Configuration of VRFs
The first step in provisioning a VPN service based on the MPLS architecture is to define and configure the Virtual Routing and Forwarding Instances (VRFs). Chapter 8 explains VRFs in detail.
In the case study, this means you configure a VRF for the EuroBank and FastFoods VPN customers. You attach each PE-router in the MPLS/VPN backbone to a site that wants to receive routes from a specific VPN, so the PE-router must have the relevant VRF configuration for that VPN. