Module 3

G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection

Switching
ENS 15.1: Advanced Switch Operation and Configuration.

G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection Switching

Student Objectives
Identify the ERPS ring elements.
Describe the ERPS ring and VLAN relationship.
Identify the control VLAN configuration rules.
Describe ERPS fault detection & restoration.
Identify the steps to create an ERPS ring.
Configure ERPS.
Verify the ERPS configuration and status.

Slide 2

ERPS Overview
G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection Switching
ENS 15.1: Advanced Switch Operation and Configuration.

G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection Switching

ERPS is an industry standard Layer 2 loop prevention
protocol that is similar to Extremes EAPS.
ERPS Provides:
Sub 50 millisecond failover for typical rings for both:
Automatic protection switching and recovery
Administrative switching (manually initiated failover)
Link failure detection provided by Connection Fault Management (CFM)
protocol
Either 802.1ag or Y.1731
Extreme supports only 802.1ag for link failure detection

Support for multiple rings (sub rings)

ERPS Application
Multi-vendor service provider networks
Slide 4

ERPS & ERPS Terminology Compared

ERPS Term

Meaning

ERPS Ring

The ring defining the bridged Ethernet EAPS ring

network loop.

Ring Protection Link

(RPL)

Link that is blocked to prevent a loop

on the Ethernet ring.

Secondary Port on Master

RPL Owner

Node connected to the RPL that is

responsible for blocking and
unblocking traffic on the RPL.

Master Node

Ring Node

Node that participates in the ring and

informs the RPL Owner of any link
failure for connected ring ports

Transit Node

Ring-Port East/Ring-Port
West

Ring ports

Primary or Secondary Port

Automatic Protection
Switching (APS)
Channel

Ring-wide VLAN used exclusively for

transmission of ERPS messages

Control VLAN

Ring APS (R-APS)

Messages

ERPS 802.3ag protocol messages

EAPS Packets

Slide 5

EAPS Equivalent

Standard Enterprise Design

Identify the network loops
Floor 2 - Edge
SummitX450e

SummitX450e

SummitX450e

SummitX450e

3rd Network Loop

Floor 1 - Edge
nd Network Loop
2nd

SummitStack1

SummitStack2

SummitStack3

SummitStack4

Data Center Server Farm

SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 6

BD8K2

1stst Network Loop

Standard Enterprise Design with ERPS

ERPS ring created for each network loop
Floor 2 - Edge
SummitX450e

SummitX450e

SummitX450e

SummitX450e

ERPS Ring #3

Floor 1 - Edge
ERPS Ring #2
SummitStack1

SummitStack2

SummitStack3

SummitStack4

Data Center Server Farm

SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

Data Center - Core

BD8K1
Slide 7

BD8K2

ERPS Ring #1

Standard Enterprise Design with ERPS

ERPS elements added for each ring:RPL port (RPL owner will block this
port), ring ports. Node types are assumed by the configuration.
Floor 2 - Edge

RPL

Ring
Node

SummitX450e

Owner

E X

SummitX450e

Ring
Node

SummitX450e

Ring
Node

ERPS ring #3

ERPS ring #2

SummitX450e

Floor 1 - Edge
RPL

Ring
Node

W 1:1 Owner 4:1 E X

SummitStack1

SummitStack2

Ring
Node

SummitStack3

Ring
Node

SummitStack4

Data Center Server Farm

RPL
W Ring
Node

E X
Owner

SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

SummitX650
Top of Rack Switch

E
W

Data Center - Core

Ring Node

E
W Ring Node E
E
Ring Node

BD8K1
Slide 8

Ring Node
W
W Ring Node E
W
Ring Node

BD8K2

ERPS ring #1

ERPS Ring and VLAN Relationship

Each link can carry one or more rings.
For every ERPS ring, a control VLAN needs to be created to
carry all ERPS control traffic.
An ERPS ring can contain several protected VLANs.
R
CONT

OL

ECTE
PROT
D
D
ECTE
PROT
R
CONT

RING

OL

ECTE
PROT
D
D
ECTE
PROT

RING

LINK
Slide 9

ERPS Operation
G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection Switching
ENS 15.1: Advanced Switch Operation and Configuration.

ERPS Operation - Configuration

Each switch in the ring is configured with the following elements:
RPL
East and west ring ports
Control VLAN and Protected VLANs

In the idle state (no ring failure) the RPL Owner transmits R-APS RPL
blocked messages
Transmitted through the ring port ever 5 seconds (default setting)
Floor 1 - Edge

RPL blocked
W

Ring
Node

SummitStack1

RPL blocked
Owner

RPL
E X

SummitStack2

Ring
Node

SummitStack3

BD8K1
Slide 11

BD8K

SummitStack4

Data Center - Core

Ring
Node

Ring
Node

Ring
Node

BD8K2

EAPS Domain #2

ERPS R-APS packets

ERPS uses the 802.1ag CFM protocol to transmit R-APS
packets
CFM packets have a source MAC address of the switch and a destination
MAC address of 01:19:a7:00:00:01
01:19:a7 is the OUI for the ITU who developed Y.1731 on which 802.1ag is
based.

