/
Example for Configuring MLAG with VXLAN

Example for Configuring MLAG with VXLAN



Introduction


With PicaPilot, PICOS-powered Ethernet switches use Multi-Chassis Link Aggregation (MLAG) technology to connect devices, enabling each one to connect to a pair of Pica8 switches with all links running active/active to improve resiliency. There’s no need to block certain links, as with the spanning tree protocol (STP), resulting in improved bandwidth utilization and performance. With STP, while redundant links may exist between switches, traffic can only flow over one of them at a time, which effectively cuts the amount of available bandwidth in half. MLAG still supports redundancy, however, because peer switches synchronize forwarding state between them, so if a leaf or spine switch fails, traffic is automatically rerouted for continuous uptime.

This document describes how to configure MLAG with a Virtual Extensible LAN (VXLAN), a method for running a Layer 2 overlay network on Layer 3 infrastructure.

Networking Requirements

Figure 1 illustrates an MLAG configured between Switch A and Switch B, the MLAG connections between the neighboring switches, and two downstream Network Devices. 

The MLAG switches connect through a LACP LAG to Switch C. 
The MLAG switches connect through a LACP LAG to Switch D. 

Figure 1 MLAG Topology with VXLAN


Procedure

Configuring MLAG on SwitchA

Step1         Configure an aggregation interface with LACP mode.

    admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 aggregated-ether-options lacp enable true

    admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 aggregated-ether-options lacp enable true

    admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3

Step2         Add member interfaces to a LAG.

   admin@SwitchA# set interface gigabit-ethernet ge-1/1/1 ether-options 802.3ad ae1

   admin@SwitchA# set interface gigabit-ethernet ge-1/1/2 ether-options 802.3ad ae2

   admin@SwitchA# set interface gigabit-ethernet te-1/1/49 ether-options 802.3ad ae3 

   admin@SwitchA# set interface gigabit-ethernet te-1/1/50 ether-options 802.3ad ae3  

Step3        Configure the VLANs.

   admin@SwitchA# set vlans vlan-id 15

   admin@SwitchA# set vlans vlan-id 16

   admin@SwitchA# set vlans vlan-id 4094 l3-interface vlan-4094

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching vlan members 15

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching vlan members 16

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching vlan members 15

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching vlan members 16

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3 family ethernet-switching native-vlan-id 4094

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3 family ethernet-switching vlan members 15

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3 family ethernet-switching vlan members 16

Step4        Configure the L3 Interface IP Address.

   admin@SwitchA# set vlan-interface interface 4094 vif 4094 address 10.10.0.1 prefix-length 24

Step5        Configure MLAG domain ID.

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 aggregated-ether-options mlag domain-id 1

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 aggregated-ether-options mlag domain-id 2

Step6        Configure the peer IP address and the peer-link for the MLAG peer.

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 aggregated-ether-options mlag peer 10.10.0.2 peer-link ae3

   admin@SwitchA# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 aggregated-ether-options mlag peer 10.10.0.2 peer-link ae3

Step7         Configure a static ARP entry for peer-link interface.

   admin@SwitchA# set interface gigabit-ethernet ae3 static-ethernet-switching mac-address A0:34:44:32:9C:23 vlan 4094

   admin@SwitchA# set protocols arp interface vlan-4094 address 10.10.0.2 mac-address A0:34:44:32:9C:23

NOTE:

PICA8 recommends configuring a static ARP for peer-link interface to prevent ARP entry of the peer-link interface from being modified by ARP attack packets.

Step8        Commit the configurations.

   admin@SwitchA# commit

Configuring VXLAN on SwitchA

Step1        Configure VXLAN soure interface.

  admin@SwitchA# set vlan-interface loopback address 10.10.10.1 prefix-length 32

  admin@SwitchA# set vxlans source-interface loopback address 10.10.10.1

Step2        Create VXLAN VNI.

  admin@SwitchA# set vxlans vni 100010

Step3        Configure vtep address for VXLAN VNI.

  admin@SwitchA# set vxlans vni 100010 flood vtep 20.20.20.1

Step4        Add VXLAN port into VXLAN VNI.

  admin@SwitchA# set vxlans vni 100010 interface ae1 vlan 15

Step5        Configure a static route.

  admin@SwitchA# set protocols static route 20.20.20.1/24 next-hop 10.10.10.2

Step6        Commit the configurations.

   admin@SwitchA# commit

Configuring MLAG on SwitchB

Step1         Configure an aggregation interface with LACP mode.

    admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 aggregated-ether-options lacp enable true

    admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 aggregated-ether-options lacp enable true

    admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3

Step2         Add member interfaces to a LAG.

