Ch.

5 – Frame Relay

(CCNA 4)
Introducing Frame Relay

• Frame Relay is a packet-switched, connection-oriented, WAN service.

• It operates at the data link layer of the OSI reference model.
• Frame Relay uses a subset of the high-level data link control (HDLC)
protocol called Link Access Procedure for Frame Relay (LAPF).
• Frames carry data between user devices called data terminal
equipment (DTE), and the data communications equipment (DCE) at
the edge of the WAN.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 2

 Frame Relay vs. X.25

• Frame Relay does not have the sequencing, windowing, and

retransmission mechanisms that are used by X.25.
• Without the overhead, the streamlined operation of Frame Relay
outperforms X.25.
• Typical speeds range from 1.5 Mbps to 12 Mbps, although higher
speeds are possible. (Up to 45 Mbps)
• The network providing the Frame Relay service can be either a carrier-
provided public network or a privately owned network.
• Because it was designed to operate on high-quality digital lines, Frame
Relay provides no error recovery mechanism.
• If there is an error in a frame it is discarded without notification.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 3
Introducing Frame Relay

Access circuits

• A Frame Relay network may be privately owned, but it is more

commonly provided as a service by a public carrier.
• It typically consists of many geographically scattered Frame Relay
switches interconnected by trunk lines.
• Frame Relay is often used to interconnect LANs. When this is the
case, a router on each LAN will be the DTE.
• Access Circuit - A serial connection, such as a T1/E1 leased line, will
connect the router to a Frame Relay switch of the carrier at the nearest
point-of-presence for the carrier.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 4
DTE – Data Terminal Equipment

• DTEs generally are considered to be terminating equipment for a

specific network and typically are located on the premises of the
customer.
• The customer may also own this equipment.
• Examples of DTE devices are routers and Frame Relay Access
Devices (FRADs).
• A FRAD is a specialized device designed to provide a connection
between a LAN and a Frame Relay WAN.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 5
DCE – Data Communications Equipment
UNI NNI

• DCEs are carrier-owned internetworking devices.

• The purpose of DCE equipment is to provide clocking and switching
services in a network.
• In most cases, these are packet switches, which are the devices that
actually transmit data through the WAN.
• The connection between the customer and the service provider is
known as the User-to-Network Interface (UNI).
• The Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) is used to describe how
Frame Relay networks from different providers connect to each other.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 6
 Frame Relay terminology
An SVC between the same two A PVC between the same two
DTEs may change. DTEs will always be the same.

Path may change. Always same Path.

• The connection through the Frame Relay network between two DTEs is
called a virtual circuit (VC).
• Switched Virtual Circuits (SVCs) are Virtual circuits may be established
dynamically by sending signaling messages to the network.
– However, SVCs are not very common.
• Permanent Virtual Circuits (PVCs) are more common.
– PVC are VCs that have been preconfigured by the carrier are used.
– The switching information for a VC is stored in the memory of the
switch.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 7
Frame Relay operation - SVC
An SVC between the same two A PVC between the same two
DTEs may change. DTEs will always be the same.

Path may change. Always same Path.

• SVCs are temporary connections that are only used when there is
sporadic data transfer between DTE devices across the Frame Relay
network.
• Because they are temporary, SVC connections require call setup and
termination for each connection supported by Cisco IOS Release 11.2
or later.
• Before implementing these temporary connections, determine whether
the service carrier supports SVCs since many Frame Relay providers
only support PVCs.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 8
Access Circuits and Cost Savings

• The FRAD or router connected to the Frame Relay

network may have multiple virtual circuits connecting it to
various end points.
• This makes it a very cost-effective replacement for a full
mesh of access lines.
• Each end point needs only a single access circuit and
interface.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 9
DLCI

• A data-link connection identifier (DLCI) identifies the logical VC

between the CPE and the Frame Relay switch.
• The Frame Relay switch maps the DLCIs between each pair of routers
to create a PVC.
• DLCIs have local significance, although there some implementations
that use global DLCIs.
• DLCIs 0 to 15 and 1008 to 1023 are reserved for special purposes.
• Service providers assign DLCIs in the range of 16 to 1007.
– DLCI 1019, 1020: Multicasts
– DLCI 1023: Cisco LMI
– DLCI 0: ANSI LMI
Rick Graziani [email protected] 10
DLCI

• Inside the cloud, your Frame Relay provider sets up the DLCI numbers
to be used by the routers for establishing PVCs.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 11
Frame Relay bandwidth
and flow control
The first thing we need to do is
become familiar with some of
the terminology.