R-APS packets are sent with an 802.1p value of 7 (QP8) and a

type field of 0x8902
R-APS packets contain the following information:
Request/State
No Request (idle state), Signal Failure, Manual Switch, Force Switch

RPL Blocked indicator

Flush FDB indicator
R-APS Node ID (senders MAC address)
Slide 12

ERPS Operation Link Failure

On detecting a link failure, the affected ring nodes transmit a signal
failure messages and immediately block the failed link ports
The signal failure message contains a flush FDB indicator

The ring transitions into a Protection state and the RPL owner unblocks
the RPL
The affected ring nodes continue to send the signal failure message
(every 5 seconds by default)
Floor 1 - Edge

signal failure
W

Ring
Node

SummitStack1

Owner

RPL
E X

SummitStack2

Ring
Node

SummitStack3

signal failure

X
E

Data Center - Core

Ring
Node

BD8K1
Slide 13

SummitStack4

Ring
Node

Ring
Node

BD8K2

EAPS Domain #2
X

ERPS Operation Link Restoration

On detecting a link restoration, the affected ring nodes transmit idle
messages indicating the fault has cleared
The ring transitions into a idle state and the RPL owner blocks the RPL
and transmits an RPL blocked message
The RPL blocked message contains a flush FDB indicator

As soon as the RPL blocked message is received then affected ring

nodes unblock their ring ports and stop sending idle messages
Floor 1 - Edge

RPL blocked
W

Ring
Node

SummitStack1

RPL blocked
Owner

RPL
E X

SummitStack2

idle
Ring
Node

SummitStack3

X
E

idle

Data Center - Core

Ring
Node

BD8K1
Slide 14

SummitStack4

Ring
Node

Ring
Node

BD8K2

EAPS Domain #2
X

Configuring ERPS
G.8032 Ethernet Ring Protection Switching
ENS 15.1: Advanced Switch Operation and Configuration.

ERPS Configuration Steps

VLAN Configuration
Ensure any VLANs to be protected by ERPS contain the tagged ring ports for each
ring created.
Create a control VLAN for each ring and ensure they contain the tagged ring ports
for each specific ring (Maximum of 2 ports in each control VLAN).

ERPS Configuration
Create an ERPS ring.
Configure one switch with the RPL port. This will become the RPL Owner.
Optionally you may configure an RPL Neighbor.

Configure the east and west ring port for each switch.
Add the designated control VLAN to the ERPS ring.
Add the protected VLANs to the ERPS ring.
Enable the ERPS ring.
Repeat steps 1 through 6 for each ERPS ring required.
Finally enable ERPS globally.
Slide 16

ERPS Configuration Overview (ring #2)

The control VLAN (VLAN ctrl-2 will have a tag of 102
Ports 1:1 and 4:1 on all switches will be added to the ctrl-2 VLAN as tagged ports

The protected VLAN (VLAN data) has a tag of 10

The above ports must be added tagged to the data VLAN on each switch, along
with any end-user ports. End-user ports are usually untagged.
Floor 1 - Edge
W

1:1

4:1

SummitStack1

1:1

Owner 4:1 E

SummitStack2

1:1

4:1

SummitStack3

W 1:1

Data Center - Core

1:1

1:1

4:1

BD8K1
Slide 17

SummitStack4

VLAN: ctrl-2
802.1Q Tag: 102
ERPS ring: ring-2

4:1

W 4:1

BD8K2

ERPS ring #2

Configuring ERPS (SummitStack2) - 1

To create an ERPS ring:
create erps <ring-name>

To configure the ERPS RPL:

configure erps <ring-name>
protection-port <port>

To configure the ring ports:

configure erps <ring-name>
ring-ports east <port>
configure erps <ring-name>
ring-ports west <port>

To configure the control VLAN:

configure erps <ring-name>
add control <vlan>

To add the protected VLANs:

configure erps <ring-name>
add protected <vlan>
Slide 18

SummitStack2.1 #
* SummitStack2.2
* SummitStack2.3
* SummitStack2.4
* SummitStack2.5
* SummitStack2.6

create erps
# configure
# configure
# configure
# configure
# configure

ring-2
erps ring-2
erps ring-2
erps ring-2
erps ring-2
erps ring-2

mode protection-port 4:1

ring-port east 1:1
ring-port west 4:1
add control ctrl-2
add protected data

Configuring ERPS (SummitStack2) - 2

To enable an ERPS ring:
enable erps <ring-name>

To enable ERPS globally:

enable erps

To verify ERPS:
show erps

Slide 19

* SummitStack2.7 # enable erps ring-2

* SummitStack2.8 # enable erps
* SummitStack2.9 # show erps

ERPS Enabled: Yes

ERPS Display Config Warnings: On
ERPS Multicast Add Ring Ports: Off
ERPS Multicast Send IGMP Query: On
ERPS Multicast Temporary Flooding: Off
ERPS Multicast Temporary Flooding Duration: 15 sec
Number of ERPS instances: 1
# ERPS ring configuration :
---------------------------------------------------------------------Ring
State
Type
East
West
Control-Vlan
---------------------------------------------------------------------ring-2
Idle
R r
1:1
+4:1
ctrl-2
(
---------------------------------------------------------------------where State: Init/Idle/Protection/Manual-Switch/Force-Switch/Pending
Type: (I) Interconnected node, (N) RPL Neighbor,
(R) RPL Owner, (X) Ring node
Flags: (n) Non-revertive, (r) Revertive,
(+) RPL Protection Port, (^) RPL Neighbor Port
(f) Force Switch Port, (m) Manual Switch Port

