FHRP protocols are my least favourite topic. Knowing VRRP and HSRP and little of GLBP from configuration and operating side, i have been curious about the EXOS ESRP (FHRP) protocol. Never seen it in action or had the chance to configure it. The FHRP protocol family are most vendor specific and use vendor proprietary protocols. VRRP is the only FHRP protocol that is available on every other networking vendors hardware and software. But VRRP is not the topic here.
This is the simplest EXOS ESRP setup scenario taken from of the Extreme Networks official documentation
This is a rookie netlab, I have never configured ESRP before. So if you spot obvious errors, please write me an email, I will try to correct these.
Network topology
The ESRP configuration example shows a network topology is like following:
+-------+ +-------+
| | | |
| RS1 |-----------------------------------| RS2 |
| | | |
+-------+ +-------+
| |
| (OSPF or RIP) |
| |
routerid routerid
5.5.5.5 5.5.5.5
+-------+ +-------+
| | | |
| RS3 +-----------------------------------+ RS4 |
| | | |
+---+---+ +---+---+
| |
| ESRP VR1 |
| 10.1.2.3 |
| |
| +-------+ |
| | | |
+-----------------+ RS5 +-----------------+
| |
+-+---+-+
| |
+-------------+ +-------------+
| eth0 eth0 |
+---+---+ +---+---+
| | | |
| node1 | | node2 |
| | | |
+-------+ +-------+
The network topology is named Single ESRP Domain Using Layer 2 and Layer 3 Redundancy. OSPF or RIP configuration on RS1/RS2 are not part of the example configuration. This is a ESRP only setup example only.
The network topology above is the simpler version of the one shown on the official vendors website.
EXOS version
This is the EXOS version used in this netlab:
Card Partition Installation Date Version Name Branch ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Switch primary Thu Jan 16 13:06:22 UTC 2025 32.7.2.19 rescue.xos 32.7.2.19 Switch secondary Thu Jan 16 13:06:22 UTC 2025 32.7.2.19 rescue.xos 32.7.2.19
The most recent image that is available from the official Extreme Networks github repository.
This is a follow up netlab article about EXOS ESRP simple setup configuration. The prerequisite is the EXOS ESRP simple setup. In this blog entry 2 new OSPF are added to the network topology, RS1 and RS2, OSPF configuration is added to all routers in the network topology. RS5 is only a switch, nothing is added there. OSPF configuration is added to verify how this vendor described ESRP design is behaving having fully working network topology. This is the simplest EXOS ESRP setup scenario taken from of the Extreme Networks official documentation.
Once again I want to mention this is a blind configuration, I have no experience at all with ESRP, just being curious to see this networking example and learn about EXOS ESRP configuration and operation and how quickly it converges using this example.
network topology
OSPF configuration is added to all topology routers, on top of already running and configured ESRP article from previous blog entry.
| sysName | ospf router-id |
|---|---|
| RS1 | 1.1.1.1 |
| RS2 | 2.2.2.2 |
| RS3 | 5.5.5.5 |
| RS4 | 5.5.5.5 |
Network topology showing relevant IP and OSPF settings:
1.1.1.1 2.2.2.2
+-------+ +-------+
| | 12 12 | |
| RS1 |-----------------------------------| RS2 |
| | | |
+-------+ +-------+
10 | | 10
| (OSPF) |
| |
| |
5.5.5.5 5.5.5.5
+-------+ +-------+
| | 3 3 | |
| RS3 +-----------------------------------+ RS4 |
| | | |
+---+---+ +---+---+
1 | | 1
| ESRP VR1 |
| 10.1.2.3 |
| |
| +-------+ |
| | | |
+-----------------+ RS5 +-----------------+
| |
+-+---+-+
| |
+-------------+ +-------------+
| eth0 eth0 |
+---+---+ +---+---+
| | | |
| node1 | | node2 |
| | | |
+-------+ +-------+
Added port numbers to the network topology above to have a overview how routers are connected in case someone wants to test it by yourself.
EXOS version
EXOS version used in this netlab:
Card Partition Installation Date Version Name Branch ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Switch primary Thu Jan 16 13:06:22 UTC 2025 32.7.2.19 rescue.xos 32.7.2.19 Switch secondary Thu Jan 16 13:06:22 UTC 2025 32.7.2.19 rescue.xos 32.7.2.19
This is a follow up netlab article about EXOS ESRP simple setup configuration. The prerequisite is the EXOS ESRP adding OSPF. In this step, the ospfrid will be configured and loopback interfaces created and added to OSPF. Routers RS3 and RS4 which have the same ospfrid - 5.5.5.5. Both routers configuration will be changed.
The goal is to get the floating IP prefix 10.1.2.0/24 stable and minimise the amount of generated OSPF events in the area 0. By applying this the network solution using ESRP should get deterministic and operative.
network topology
OSPF configuration is added to RS3 and RS4 only on top of already running and configuration from previous ESRP article EXOS ESRP adding OSPF:
OSPF router-id overview:
| sysName | ospf router-id |
|---|---|
| RS1 | 1.1.1.1 |
| RS2 | 2.2.2.2 |
| RS3 | 3.3.3.3 |
| RS4 | 4.4.4.4 |
Network topology showing relevant IP and OSPF settings:
1.1.1.1 2.2.2.2
+-------+ +-------+
| | 12 12 | |
| RS1 |-----------------------------------| RS2 |
| | | |
+-------+ +-------+
10 | | 10
| (OSPF) |
| |
| |
3.3.3.3 4.4.4.4
+-------+ +-------+
| | 3 3 | |
| RS3 +-----------------------------------+ RS4 |
| | | |
+---+---+ +---+---+
1 | | 1
| ESRP VR1 |
| 10.1.2.3 |
| |
| +-------+ |
| | | |
+-----------------+ RS5 +-----------------+
| |
+-+---+-+
| |
+-------------+ +-------------+
| eth0 eth0 |
+---+---+ +---+---+
| | | |
| node1 | | node2 |
| | | |
+-------+ +-------+
EXOS version
EXOS version used in this netlab:
Card Partition Installation Date Version Name Branch ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Switch primary Thu Jan 16 13:06:22 UTC 2025 32.7.2.19 rescue.xos 32.7.2.19 Switch secondary Thu Jan 16 13:06:22 UTC 2025 32.7.2.19 rescue.xos 32.7.2.19