• Local access rate – This is the clock speed or port speed of the
connection or local loop to the Frame Relay cloud.
– It is the rate at which data travels into or out of the network,
regardless of other settings.
• Committed Information Rate (CIR) – This is the rate, in bits per
second, at which the Frame Relay switch agrees to transfer data.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 12

Frame Relay bandwidth
and flow control

• Forward Explicit Congestion Notification (FECN) – When a Frame

Relay switch recognizes congestion in the network, it sends an FECN
packet to the destination device.
– This indicates that congestion has occurred.
• Backward Explicit Congestion Notification (BECN) – When a
Frame Relay switch recognizes congestion in the network, it sends a
BECN packet to the source router.
– This instructs the router to reduce the rate at which it is sending
packets.
– With Cisco IOS Release 11.2 or later, Cisco routers can respond to
BECN notifications.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 13
Frame Relay bandwidth
and flow control

• Discard eligibility (DE) bit – When the router or switch detects

network congestion, it can mark the packet "Discard Eligible".
– The DE bit is set on the traffic that was received after the CIR was
met.
– These packets are normally delivered.
– However, in periods of congestion, the Frame Relay switch will drop
packets with the DE bit set first.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 14

Frame Relay bandwidth

• Several factors determine the rate at which a customer can send

data on a Frame Relay network.
– Foremost in limiting the maximum transmission rate is the capacity
of the local loop to the provider.
• If the local loop is a T1, no more than 1.544 Mbps can be sent.
• In Frame Relay terminology, the speed of the local loop is called
the local access rate.
– Providers use the CIR parameter to provision network resources
and regulate usage.
• For example, a company with a T1 connection to the packet-
switched network (PSN) may agree to a CIR of 768 Kbps.
• This means that the provider guarantees 768 Kbps of bandwidth
to the customer’s link at all times.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 15
Frame Relay bandwidth

• Typically, the higher the CIR, the higher the cost of service.
• Customers can choose the CIR that is most appropriate to their
bandwidth needs, as long as the CIR is less than or equal to the local
access rate.
• If the CIR of the customer is less than the local access rate, the
customer and provider agree on whether bursting above the CIR is
allowed.
• If the local access rate is T1 or 1.544 Mbps, and the CIR is 768 Kbps,
half of the potential bandwidth (as determined by the local access rate)
remains available.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 16

Frame Relay bandwidth

• Either a router or a Frame Relay switch tags each frame that is

transmitted beyond the CIR as eligible to be discarded.
• When a frame is tagged DE, a single bit in the Frame Relay frame is
set to 1.
• This bit is known as the discard eligible (DE) bit.
• The Frame Relay specification also includes a protocol for congestion
notification.
• This mechanism relies on the FECN/ BECN bits in the Q.922 header of
the frame.
• The provider’s switches or the customer’s routers can selectively set
the DE bit in frames.
• These frames will be the first to be dropped when congestion occurs.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 17
LMI – Local Management Interface

• LMI is a signaling standard between

the DTE and the Frame Relay switch.
• LMI is responsible for managing the connection and maintaining
the status between devices.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 18

LMI

LMI

• In order to deliver the first LMI services to customers as soon as

possible, vendors and standards committees worked separately to
develop and deploy LMI in early Frame Relay implementations.
• The result is that there are three types of LMI, none of which is
compatible with the others.
• Cisco, StrataCom, Northern Telecom, and Digital Equipment
Corporation (Gang of Four) released one type of LMI, while the ANSI
and the ITU-T each released their own versions.
• The LMI type must match between the provider Frame Relay switch
and the customer DTE device.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 19
LMI

LMI

• In Cisco IOS releases prior to 11.2, the Frame Relay interface must be
manually configured to use the correct LMI type, which is furnished by
the service provider.
• If using Cisco IOS Release 11.2 or later, the router attempts to
automatically detect the type of LMI used by the provider switch.
• This automatic detection process is called LMI autosensing.
• No matter which LMI type is used, when LMI autosense is active, it
sends out a full status request to the provider switch.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 20

 LMI

• The Frame Relay switch uses LMI to report the status of configured
PVCs.
• The three possible PVC states are as follows:
– Active state – Indicates that the connection is active and that
routers can exchange data.
– Inactive state – Indicates that the local connection to the Frame
Relay switch is working, but the remote router connection to the
Frame Relay switch is not working.
– Deleted state – Indicates that no LMI is being received from the
Frame Relay switch, or that there is no service between the CPE
router and Frame Relay switch.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 21

DLCI Mapping to Network Address

• Manual
– Manual: Administrators use a frame relay map statement.
• Dynamic
– Inverse Address Resolution Protocol (I-ARP) provides a given
DLCI and requests next-hop protocol addresses for a specific
connection.
– The router then updates its mapping table and uses the information
in the table to forward packets on the correct route.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 22

 Inverse ARP – Knows DLCI, needs remote IP
2
1
3
My DLCI 16 Your IP?
My IP is 1.1.1.1

4
My IP is 1.1.1.2
• Once the router learns from the switch about available PVCs and their
corresponding DLCIs, the router can send an Inverse ARP request to
the other end of the PVC. (unless statically mapped – later)
• For each supported and configured protocol on the interface, the router
sends an Inverse ARP request for each DLCI. (unless statically
mapped)
• In effect, the Inverse ARP request asks the remote station for its Layer
3 address.
• At the same time, it provides the remote system with the Layer 3
address of the local system.
• The return information from the Inverse ARP is then used to build the
Frame Relay map.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 23
Inverse ARP – Knows DLCI, needs remote IP