   admin@SwitchB# set interface gigabit-ethernet ge-1/1/1 ether-options 802.3ad ae1

   admin@SwitchB# set interface gigabit-ethernet ge-1/1/2 ether-options 802.3ad ae2

   admin@SwitchB# set interface gigabit-ethernet te-1/1/49 ether-options 802.3ad ae3 

   admin@SwitchB# set interface gigabit-ethernet te-1/1/50 ether-options 802.3ad ae3  

Step3        Configure the VLANs.

   admin@SwitchB# set vlans vlan-id 15

   admin@SwitchB# set vlans vlan-id 16

   admin@SwitchB# set vlans vlan-id 4094 l3-interface vlan-4094

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching vlan members 15

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching vlan members 16

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching vlan members 15

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching vlan members 16

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3 family ethernet-switching native-vlan-id 4094

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3 family ethernet-switching vlan members 15

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae3 family ethernet-switching vlan members 16

Step4        Configure the L3 Interface IP Address.

   admin@SwitchB# set vlan-interface interface 4094 vif 4094 address 10.10.0.2 prefix-length 24

Step5        Configure MLAG domain ID.

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 aggregated-ether-options mlag domain-id 1

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 aggregated-ether-options mlag domain-id 2

Step6        Configure the peer IP address and the peer-link for the MLAG peer.

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 aggregated-ether-options mlag peer 10.10.0.1 peer-link ae3

   admin@SwitchB# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 aggregated-ether-options mlag peer 10.10.0.1 peer-link ae3

Step7         Configure a static ARP entry for peer-link interface.

   admin@SwitchB# set interface gigabit-ethernet ae3 static-ethernet-switching mac-address 00:18:23:30:E7:90 vlan 4094

   admin@SwitchB# set protocols arp interface vlan-4094 address 10.10.0.1 mac-address 00:18:23:30:E7:90

NOTE:

PICA8 recommends configuring a static ARP for peer-link interface to prevent ARP entry of the peer-link interface from being modified by ARP attack packets.

Step8         Commit the configurations.

   admin@SwitchB# commit

Configuring VXLAN on SwitchB

Step1        Configure VXLAN soure interface.

  admin@SwitchB# set vlan-interface loopback address 10.10.10.1 prefix-length 32

  admin@SwitchB# set vxlans source-interface loopback address 10.10.10.1

Step2        Create VXLAN VNI.

  admin@SwitchB# set vxlans vni 100010

Step3        Configure vtep address for VXLAN VNI.

  admin@SwitchB# set vxlans vni 100010 flood vtep 20.20.20.1

Step4        Add VXLAN port into VXLAN VNI.

  admin@SwitchB# set vxlans vni 100010 interface ae1 vlan 15

Step5        Configure a static route.

  admin@SwitchB# set protocols static route 20.20.20.1/24 next-hop 10.10.20.2

Step6        Commit the configurations.

   admin@SwitchB# commit

Configuring LAG on SwitchC

Step1         Configure an aggregation interface with LACP mode.

    admin@SwitchC# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 aggregated-ether-options lacp enable true

Step2         Add member interfaces to a LAG.

   admin@SwitchC# set interface gigabit-ethernet ge-1/1/1 ether-options 802.3ad ae1

   admin@SwitchC# set interface gigabit-ethernet ge-1/1/2 ether-options 802.3ad ae1

Step3        Configure VLAN.

   admin@SwitchC# set vlans vlan-id 15

   admin@SwitchC# set vlans vlan-id 16

   admin@SwitchC# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

   admin@SwitchC# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching vlan members 15

   admin@SwitchC# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae1 family ethernet-switching vlan members 16   

Step4        Commit the configurations.

   admin@SwitchC# commit

Configuring LAG on SwitchD

Step1         Configure an aggregation interface with LACP mode.

    admin@SwitchD# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 aggregated-ether-options lacp enable true

Step2         Add member interfaces to a LAG.

   admin@SwitchD# set interface gigabit-ethernet ge-1/1/1 ether-options 802.3ad ae2

   admin@SwitchD# set interface gigabit-ethernet ge-1/1/2 ether-options 802.3ad ae2

Step3         Configure VLAN.

   admin@SwitchD# set vlans vlan-id 15

   admin@SwitchD# set vlans vlan-id 16

   admin@SwitchD# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching port-mode trunk

   admin@SwitchD# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching vlan members 15

   admin@SwitchD# set interface aggregate-ethernet ae2 family ethernet-switching vlan members 16 

Step4        Commit the configurations.

   admin@SwitchD# commit

Copyright © 2025 Pica8 Inc. All Rights Reserved.