Adding application network

In the YAML file, each application network is configured as a separate network entry under the application_network section.

Important: Only one network can house the default gateway. When adding new application networks, make sure that default_gateway is set to true on only one network entry and is set to false for all others.

About this task

There are numerous ways a new application network can be added the system:
  • An new application network can be configured by adding a network cable as a subnet with a strict VLAN and adding an external_link entry with the VLAN to the switches > hosts > Fabsw1a section of the YAML.
  • A new VLAN can be added to the existing network cable and the VLAN needs to be added to an existing external_link entry in the switches > hosts > Fabsw1a section of the YAML. This entry would require strict VLAN.
  • A new cable can be added that does not have strict VLAN and uses the default VLAN (4080).
No matter which case you follow, if you add a new VLAN to the switch section, you must add a new networkX entry to the application_network section as well.

The three options are described below:

Adding a new network subnet (new cable)

To add a new network subnet (new cable), you need to add an external_link entry to the switch section.

In this case, the switch ports, VKAN numbers, and link name should be unique to the new external_link. All other values will need to be filled in based on the customer's network design.

Before you begin

Information to gather:
default_gateway
true or false; only one network can have this set to true.
switch_ports
Switch port list. The ports must be unique across all links in the system.
vlans
VLAN list - The VLAN numbers must be unique across all links in the system.

If you are using default VLANs, this list should include values that have not been used in the sequence starting at 4080. For example, if another link is using 4080 and 4081, you should choose 4082 here.

If you are using customer-specific VLANs, make sure they are unique across all links.

port_config
  • MTU
  • link speed
name
Link name : the link name must be unique across all links and have a name of hX where X is the next unused number in sequence (first link name would be h0)
strict_vlan
true or false - If you are using default VLANs, set this to false. If you are using customer-specified VLANs, set this to true.
lacp_link
true or false - If there is only one switch port and only one switch, lacp_link: false. Otherwise (multiple switch ports or multiple switches) lacp_link: true
lacp_rate
fast or slow - The value depends on customer infrastructure.
clag_id
This value must be unique across all links.

If you have only one switch, clag_id: 0.

If you have multiple switches, clag_id will have a value that is unique in a range starting at 100.

For example, external_link1 would have clag_id of 100, external_link2 would have clag_id of 101, etc.

partner_switch
False or FabSw1b if you have a redundant fabric switch.

Procedure

  1. Connect to node e1n1 by using the management floating IP.
  2. Follow Switch settings to create a new external_link section after all existing external_link sections.
    Note: You can copy an existing external_link as a template, but it is recommended to copy the external_link section from the yaml template file to create the new section, so that the formatting of the yaml section is valid.
    Example of how the FabSw1a section would look if external_link2 were added with 2 switch ports (46 & 47) and VLAN 4081. (This example could also be valid if no VLAN was used. In that case vlans: [] would be the proper format):
    external_link1:
      switch_ports: ['45']
      port_config:
        mtu: 9000
        link_speed: 10000
      vlans: ['4080']
      strict_vlan: false
      name: h0
      lacp_link: true
      lacp_rate: <customer-info>
      clag_id: 100
      partner_switch: 'FabSw1b'
    external_link2:
      switch_ports: ['46', '47']
      port_config:
        mtu: 9000
        link_speed: 10000
      vlans: ['4081']
      strict_vlan: false
      name: h1
      lacp_link: true
      lacp_rate: <customer-info>
      clag_id: 101
      partner_switch: 'FabSw1b'
  3. Follow Shared application network variables to add a new networkX entry with the new VLAN value. Assuming this is not the first network, your default_gateway value will be false. The example below shows adding network2 with a VLAN to match the one configured in external_link2 above.
        network2:
            default_gateway: false
            vlan: 4081
            prefix: 24
            gateway: 10.254.104.1
            floating_ip: 10.254.104.96
            mtu: <OPTIONAL>
            custom_routes: <OPTIONAL>
  4. Validate the YAML file.
  5. Test the YAML and run the playbook.