• Inverse Address Resolution Protocol (Inverse ARP) was developed to

provide a mechanism for dynamic DLCI to Layer 3 address maps.
• Inverse ARP works much the same way Address Resolution Protocol
(ARP) works on a LAN.
• However, with ARP, the device knows the Layer 3 IP address and
needs to know the remote data link MAC address.
• With Inverse ARP, the router knows the Layer 2 address which is the
DLCI, but needs to know the remote Layer 3 IP address.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 24
Frame Relay Encapsulation

Router(config-if)#encapsulation frame-relay {cisco | ietf}

• cisco - Default
– Use this if connecting to another Cisco router.
• Ietf - Select this if connecting to a non-Cisco router.
– RFC 1490
Rick Graziani [email protected] 25
Frame Relay LMI
Router(config-if)#frame-relay lmi-type {ansi | cisco | q933a}

• It is important to remember that the Frame Relay service provider

maps the virtual circuit within the Frame Relay network connecting the
two remote customer premises equipment (CPE) devices that are
typically routers.
• Once the CPE device, or router, and the Frame Relay switch are
exchanging LMI information, the Frame Relay network has everything
it needs to create the virtual circuit with the other remote router.
• The Frame Relay network is not like the Internet where any two
devices connected to the Internet can communicate.
• In a Frame Relay network, before two routers can exchange
information, a virtual circuit between them must be set up ahead of
time by the Frame Relay service provider.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 26
Minimum Frame Relay Configuration

172.16.1.2 172.16.1.1
Frame Relay
DLCI 101 Network DLCI 102
Headquarters Satellite Office 1
Hub City Spokane

HubCity(config)# interface serial 0

HubCity(config-if)# ip address 172.16.1.2 255.255.255.0
HubCity(config-if)# encapsulation frame-relay

Spokane(config)# interface serial 0

Spokane(config-if)# ip address 172.16.1.1 255.255.255.0
Spokane(config-if)# encapsulation frame-relay

Rick Graziani [email protected] 27

Minimum Frame Relay Configuration

172.16.1.2 172.16.1.1
Frame Relay
DLCI 101 Network DLCI 102
Headquarters Satellite Office 1
Hub City Spokane

• Cisco Router is now ready to act as a Frame-Relay DTE device.

The following process occurs:

1. The interface is enabled.
2. The Frame-Relay switch announces the configured DLCI(s) to the
router.
3. Inverse ARP is performed to map remote network layer addresses to
the local DLCI(s).

The routers can now ping each other!

Rick Graziani [email protected] 28
Inverse ARP

172.16.1.2 172.16.1.1
Frame Relay
DLCI 101 Network DLCI 102
Headquarters Satellite Office 1
Hub City Spokane

HubCity# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active

• dynamic refers to the router learning the IP address via Inverse ARP
• The DLCI 101 is configured on the Frame Relay Switch by the
provider.
• We will see this in a moment.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 29

Configuring Frame Relay maps

Router(config-if)#frame-relay map protocol protocol-address

dlci [broadcast] [ietf | cisco]

• If the environment does not support LMI autosensing and Inverse ARP,
a Frame Relay map must be manually configured.
• Use the frame-relay map command to configure static address
mapping.
• Once a static map for a given DLCI is configured, Inverse ARP is
disabled on that DLCI.
• The broadcast keyword is commonly used with the frame-relay
map command.
• The broadcast keyword:
– Forwards broadcasts when multicasting is not enabled.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 30

Frame
Relay Maps

By default,
cisco is the
default
encapsulation

Remote IP Local DLCI

Uses cisco
encapsulation for Address
this DLCI (not
needed, default)
Rick Graziani [email protected] 31
More on Frame Relay Encapsulation

Applies to all DLCIs unless

configured otherwise

• If the Cisco encapsulation is configured on a serial interface, then by

default, that encapsulation applies to all VCs on that serial interface.
• If the equipment at the destination is Cisco and non-Cisco, configure
the Cisco encapsulation on the interface and selectively configure IETF
encapsulation per DLCI, or vice versa.
• These commands configure the Cisco Frame Relay encapsulation for
all PVCs on the serial interface.
• Except for the PVC corresponding to DLCI 49, which is explicitly
configured to use the IETF encapsulation.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 32
Verifying Frame Relay interface
configuration

• The show interfaces serial command displays information

regarding the encapsulation and the status of Layer 1 and Layer 2.
• It also displays information about the multicast DLCI, the DLCIs used
on the Frame Relay-configured serial interface, and the DLCI used for
the LMI signaling.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 33

 show interfaces serial

Atlanta(config)#interface serial 0/0

Atlanta(config-if)#description Circuit-05QHDQ101545-080TCOM-002
Atlanta(config-if)#^z

