Implementing and Troubleshooting Cisco EVPN (ICT-EVPN)

The Implementing and Troubleshooting Cisco EVPN (ICT-EVPN) a 5-day instructor-led course that begins with an introduction, followed by a detailed overview of EVPN VXLAN technology, covering its evolution, benefits, and fundamental concepts. It explains how VXLAN virtualizes networks by encapsulating Layer 2 frames within Layer 3 packets, using key components like VTEPs, NVE interfaces, and an EVPN control plane. The course guides participants through setting up underlay networks, configuring Layer 2 and Layer 3 overlays, and integrating routing and bridging for seamless connectivity. Advanced features such as multihoming, Q-in-Q tunneling, and IRB are explored to enhance redundancy and support multi-tenant environments. The course also addresses performance tuning and scalability solutions, including segment routing integration. Advanced routing and multicast techniques are discussed, emphasizing efficient traffic management and dynamic peering. Finally, the course covers troubleshooting, maintenance, and best practices for monitoring, upgrading, and patching EVPN VXLAN deployments, ensuring robust and scalable network operations.

Course Benefits

• Enhanced Understanding of Modern Network Virtualization
• Hands-On Configuration Skills
• Improved Network Performance and Scalability
• Seamless Integration of Routing and Bridging
• Advanced Troubleshooting Capabilities
• Expertise in Multitenant and Multihoming Environments
• Preparation for Future Technology Integration
• Increased Career Opportunities

Why Attend with Current Technologies CLC

• Our instructors are in the top 10% rated by Cisco
• Our Lab has a dedicated 1 Gig Fiber Connection for our Labs
• Our Labs run up to Date Code for all our courses

• Understand the Fundamentals of EVPN VXLAN Technology
• Configure Underlay and Overlay Networks
• Implement EVPN Control Plane
• Set Up Advanced Networking Features
• Optimize Performance and Scalability
• Deploy Efficient Multicast and Routing Solutions
• Troubleshoot and Maintain EVPN Deployments

The primary audience for this course is as follows: 

• Network Administrators
• Network Engineer
• Helpdesk Support Administrators
• IT Staff and Managers

N/A

Module 1: EVPN VXLAN Overview, Evolution, and Key Benefits

• Overview of EVPN VXLAN Technology
• Evolution of Data Center Networking
• Key Benefits of EVPN VXLAN Deployment

Module 2: EVPN VXLAN Fundamentals

• Definition and Key Components
• Explain VXLAN as a network virtualization technology that encapsulates Layer 2 frames within Layer 3 packets, using a 24-bit VXLAN Network Identifier (VNI) to allow for up to 16 million virtual networks.
• Detail the key components: VTEPs for encapsulation/decapsulation, NVE interfaces, VXLAN Tunnel Endpoints, and the EVPN control plane for advanced routing and services.
• Understanding VXLAN Overlay and Underlay Networks
  • Overlay Networks: Describe how VXLAN creates a logical network on top of the physical network to support large-scale virtualization.
  • Underlay Networks: Discuss the IP network underneath the VXLAN overlay, responsible for the transport of VXLAN packets between VTEPs, emphasizing the importance of network design and routing protocols in the underlay for optimal performance.
• EVPN Control Plane: Role and Operations
  • Define EVPN as a BGP-based control plane that offers advanced features over traditional VXLAN deployments, such as MAC address learning, multicast optimization, and multi-homing.
  • Explore the operations of the EVPN control plane, including advertisement of MAC/IP address bindings, and how it enhances scalability, security, and network efficiency.

Module 3: EVPN VXLAN Configuration 

• Setting Up the Underlay Network
  • Guide on designing and configuring the underlay IP network, including the selection of routing protocols (e.g., OSPF, IS-IS, or BGP) to ensure connectivity and optimal path selection between VTEPs.
• Configuring EVPN VXLAN Layer 2 Overlay Network
• Configuring EVPN VXLAN Layer 3 Overlay Network
• Configuring EVPN VXLAN Integrated Routing and Bridging
• Basic VTEP Configuration
  • Step-by-step instructions for configuring VTEPs, including setting up NVE interfaces, associating VNIs with NVE interfaces, and configuring source and destination IP addresses for VXLAN tunnels.
• EVPN Instance Setup
  • Detailed process for configuring EVPN instances, including creating EVPN routing instances, associating EVPN instances with VNIs, and setting up BGP to advertise and receive routes via the EVPN control plane.

Module 4: EVPN VXLAN Advanced Features

• Integrating Routing and Bridging (IRB)
  • Explanation of IRB in EVPN environments, including its role in providing inter-VNI routing and bridging capabilities, and configuring IRB interfaces on VTEPs.
• Deploying Multihoming in EVPN Networks
  • Overview of EVPN multihoming concepts, including single-active and all-active modes, and guidance on configuring multihoming to increase redundancy and load balancing.
• Utilizing Q-in-Q Tunneling
  • How to implement Q-in-Q tunneling in EVPN VXLAN environments to provide additional layer of VLAN tagging for service providers and multi-tenant data centers.

Module 5: EVPN VXLAN Performance and Scalability

• Tuning EVPN for High Performance
  • Techniques for optimizing EVPN performance, including tuning BGP session parameters, leveraging ECMP for load balancing, and minimizing broadcast traffic.
• Scalability Challenges and Solutions
  • Discussion of scalability challenges in large-scale EVPN VXLAN deployments and strategies to address them, such as using route reflectors and optimizing BGP advertisement policies.
• Segment Routing Integration for Scalability
  • How segment routing can be integrated with EVPN VXLAN to simplify the underlay network, improve scalability, and provide more efficient traffic engineering options.

Module 6: EVPN VXLAN Advanced Routing and Multicast

• EVPN for Efficient Multicast Distribution
  • Exploring EVPN's role in optimizing multicast traffic delivery, including the use of Inclusive Multicast Ethernet Tag routes and the benefits of IGMP/MLD snooping within VXLAN.
• Routing Protocols in EVPN Networks
  • Detailed analysis of the use of BGP, MP-BGP extensions for EVPN, and how to leverage routing protocols for dynamic peering and route advertisement in EVPN networks.
• Leveraging BGP for Dynamic Peering
  • Techniques for configuring BGP dynamic peering in EVPN VXLAN deployments to automate the setup of peering relationships and improve network flexibility.

Module 7: EVPN VXLAN Troubleshooting and Maintenance

• Common EVPN Issues and Resolutions
  • Identification and resolution of typical EVPN VXLAN issues, including troubleshooting steps for underlay network problems, VTEP configuration errors, and EVPN route advertisement issues.
• Monitoring Tools and Techniques
  • Overview of tools and techniques for monitoring EVPN VXLAN networks, including SNMP, syslog, and network telemetry, to ensure operational health and performance.
• Upgrading and Patching EVPN Deployments
  • Best practices for safely upgrading and patching EVPN VXLAN deployments, including planning considerations and rollback strategies to minimize downtime.

LAB OUTLINE

Lab 0: Lab Access via View Horizon Client

Lab 1:  Verify Underlay Connectivity

Lab 2: Creating the BGP Overlay

Lab 3: Creating Layer 2 Connectivity within the Fabric

Lab 4: Layer 3 Connectivity within the Fabric

Lab 5: External Connectivity to the BGP EVPN VXLAN Fabric

Lab 6: Configuring Multicast to Support BUM in VXLAN Fabric

Lab 7: Troubleshooting EVPN Connectivity  

Lab 8: Fabric Connectivity Between Certain Hosts   

Lab 9: Connectivity issue between PC1 and PC1     

Lab 10: Not all external routes are present in the Fabric