Adding a new VLAN to an existing subnet

To add a new VLAN to an existing subnet, edit the existing external_link entry in the switch > host > FabSw1a section.

Before you begin

Information to gather:
  • VLAN number

Procedure

  1. Connect to node e1n1 by using the management floating IP.
  2. Follow Switch settings to add the new VLAN value to the existing vlans: [] list for the existing external_link.
    For example, if using the external_link1 above, the new entry would look like:
    external_link1:
      switch_ports: ['45']
      port_config:
        mtu: 9000
        link_speed: 10000
      vlans: ['3203', '3204']
      strict_vlan: true
      name: h0
      lacp_link: True
      lacp_rate: <customer-info>
      clag_id: 100
      partner_switch: 'FabSw1b'
  3. Follow Shared application network variables to create a new networkX entry with the new VLAN value. Assuming this is not the first network, your default_gateway value will be false.
    Note: You can copy an existing external_link as a template, but it is recommended to copy the external_link section from the yaml template file to create the new section, so that the formatting of the yaml section is valid.
    The example below shows adding network2 with a VLAN to match the one configured in external_link1 above.
       network2:
            default_gateway: false
            vlan: 3203
            prefix: 24
            gateway: 10.254.104.1
            floating_ip: 10.254.104.96
            mtu: <OPTIONAL>
            custom_routes: <OPTIONAL>
       network3:
            vlan: 3204
  4. Validate the YAML file.
  5. Test the YAML and run the playbook.

Adding a new cable that does not have strict VLAN and uses the default VLAN (4080)

When adding a new cable that uses the default VLAN, add a new external_link entry to the switch > host > FabSw1a section of the yaml.

Before you begin

Information to gather:
default_gateway
true or false; only one network can have this set to true.
switch port
vlan
Default: 4080 or 4081, etc... pick free one (next in list) If customer already has 4080, we would add 4081 if this is not filled in
port_config
  • MTU
  • link speed
link name
Must be unique.
strict_vlan
Set to false.
lacp_rate
Customer specific
clag_id
Must be unique.
partner_switch
The same as for other links - false or FabSw1b

Procedure

  1. Connect to node e1n1 by using the management floating IP.
  2. Follow Switch settings to create a new external_link section after all existing external_link sections.
    Note: You can copy an existing external_link as a template, but it is recommended to copy the external_link section from the yaml template file to create the new section, so that the formatting of the yaml section is valid.
    The following example shows how the FabSw1a section would look if external_link2 were added with 2 switch ports (46 & 47) and VLAN 4081:
    external_link1:
      switch_ports: ['45']
      port_config:
        mtu: 9000
        link_speed: 10000
      vlans: ['4080']
      strict_vlan: false
      name: h0
      lacp_link: true
      lacp_rate: <customer-input> (fast or slow)
      clag_id: 100
      partner_switch: 'FabSw1b'
    external_link2:
      switch_ports: ['46', '47']
      port_config:
        mtu: 9000
        link_speed: 10000
      vlans: ['4081']
      strict_vlan:false
      name: h1
      lacp_link: true
      lacp_rate: <customer-input> (fast or slow)
      clag_id: 101            
      partner_switch: 'FabSw1b'
  3. Follow Shared application network variables to create a new networkX entry with the next unique consecutive VLAN value (that is, if 4080 is already in use, choose 4081, and continue with consecutive numbers as needed). Assuming this is not the first network, your default_gateway value must be false.
    The following example shows adding network2 with a VLAN to match the one configured in external_link2 above:
        network2:
            default_gateway: false
            vlan: 4081
            prefix: 24
            gateway: 10.254.104.1
            floating_ip: 10.254.104.96
            mtu: <OPTIONAL>
            custom_routes: <OPTIONAL>
    
  4. Validate the YAML file.
  5. Test the YAML and run the playbook.