Atlanta#show interfaces serial 0/0

Serial 0/0 is up, line protocol is up Hardware is MCI Serial
Description Circuit-05QHDQ101545-080TCOM-002
Internet address is 150.136.190.203, subnet mask 255.255.255.0
MTU 1500 bytes, BW 1544 Kbit, DLY 20000 uses, rely 255/255, load 1/255

• To simplify the WAN management, use the description command at

the interface level to record the circuit number.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 34

show frame-relay pvc

• The show frame-relay pvc command displays the status of each

configured connection, as well as traffic statistics.
• This command is also useful for viewing the number of Backward
Explicit Congestion Notification (BECN) and Forward Explicit
Congestion Notification (FECN) packets received by the router.
• The command show frame-relay pvc shows the status of all
PVCs configured on the router.
• If a single PVC is specified, only the status of that PVC is shown.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 35
 show frame-relay map

• The show frame-relay map command displays the current map

entries and information about the connections.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 36

show frame-relay lmi

• The show frame-relay lmi command displays LMI traffic statistics

showing the number of status messages exchanged between the local
router and the Frame Relay switch.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 37

clear frame-relay-inarp

• To clear dynamically created Frame Relay maps, which are created

using Inverse ARP, use the clear frame-relay-inarp command.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 38

Troubleshooting the Frame Relay
configuration

• Use the debug frame-relay lmi command to

determine whether the router and the Frame Relay switch
are sending and receiving LMI packets properly.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 39
debug frame-relay lmi (continued)

FYI ONLY
• The possible values of the status field are as follows:
• 0x0 – Added/inactive means that the switch has this DLCI programmed but for
some reason it is not usable. The reason could possibly be the other end of the
PVC is down.
• 0x2 – Added/active means the Frame Relay switch has the DLCI and
everything is operational.
• 0x4 – Deleted means that the Frame Relay switch does not have this DLCI
programmed for the router, but that it was programmed at some point in the
past. This could also be caused by the DLCIs being reversed on the router, or
by the PVC being deleted by the service provider in the Frame Relay cloud.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 40

Frame Relay Topologies

Rick Graziani [email protected] 41

NBMA – Non Broadcast
Multiple Access
Frames between two routers are only seen
by those two devices (non broadcast).
Similar to a LAN, multiple computers have
access to the same network and
potentially to each other (multiple access).
• An NBMA network is the opposite of a broadcast network.
• On a broadcast network, multiple computers and devices are
attached to a shared network cable or other medium. When one
computer transmits frames, all nodes on the network "listen" to the
frames, but only the node to which the frames are addressed actually
receives the frames. Thus, the frames are broadcast.
• A nonbroadcast multiple access network is a network to which
multiple computers and devices are attached, but data is transmitted
directly from one computer to another over a virtual circuit or across a
switching fabric. The most common examples of nonbroadcast network
media include ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode), frame relay, and
X.25.
• http://www.linktionary.com/
Rick Graziani [email protected] 42
Star Topology

• A star topology, also known as a hub and spoke configuration, is the

most popular Frame Relay network topology because it is the most
cost-effective.
• In this topology, remote sites are connected to a central site that
generally provides a service or application.
• This is the least expensive topology because it requires the fewest
PVCs.
• In this example, the central router provides a multipoint connection,
because it is typically using a single interface to interconnect multiple
PVCs.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 43
Full Mesh
Full Mesh Topology
Number of Number of
Connections PVCs
----------------- --------------
2 1
4 6
6 15
8 28
10 45

• In a full mesh topology, all routers have PVCs to all other destinations.
• This method, although more costly than hub and spoke, provides direct
connections from each site to all other sites and allows for redundancy.
• For example, when one link goes down, a router at site A can reroute
traffic through site C.
• As the number of nodes in the full mesh topology increases, the
topology becomes increasingly more expensive.
• The formula to calculate the total number of PVCs with a fully meshed
WAN is [n(n - 1)]/2, where n is the number of nodes.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 44
A Frame-Relay Configuration Supporting Multiple Sites
Headquarters
Hub City
• This is known Hub Router
as a Hub and DLCI 101 DLCI 112
Spoke
172.16.1.2
Topology,
where the Hub
router relays
information
between the Frame Relay
Network
Spoke routers.
• Limits the
number of PVCs DLCI 102 DLCI 211
needed as in a
full-mesh 172.16.1.1 172.16.1.3
topology Spoke
(coming). Satellite Office 1 Routers Satellite Office 2
Spokane Spokomo

Rick Graziani [email protected] 45

 Headquarters

Configuration using Inverse Hub City

ARP DLCI 101

172.16.1.2
DLCI 112

Frame Relay
HubCity Network

interface Serial0
ip address 172.16.1.2 255.255.255.0 DLCI 102 DLCI 211

encapsulation frame-relay 172.16.1.1 172.16.1.3

Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2

Spokane Spokomo
Spokane
interface Serial0
ip address 172.16.1.1 255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay

