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P24 Review+of+Fabric+Path+Overview+Lecture

The document provides an overview of Fabric Path including that it uses IS-IS routing protocol for layer 2 routing, allows all links to remain available using routing instead of STP, and identifies key terminology such as leaf switches, spine switches, and CE and FP ports.

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15 views2 pages

P24 Review+of+Fabric+Path+Overview+Lecture

The document provides an overview of Fabric Path including that it uses IS-IS routing protocol for layer 2 routing, allows all links to remain available using routing instead of STP, and identifies key terminology such as leaf switches, spine switches, and CE and FP ports.

Uploaded by

Musa
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Review of Fabric Path Overview Lecture

 It is one of the most important features in Nexus.


 It is very much hardware dependent.
 Install license for Fabric Path ( separate license)
 Install Feature-Set for enabling Fabric Path
 It is by default allowed in Admin VDC. If not, you can allow it so that it can be used in other VDCs
i.e. Non-Admin
 Nexus 7K does have support for Fabric Path ( F1 and F2 Modules)
 Nexus 5K has support only for Model Nexus 5500 as of now.
 You can only use it in Layer 2 environment.
 It basically does “Layer 2 Routing” or “Mac in Mac” Routing. It uses IS-IS Routing Protocol in
Fabric Path.
 In STP, we all know that environment remains forwarding and blocking. Therefore, all of the
links do not get used unless failover happens. It is because to avoid Switching Loops. However,
in Fabric Path, STP would not be working at all because It will use routing capabilities with the
help of IS-IS ROUTING protocol.
 Use Fabric Path, Layer 2 environment will look like routing table where in all of the paths remain
available and we use the paths depending upon Cost. So, That’s why it is known as “Layer 2
Routing”.
 IS-IS will build topology using the SPF algorithm. After that Shortest Path will be calculated.
 IS-IS has its own Layer 3 Protocol Set known as CLNP ( Connectionless Network Protocol) and it
does support ECMP ( Equal cost multi pathing)
 So using IS-IS – virtually any kind of topology can be built or formed. Once the paths are
calculated then those paths will become available. SO there won’t be Active STANDBY
environment.

Terminology Being used


 CE (Classical Ethernet)- It is the existing non-fabric path environment. Means Ethernet ports
which are NOT part of Fabric Path domain or Fabric Path Mode. E.g. Switches like 3750, 2950,
2960, 3750 OR Ports like 100Mbps, 1000Mbps.
 Leaf Switch – The switch which sits between Classical Ethernet Environment and Fabric Path
Domain or Environment. So it will have both FP or Non-FP ports. Note that You have to make
this switch as Root Bridge else it may go in Inconsistent state.
 Spine Switch – It is the core or backbone switch. All of the ports of this switch will be FP i.e.
FabricPath Domain. It is very easy to convert non-FP to FP mode. Use the command “ Switchport
mode fabricpath”
 FP Core Ports – The ports which are in Fabric Path mode. So FP port is non-access, non-trunk
port.
 CE Edge Port- The port which connects to Classical Ethernet Environment e.g Ethernet,
FastEthernet or Gig Port which are either Access or Trunk Mode. These ports will be subject to
STP Calculations.
 Every Switch in FP Domain is identified with Switch-ID. It is dynamically elected name or ID.
However, it can be manually configured or changed.
 Command to check Switch-ID is “Show fabric switch-id”
 Command to move the VLAN in Classical Ethernet is “mode fabricpath”. First enter the
command “VLAN xxx” and then run the command “mode fabricpath”.
 Once any vlan is part of fabricpath domain , then it won’t participate in STP.

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