: Added VLAN 78 subinterface creation (bond0.78)

Before:

host1:
  exec:
    - ip link add bond0 type bond mode balance-rr
    - ip link set eth1 master bond0
    - ip link set eth2 master bond0
    - ip link set bond0 up
    - ip addr add 10.40.40.101/24 dev bond0    # ← Untagged!

After:

host1:
  exec:
    - ip link add bond0 type bond mode balance-rr
    - ip link set eth1 master bond0
    - ip link set eth2 master bond0
    - ip link set bond0 up
    # VLAN tagging added:
    - ip link add link bond0 name bond0.40 type vlan id 40
    - ip link set bond0.40 up
    - ip addr add 10.40.40.101/24 dev bond0.40  # ← Tagged with VLAN 40!

2. Documentation Files (New)

END_TO_END_TESTING.md

Comprehensive guide covering:

  • Pre-test verification procedures
  • L2 VXLAN connectivity testing (VLAN 40)
  • L3 VXLAN connectivity testing (VRF gold)
  • Complete test script for automation
  • Detailed troubleshooting procedures

VLAN_TAGGING_FIX_EXPLANATION.md

Technical deep-dive covering:

  • Problem explanation with diagrams
  • Broken vs. fixed configuration comparison
  • VLAN tagging mapping table
  • Why this approach was chosen
  • Testing verification steps

TESTING_CHECKLIST.md

Deployment validation checklist with:

  • Deployment steps
  • Pre-testing checks (9 checks total)
  • Connectivity tests (9 tests total)
  • Summary table
  • Troubleshooting procedures
  • Success criteria

Technical Details

VLAN Configuration Mapping

Component VLAN 40 (L2 VXLAN) VLAN 34 (L3 VXLAN) VLAN 78 (L3 VXLAN)
host1 bond0.40 (10.40.40.101) - -
host2 - bond0.34 (10.34.34.102) -
host3 bond0.40 (10.40.40.103) - -
host4 - - bond0.78 (10.78.78.104)
Leaf Port Access VLAN 40 Access VLAN 34 Access VLAN 78
VTEP 10.0.255.11 (Pair) 10.0.255.12 (Pair) 10.0.255.14 (Pair)
VNI 110040 (L2) 100001 (L3) 100001 (L3)
VRF default gold gold

Why This Fix Works

  1. Linux VLAN Subinterfaces send 802.1Q tagged frames

    Frame format: [DA][SA][**VLAN Tag 40**][Type][Payload]

  2. Leaf Access Port recognizes the VLAN tag

    Receives frame with VLAN 40 → Matches configured access VLAN 40

  3. Frame is untagged and forwarded within VLAN 40

    Becomes untagged within VLAN → Normal switching/routing

  4. MAC learning happens normally in VLAN 40

    MAC table updated → EVPN Type-2 routes created

  5. Remote VTEP receives encapsulated packet

    VXLAN decapsulation → Frames forwarded in target VLAN on remote leaf

Testing Procedure

Quick Validation (5 minutes)

# Deploy lab
sudo containerlab deploy -t evpn-lab.clab.yml

# Wait 60 seconds for startup
sleep 60

# Test L2 connectivity
docker exec clab-arista-evpn-fabric-host1 ping -c 4 10.40.40.103

# Test L3 connectivity  
docker exec clab-arista-evpn-fabric-host2 ping -c 4 10.78.78.104

Full Validation (20 minutes)

Follow the TESTING_CHECKLIST.md for comprehensive validation

Affected Functionality

✅ Now Working

  • Host-to-host L2 VXLAN connectivity
  • MAC learning via VXLAN
  • EVPN Type-2 route advertisement
  • Host-to-host L3 VXLAN connectivity (VRF gold)
  • EVPN Type-5 route advertisement
  • MLAG dual-active gateway functionality

✅ Already Working (Unchanged)

  • Spine BGP underlay
  • Leaf BGP underlay
  • EVPN overlay adjacencies
  • VXLAN VTEP formation
  • VRF isolation

⚠️ No Changes Required (Pre-existing)

  • Device startup configurations (except host updates)
  • BGP routing policies
  • Link configurations
  • Physical topology

Backward Compatibility

Breaking Change: Yes - Network topology

This fix requires a complete lab redeployment because:

  1. Host network configurations have changed
  2. Existing running containers will have incorrect interface configuration
  3. Cannot be applied incrementally to running lab

No breaking changes to:

  • Device configuration format
  • BGP policies
  • Routing protocols
  • VXLAN encapsulation
  • EVPN messages

Deployment Checklist

  • Verify on fix-bgp-and-mlag branch
  • Review changes: git diff main...fix-bgp-and-mlag
  • Destroy existing lab: sudo containerlab destroy -t evpn-lab.clab.yml --cleanup
  • Deploy fixed lab: sudo containerlab deploy -t evpn-lab.clab.yml
  • Wait 90 seconds for startup
  • Run quick validation test (5 min)
  • Run full testing checklist (20 min)
  • Verify all tests pass
  • Prepare pull request to merge to main

Related Issues

This fix addresses the issue: "Fixes from fix-bgp-and-mlag branch integrated to main #1"

Topics covered:

  • L2 VXLAN end-to-end connectivity
  • L3 VXLAN end-to-end connectivity
  • VLAN tagging at host-to-switch boundary
  • MLAG operation with VXLAN
  • EVPN Type-2 and Type-5 route advertisement

Future Improvements

Possible enhancements in subsequent branches:

  1. Automated testing script to validate all checks
  2. BGP policy testing (as-path, communities, etc.)
  3. Failure scenario testing (link down, VTEP down)
  4. Performance testing (throughput, latency)
  5. Advanced EVPN features (RT-5, multi-homing, etc.)

References

  • END_TO_END_TESTING.md - Complete testing guide
  • VLAN_TAGGING_FIX_EXPLANATION.md - Technical explanation
  • TESTING_CHECKLIST.md - Validation checklist
  • Original source document: Arista BGP EVPN Configuration Example

Questions?

See the documentation files in this branch for detailed explanations:

  1. Start with VLAN_TAGGING_FIX_EXPLANATION.md for understanding the problem
  2. Move to END_TO_END_TESTING.md for comprehensive testing
  3. Use TESTING_CHECKLIST.md for validation
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