Spokomo
interface Serial0
ip address 172.16.1.3 255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay

Rick Graziani [email protected] 46

 Headquarters

Configuration using Inverse Hub City

DLCI 101 DLCI 112

ARP 172.16.1.2

Frame Relay
Network

DLCI 102 DLCI 211

172.16.1.1 172.16.1.3

Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2

Spokane Spokomo

HubCity# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 112, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active

Spokane# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 102, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active

Spokomo# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 211, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active

Rick Graziani [email protected] 47

Configuration using Inverse ARP

HubCity# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 112, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active

Spokane# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 102, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active

Spokomo# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 211, dynamic, broadcast,
status defined, active

• Inverse ARP resolved the ip addresses for HubCity for both

Spokane and Spokomo
• Inverse ARP resolved the ip addresses for Spokane for HubCity
• Inverse ARP resolved the ip addresses for Spokomo for HubCity
• What about between Spokane and Spokomo?
Rick Graziani [email protected] 48
 Headquarters
Hub City

Inverse ARP Limitations DLCI 101

172.16.1.2
DLCI 112

Frame Relay
Network

DLCI 102 DLCI 211

172.16.1.1 172.16.1.3

Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2

Spokane Spokomo

• Can HubCity ping both Spokane and Spokomo? Yes!

• Can Spokane and Spokomo ping HubCity? Yes!
• Can Spokane and Spokomo ping each other? No! The Spoke
routers’ serial interfaces (Spokane and Spokomo) drop the ICMP
packets because there is no DLCI-to-IP address mapping for the
destination address.

Solutions to the limitations of Inverse ARP

1. Add an additional PVC between Spokane and Spokomo (Full Mesh)
2. Configure Frame-Relay Map Statements
3. Configure Point-to-Point Subinterfaces.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 49
Frame Relay Map Statements

Router(config-if)#frame-relay map protocol protocol-address

dlci [broadcast] [ietf | cisco]

Instead of using additional PVCs, Frame-Relay map statements can be

used to:
• Statically map local DLCIs to an unknown remote network layer
addresses.
• Also used when the remote router does not support Inverse ARP

Rick Graziani [email protected] 50

HubCity
interface Serial0
Frame-Relay Map Statements
ip address 172.16.1.2
255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay Headquarters
(Inverse-ARP still works here) Hub City

Spokane DLCI 101 DLCI 112

interface Serial0
172.16.1.2
ip address 172.16.1.1
255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.3 102
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.2 102 Frame Relay
Network
Spokomo
interface Serial0
ip address 172.16.1.3 DLCI 102 DLCI 211
255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay 172.16.1.1 172.16.1.3
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.1 211
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.2 211 Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2
Spokane Spokomo

Notice that the routers are configured to use either IARP or Frame Relay
maps. Using both on the same interface will cause problems.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 51
 Headquarters
Mixing Inverse ARP and Hub City

Frame Relay Map Statements DLCI 101 DLCI 112

172.16.1.2

Inverse ARP

Frame Relay
Network

Frame Relay DLCI 102 DLCI 211

maps
172.16.1.1 172.16.1.3

Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2

Spokane Spokomo
• The previous configuration works fine and all routers can ping each
other.
• What if we were to mix IARP and Frame Relay map statements on the
same router for the same DLCI?
• There would be a problem!

Rick Graziani [email protected] 52

Mixing Inverse ARP and Frame Relay Map
Statements
Headquarters
HubCity Hub City
interface Serial0
ip address 172.16.1.2
255.255.255.0 DLCI 101 DLCI 112
encapsulation frame-relay 172.16.1.2

Spokane
interface Serial0
ip address 172.16.1.1
Frame Relay
255.255.255.0 Network
encapsulation frame-relay
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.3 102
DLCI 102 DLCI 211
Spokomo
interface Serial0
ip address 172.16.1.3 Added 172.16.1.1 172.16.1.3

255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.1 211 Spokane Spokomo

Spokane and Spokomo relying on IARP for mapping DLCI to IP

address of Hub City.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 53
Mixing Inverse ARP and Frame Relay Map
Statements
HubCity# show frame-relay map
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic,
broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 112, dynamic,
broadcast, status defined, active
Spokane# show frame-relay map
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 102, dynamic,
broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 102, static, CISCO,
status defined, active
Spokomo# show frame-relay map
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 211, dynamic,
broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 211, static, CISCO,
status defined, active

Rick Graziani [email protected] 54

Mixing Inverse ARP and Frame Relay Map
Statements
HubCity# show frame-relay map
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 112, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active

Spokane# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 102, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 102, static, CISCO, status defined, active

Spokomo# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 211, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 211, static, CISCO, status defined, active

Good News:
• Everything looks fine!
• Now all routers can ping each other!
Bad News:
• Problem when using Frame-Relay map statements AND Inverse ARP.
• This will only work until the router is reloaded, here is why...

