VLAN Switching vs VXLAN Bridging - Packet Walk

This video is for VXLAN beginners. We will configure a simple topology step-by-step from scratch and see an in-depth packet walk from the very first packet. We will see this process for both VLAN end-to-end and then VXLAN. I will be using Arista switches; however, the concept is standard, so it works similarly for other vendors like Cisco, etc.
0:00 Intro and VLAN Switching
10:18 VXLAN Bridging
Configurations used in this video:
=========VLAN Switching=========
cleaf1:
vlan 10
interface Ethernet1, Ethernet5
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown
spine1:
vlan 10
interface Ethernet1, Ethernet3
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown
bleaf1:
vlan 10
interface Ethernet1, Ethernet5
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown
server1:
vlan 10
interface vlan10
ip address 172.16.10.1/24
interface Ethernet1
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown
server2:
vlan 10
interface vlan10
ip address 172.16.10.2/24
interface Ethernet1
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown
=========VXLAN Bridging=========
cleaf1:
ip routing
router ospf 1
interface Loopback0
ip address 172.16.0.1/32
ip ospf area 0.0.0.0
interface Ethernet1
no switchport
ip address 172.16.255.1/31
ip ospf area 0.0.0.0
no shutdown
vlan 10
interface Ethernet5
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown
interface Vxlan1
vxlan source-interface Loopback0
vxlan vlan 10 vni 10000
vxlan vlan 10 flood vtep 172.16.0.2
bleaf1:
ip routing
router ospf 1
interface Loopback0
ip address 172.16.0.2/32
ip ospf area 0.0.0.0
interface Ethernet1
no switchport
ip address 172.16.255.9/31
ip ospf area 0.0.0.0
no shutdown
vlan 10
interface Ethernet5
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown
interface Vxlan1
vxlan source-interface Loopback0
vxlan vlan 10 vni 10000
vxlan vlan 10 flood vtep 172.16.0.1
spine1:
ip routing
router ospf 1
interface Ethernet1
no switchport
ip address 172.16.255.0/31
ip ospf area 0.0.0.0
no shutdown
interface Ethernet3
no switchport
ip address 172.16.255.8/31
ip ospf area 0.0.0.0
no shutdown
server1:
vlan 10
interface vlan10
ip address 172.16.10.1/24
interface Ethernet1
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown
server2:
vlan 10
interface vlan10
ip address 172.16.10.2/24
interface Ethernet1
switchport trunk allowed vlan 10
switchport mode trunk
no shutdown

[@munawwarkhan899]

One of the best explanation of VXLAN. Even a kid will understand what VXLAN is

[@arminwies8681]

Simply the best introduction to VXLAN I could find on the internet. Thank you so much, great job!

[@benhurkachhap1480]

One of the best explanations with the packet walk makes it so simpler to understand and visualize in your head.

[@popquizzz]

Terrific Explanation. Having completed my CCIE written back in 1998, I think they just started calling it R&S at that point in time, VXLAN was not part of my vernacular, however conceptually it is not uch different than MPLS in concept. Thanks for breaking it down so everyone can get it. If I was to ask for anything additional would be how to troubleshoot and possibly debug end-to-end.

[@CCIEOnTheSpectrum]

Thanks; a tshoot video is on the list. Hint: Breaking it down into 3 steps is indeed a tshoot strategy. 3 questions to ask for tshoot: is the underlay ok? Is the L2 btwn leaf sw and the host ok? Is the 'vxlan interface' config(vlan-to-vni mapping plus bum traffic) ok?

[@farkhanminhas2411]

Excellent Explanation.....You are doing a great job

[@RashidMehmud1]

great explanation of VxLAN, appreciate for elaborating each step in detailed way.

[@peterharper3317]

Really clear explanation thank you

[@Seansaighdeoir]

Fantastic job mate many thanks for sharing and taking the time. Much appreciated!

[@ayansh449]

super explanation >>>

[@ericsullivan3642]

Great explanation this really carves out why we need lisp for more complicated networks. Fantastic demo hitting subscribe!

[@mehulmehta26]

Great explanation. Please upload L2VPN evpn video as well.

[@kotinitirumula]

awesome great explanation

[@laminceesay1435]

Great Work!!!

[@Scorpisces1911]

Great explanation. Thank you

[@rehanaadnan8761]

Thank you, best explanation

[@DanielSmith-hd9iq]

wow amazing! Amazing explnantion and love the demo. Keep it would love to see BGP evpn config

[@user-rf8xe4hf9h]

Nice Video and One of the Best Explanations. One question tough. At 29:30 How does the cleaf1 know the destination Mac of Ethernet1 of Spine1?

[@CCIEOnTheSpectrum]

Arp broadcast, but scope is only that particular layer 3 link between switches, because the switches know where to send the broadcast packet out, due to that point to point link subnet mask.

[@mingchen-sn2io]

Hello, if there is a server3 connected to a interafce on Cleaf1 with Vlan10, and it has the same IP address as the server 2 which is 172.16.10.2, if the server1 ping 172.16.10.2, will the cleaf1 send the traffic to server 2 through vxlan, or will send to server 3 ?

[@duytt9999]

Hello, can you explain more VXLAN EVPN L2, L3 and the advantages of using and not using VXLAN EVPN

[@CCIEOnTheSpectrum]

Yup, its on the list. Bgp evpn is a routing protocol. Like any other routing protocol it advertises network reachability(mac/ip) information. The forwarding of the data remains the same as shown in this video. 2 main benefits of bgp evpn in vxlan: - Auto discovery of remote leaf switches where we have a VNI configured. The flood command used in this demo wouldn't be needed anymore. - MAC address advertisement via bgp evpn. Here in the manual method, MAC address learning is data plane driven. If you understand the manual method demonstrated in this video, then bgp evpn wouldn't be too difficult to understand.

[@tarekelhady7271]

hello bro thanks what is the version of ios

[@CCIEOnTheSpectrum]

4.29.2F

[@mingchen-sn2io]

Hello, if there is another server3 connected to Vlan 10 interface on Cleaf1 have the same IP address(172.16.10.2) as Server2 , if server1 pings to 172.16.10.2, how does the cleaf1 know where to forward to, will forward to server2 through vxlan , or server3 locally within cleaf1? Thanks

[@CCIEOnTheSpectrum]

Forget vxlan for a moment, What would happen if you do that to a layer 2 switch? Consider vxlan fabric a big switch.

[@mingchen-sn2io]

@@CCIEOnTheSpectrum sorry not quite understand...