Configuring ERPS (SummitStack2) - 3

To rename an ERPS ring:
configure erps <ring-name>
name <new_ring_name>

To change the ring ports:

disable erps <ring-name>
unconfigure erps <ring-name>
ring-port west <pri_port>
Only the west ring port can be
unconfigured.
Remember to re-enable ERPS when the
new ring ports have been assigned

To verify the changes:

show erps <ring-name>

Slide 20

*
*
*
*
*
*
*

SummitStack2.11
SummitStack2.12
SummitStack2.13
SummitStack2.15
SummitStack2.16
SummitStack2.17
SummitStack2.19
Name: ring-3
State: Idle

#
#
#
#
#
#
#

conf erps ring-2 name ring-3

disable erps ring-3
unconfigure erps ring-3 west
configure erps ring-3 east 4:1
configure erps ring-3 west 1:1
enable erps ring-3
show erps ring-3

Enabled: Yes

East Ring Port : +4:1

West Ring Port : 1:1

Node Type: RPL Owner,

MepId: 0
MepId: 0

Revertive

Status: Blocked
Status: Unblocked

Periodic timer interval:

Hold-off timer interval:
Guard timer interval
:
WTB timer interval
:
WTR timer interval
:

5000
0
500
5500
1000

millisec
millisec
millisec
millisec
millisec

Ring MD Level
:
CCM interval
:
Notify Topology Change :

---1000 millisec
-------

(Enabled)
(Enabled)
(Enabled)
(Enabled)
(Enabled)

ERPS Control Vlan: ctrl-2

VID:102
Topology Change Propogation List: None
Topology Change Propogation : Disabled
ERPS Ring's Sub-Ring(s): None
ERPS Ring has following Protected Vlan(s):
Vlan Name
VID
green
10
Number of Protected Vlans: 1
(+) RPL Protection Port, (^) RPL Neighbor Port
(f) Force Switch Port, (m) Manual Switch Port

Verifying ERPS protection with a link failure

To verify ERPS protection on the
RPL owner (SummitStack2):
show erps <ring-name>

To verify ERPS protection on a ring

node with a link failure
(SummitStack4):
show erps <ring-name>
show vlan data

Slide 21

* SummitStack2.20 # show erps ring-3

Name: ring-3
State: Protection
Enabled: Yes
East Ring Port : +4:1
MepId: 0
West Ring Port : 1:1
MepId: 0
.....
SummitStack4.1 # show erps ring-3
Name: ring-3
State: Protection
Enabled: Yes

Node Type: RPL Owner,

Rev

Status: Unblocked
Status: Unblocked

Node Type: Non-RPL Owner

East Ring Port : 4:1

MepId: 0
Status: Blocked
West Ring Port : 1:1
MepId: 0
Status: Unblocked
.....
SummitStack4.2 # show vlan data
VLAN Interface with name data created by user
Admin State:
Enabled
Tagging:
802.1Q Tag
Description:
None
Virtual router: VR-Default
IPv4 Forwarding: Disabled
IPv6 Forwarding: Disabled
IPv6:
None
STPD:
None
Protocol:
Match all unfiltered protocols
Loopback:
Disabled
NetLogin:
Disabled
QosProfile:
QP1
Egress Rate Limit Designated Port: None configured
Flood Rate Limit QosProfile:
None configured
Ports:
2.
(Number of active ports=1)
Tag:
*1:1, 4:1b
Flags:
(*) Active, (!) Disabled, (g) Load Sharing port
(b) Port blocked on the vlan, (m) Mac-Based port

ERPS Summary
You should now be able to
Identify the ERPS ring elements.
Describe the ERPS ring and VLAN relationship.
Identify the control VLAN configuration rules.
Describe ERPS fault detection & restoration.
Identify the steps to create an ERPS ring.
Configure ERPS.
Verify the ERPS configuration and status.

Slide 22

Lab 3 - ERPS Lab (Single Ring)

This lab exercise tests your ability to configure ERPS in a
single ring topology.
Lab Group PC

Lab Data
192.168.X.101

ERPS ringX

5
dataX
192.168.X.11
controlX
3
SwitchX
1

dataX
192.168.X.1

X
controlX
13

CoreSwitch
-A

controlX
13

dataX
192.168.X.2
CoreSwitch
-B

Slide 23

 2012 Extreme Networks, Inc.

All rights reserved