Rick Graziani [email protected] 55

Mixing Inverse ARP and Frame Relay Map
Statements
HubCity# show frame-relay map
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 112, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active

Spokane# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 102, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 102, static, CISCO, status defined, active

Spokomo# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 211, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 211, static, CISCO, status defined, active

Frame-Relay Map Statement Rule:

• When a Frame-Relay map statement is configured for a particular
protocol (IP, IPX, …) Inverse-ARP will be disabled for that specific
protocol, only for the DLCI referenced in the Frame-Relay map
statement.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 56

Mixing Inverse ARP and Frame Relay Map
Statements
HubCity# show frame-relay map
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 112, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Spokane# show frame-relay map
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 102, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 102, static, CISCO, status defined, active
Spokomo# show frame-relay map
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 211, dynamic, broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 211, static, CISCO, status defined, active

• The previous solution worked only because the Inverse ARP had taken
place between Spokane and HubCity, and between Spokomo and HubCity,
before the Frame-Relay map statements were added. (The Frame-Relay
map statement was added after the Inverse ARP took place.)
• Both the Inverse-ARP and Frame-Relay map statements are in effect.
• Once the router is reloaded (rebooted) the Inverse-ARP will never occur
because of the configured Frame-Relay map statement. (assuming the
running-config is copied to the startup-config)
• Rule: Inverse-ARP will be disabled for that specific protocol, for the
DLCI referenced in the Frame-Relay map statement.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 57

Mixing Inverse ARP and Frame Relay Map
Statements
HubCity# show frame-relay map (after reload)
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic, broadcast, status
defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 112, dynamic, broadcast, status
defined, active

Spokane# show frame-relay map

NOW MISSING: Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 102, dynamic,
broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 102, static, CISCO, status
defined, active

Spokomo# show frame-relay map

NOW MISSING: Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.2 dlci 211, dynamic,
broadcast, status defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 211, static, CISCO, status
defined, active

Rick Graziani [email protected] 58

Mixing Inverse ARP and Frame Relay Map
Statements
HubCity# show frame-relay map (after reload)
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 101, dynamic, broadcast, status
defined, active
Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 112, dynamic, broadcast, status
defined, active

Spokane# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.3 dlci 102, static, CISCO, status
defined, active

Spokomo# show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.16.1.1 dlci 211, static, CISCO, status
defined, active

Spokane and Spokomo can no longer ping HubCity because they do not
have a dlci-to-IP mapping for the other’s IP address!

Rick Graziani [email protected] 59

HubCity
interface Serial0
Frame-Relay Map Statements
ip address 172.16.1.2
255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay Headquarters
(Inverse-ARP still works here) Hub City

Spokane DLCI 101 DLCI 112

interface Serial0
172.16.1.2
ip address 172.16.1.1
255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.3 102
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.2 102 Frame Relay
Network
Spokomo
interface Serial0
ip address 172.16.1.3 DLCI 102 DLCI 211
255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay 172.16.1.1 172.16.1.3
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.1 211
frame-relay map ip 172.16.1.2 211 Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2
Spokane Spokomo

Solution: Do not mix IARP with Frame Relay maps statements. If need
be use Frame-Relay map statements instead of IARP.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 60
Reachability issues
with routing updates

Frame Relay is an NBMA Network

• An NBMA network is a multiaccess network, which means more than

two nodes can connect to the network.
• Ethernet is another example of a multiaccess architecture.
• In an Ethernet LAN, all nodes see all broadcast and multicast frames.
• However, in a nonbroadcast network such as Frame Relay, nodes
cannot see broadcasts of other nodes unless they are directly
connected by a virtual circuit.
• This means that Branch A cannot directly see the broadcasts from
Branch B, because they are connected using a hub and spoke
topology.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 61
Reachability issues
with routing updates

Split Horizon prohibits routing

updates received on an interface
from exiting that same interface.

• The Central router must receive the broadcast from Branch A and then
send its own broadcast to Branch B.
• In this example, there are problems with routing protocols because of
the split horizon rule.
• A full mesh topology with virtual circuits between every site would
solve this problem, but having additional virtual circuits is more costly
and does not scale well.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 62

Reachability issues
with routing updates

Split Horizon prohibits routing

updates received on an interface
from exiting that same interface.

• Using a hub and spoke topology, the split horizon rule reduces the
chance of a routing loop with distance vector routing protocols.
• It prevents a routing update received on an interface from being
forwarded through the same interface.
• If the Central router learns about Network X from Branch A, that update
is learned via S0/0.
• According to the split horizon rule, Central could not update Branch B
or Branch C about Network X.
• This is because that update would be sent out the S0/0 interface,
which is the same interface that received the update.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 63
One Solution: Disable Split Horizon

Router(config-if)#no ip split-horizon
Router(config-if)#ip split-horizon

• To remedy this situation, turn off split horizon for IP.

