[j-nsp] Interconnecting spines in spine & leaf networks [ was Re: Opinions on fusion provider edge ]

[adamv0025 at netconsultings.com]

> Of Aaron1
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2018 4:23 PM
> 
> Well, I’m a data center rookie, so I appreciate your patience
> 
> I do understand that layer 2 emulation is needed between data centers, if I
> do it with traditional mechanisms like VPLS or l2circuit martini, I’m just afraid
> if I make too many connections between spine and leaves that I might create
> a loop
> 
> However, I’m beginning to think that EVPN may take care of all that stuff,
> again, still learning some of the stuff that data centers due
> 
> 
Hey Aaron,

My advice would be if you're building a new DC build it as part of your MPLS network (yes no boundaries).

Rant//
The whole networking industry got it very wrong with the VXLAN technology, that was one of the industry's biggest blunders. 
The VXLAN project of DC folks is a good example of short sighted goals and desire to reinvent the wheel (SP folks had VPLS around for years when VXLAN came to be).
SP folks then came up with EVPN as a replacement for VPLS and DC folks then shoehorned it on top of VXLAN.
Then micro-segmentation buzzword came along and DC folks quickly realized that there's no field in the VXLAN header to indicate common access group nor the ability to stack VXLAN headers on top of each other (or some tried with custom VXLAN spin offs) so DC folks came up with a brilliant idea -let's maintain access lists! -like it's 90's again. As an SP guy I'm just shaking my head thinking did these guys ever heard of L2-VPNs which were around since inception of MPLS? (so yes not telling people about mac addresses they should not be talking to is better than telling everyone and then maintaining ACLs) in SP sector we learned that in 90s. 
Oh and then there's the Traffic-Engineering requirement to route mice flows around elephant flows in the DC, not mentioning the ability to seamlessly steer traffic flows right from VMs then across DC and MPLS core which is impossible with VXLAN islands in form of DCs hanging off of MPLS core. 
Rant\\



adam

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