• Of course, with split horizon disabled, the protection it affords against
routing loops is lost.
• Split horizon is only an issue with distance vector routing protocols like
RIP, IGRP and EIGRP.
• It has no effect on link state routing protocols like OSPF and IS-IS.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 64

Another Solution for split horizon issue:
subinterfaces

• To enable the forwarding of broadcast routing updates in a Frame

Relay network, configure the router with subinterfaces.
• Subinterfaces are logical subdivisions of a physical interface.
• In split-horizon routing environments, routing updates received on one
subinterface can be sent out on another subinterface.
• With subinterface configuration, each PVC can be configured as a
point-to-point connection.
• This allows each subinterface to act similar to a leased line.
• This is because each point-to-point subinterface is treated as a
separate physical interface.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 65

 Mulitpoint

Point-to-point

• A key reason for using subinterfaces is to allow distance vector routing

protocols to perform properly in an environment in which split horizon is
activated.
• There are two types of Frame Relay subinterfaces.
– Point-to-point
– Multipoint
Rick Graziani [email protected] 66
 Mulitpoint

Point-to-point
• Physical interfaces: With a hub and spoke topology Split Horizon will
prevent the hub router from propagating routes learned from one spoke
router to another spoke router.
• Point-to-point subinterfaces: Each subinterface is on its own subnet.
Broadcasts and Split Horizon not a problem because each point-to-
point connection is its own subnet.
• Multipoint subinterfaces: All participating subinterfaces would be in
the same subnet. Broadcasts and routing updates are also subject to
the Split Horizon Rule and may pose a problem.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 67
Configuring Frame Relay subinterfaces

RTA(config)#interface s0/0
RTA(config-if)#encapsulation frame-relay ietf

Router(config-if)#interface serial number subinterface-number

{multipoint | point-to-point}
Router(config-subif)# frame-relay interface-dlci dlci-number

• Subinterface can be configured after the physical interface has been

configured for Frame Relay encapsulation
• Subinterface numbers can be specified in interface configuration mode
or global configuration mode.
• Subinterface number can be between 1 and 4294967295.
• At this point in the subinterface configuration, either configure a static
Frame Relay map or use the frame-relay interface-dlci
command.
• The frame-relay interface-dlci command associates the
selected subinterface with a DLCI.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 68
Configuring Frame Relay subinterfaces

• The frame-relay interface-dlci command:

– required for all point-to-point subinterfaces.
– required for multipoint subinterfaces for which inverse ARP is
enabled.
– cannot be used on physical interfaces.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 69

Show frame-relay map

Point-to-point subinterfaces are listed as a “point-to-point dlci”

Router#show frame-relay map

Serial0.1 (up): point-to-point dlci, dlci 301 (0xCB, 0x30B0),
broadcast status defined, active

With multipoint subinterfaces, they are listed as an inverse ARP entry,

“dynamic”

Router#show frame-relay map

Serial0 (up): ip 172.30.2.1 dlci, 301 (0x12D, 0x48D0),
dynamic,, broadcast status defined, active

Rick Graziani [email protected] 70

Point-to-point Subinterfaces

Mulitpoint

Point-to-point
Point-to-point subinterfaces are like conventional point-to-point interfaces
(PPP, …) and have no concept of (do not need):
• Inverse-ARP
• mapping of local DLCI address to remote network address (frame-relay
map statements)

Frame-Relay service supplies multiple PVCs over a single physical

interface and point-to-point subinterfaces subdivide each PVC as if it
were a physical point-to-point interface.
Point-to-point subinterfaces completely bypass the local DLCI to
remote network address mapping issue.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 71
Point-to-point Subinterfaces

Mulitpoint

Point-to-point

With point-to-point subinterfaces you:

• Cannot have multiple DLCIs associated with a single point-to-point
subinterface
• Cannot use frame-relay map statements
• Cannot use Inverse-ARP

• Can use the frame-relay interface dlci statement (for both point-to-
point and multipoint)
Rick Graziani [email protected] 72
Point-to-point Subinterfaces

Each subinterface is on a separate

network or subnet with a single remote
router at the other end of the PVC.

172.30.1.0/24

172.30.2.0/24
172.30.3.0/24

Rick Graziani [email protected] 73

 172.30.1.1/24 172.30.2.1/24 172.30.3.1/24
S0 S1 S2

172.30.1.2/24 172.30.2.2/24 172.30.3.2/24

Site A Site B Site C

• Point-to-point subinterfaces are equivalent to using multiple physical
“point to point” interfaces.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 74
Point-to-point Subinterfaces

• A single subinterface is used to establish one PVC connection to

another physical or subinterface on a remote router.
• In this case, the interfaces would be:
– In the same subnet and
– Each interface would have a single DLCI
• Each point-to-point connection is its own subnet.
• In this environment, broadcasts are not a problem because the
routers are point-to-point and act like a leased line.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 75
Point-to-point Subinterfaces

Point-to-point subinterface configuration, minimum of two

commands:
Router(config)# interface Serial0.1 point-to-point
Router(config-subif)# frame-relay interface-dlci dlci

Rules:
1. No Frame-Relay map statements can be used with point-to-point
subinterfaces.
2. One and only one DLCI can be associated with a single point-to-point
subinterface

By the way, encapsulation is done only at the physical interface:

interface Serial0
no ip address
encapsulation frame-relay

Rick Graziani [email protected] 76

 Each subinterface on Hub router requires a
separate subnet (or network) Point-to-Point Subinterfaces at the Hub
• Each subinterface on Hub router is treated and Spokes
like a regular physical point-to-point
interface, so split horizon does not need to
be disabled.
Interface Serial0 (for all routers) Headquarters
Hub City
encapsulation frame-relay
no ip address
DLCI 301 DLCI 302
HubCity
Serial 0.1 Serial 0.2
interface Serial0.301 point-to-point 172.16.1.1/24 172.16.2.1/24
ip address 172.16.1.1 255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay
frame-relay interface-dlci 301
Frame Relay
interface Serial0.302 point-to-point Network
ip address 172.16.2.1 255.255.255.0
encapsulation frame-relay
frame-relay interface-dlci 302
DLCI 103 DLCI 203
Spokane Serial 0.1 Two subnets Serial 0.1
interface Serial0.103 point-to-point 172.16.1.2/24 172.16.2.2/24
ip address 172.16.1.2 255.255.255.0
frame-relay interface-dlci 103
Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2
Spokane Spokomo
Spokomo
interface Serial0.203 point-to-point
ip address 172.16.2.2 255.255.255.0
frame-relay interface-dlci 203
Rick Graziani [email protected] 77
Multipoint Subinterfaces

Mulitpoint

Point-to-point
Share many of the same characteristics as a physical Frame-Relay interface
With multipoint subinterface you can have:
• can have multiple DLCIs assigned to it.
• can use frame-relay map & interface dlci statements
• can use Inverse-ARP
Remember, with point-to-point subinterfaces you:
• cannot have multiple DLCIs associated with a single point-to-point
subinterface
• cannot use frame-relay map statements
• cannot use Inverse-ARP
• (can use the frame-relay interface dlci statement for both point-to-point and
multipoint)
Rick Graziani [email protected] 78
Multipoint subinterfaces

Each subinterface is on a separate

network or subnet but may have
multiple connections, with a different
DLCI for each connection.

172.30.1.0/24

172.30.2.0/24
172.30.3.0/24

Split horizon still an issue on each Multipoint

subinterface.

Rick Graziani [email protected] 79

 172.30.1.1/24 172.30.2.1/24 172.30.3.1/24
S0 S1 S2

172.30.1.2/24 172.30.3.3/24

Site A1 Site C2
172.30.3.2/24
172.30.1.3/24
172.30.2.2/24 172.30.2.3/24

Site C1
Site A2
Site B1 Site B2

• Multipoint subinterfaces are equivalent to using multiple physical “hub

to spoke” interfaces.
Rick Graziani [email protected] 80
 Multipoint subinterface at the Hub and
Notes Point-to-Point Subinterfaces at the
• Highly scalable solution Spokes
• Disable Split Horizon on Hub router when
running a distance vector routing protocol
Headquarters
Interface Serial0 (for all routers) Hub City
encapsulation frame-relay
no ip address
DLCI 301 DLCI 302
HubCity
Serial 0
interface Serial0.1 mulitpoint 172.16.3.3
ip address 172.16.3.3 255.255.255.0
frame-relay interface-dlci 301
frame-relay interface-dlci 302
no ip split-horizon
Frame Relay
Spokane Network
interface Serial0.1 point-to-point
ip address 172.16.3.1 255.255.255.0
frame-relay interface-dlci 103
DLCI 103 DLCI 203
Spokomo One subnet
interface Serial0.1 point-to-point Serial 0 Serial 0
172.16.3.1 172.16.3.2
ip address 172.16.3.2 255.255.255.0
frame-relay interface-dlci 203
Satellite Office 1 Satellite Office 2
Spokane Spokomo

Rick Graziani [email protected] 81

How to convert router to frame-relay
switch
• serial restart-delay 0
• frame-relay intf-type dce
• frame-relay route 102 interface Serial1/2 201
• frame-relay route 103 interface Serial1/3 301
• !
• interface Serial1/2
• no ip address
• encapsulation frame-relay
• serial restart-delay 0
• frame-relay intf-type dce
• frame-relay route 201 interface Serial1/1 102
• !
• interface Serial1/3
• no ip address
• encapsulation frame-relay
• serial restart-delay 0
• frame-relay intf-type dce
• frame-relay route 301 interface Serial1/1 103
• !

Rick Graziani [email protected] 82

Ch. 5 – Frame Relay

CIS 83 (CCNA 4)
Rick Graziani
Cabrillo College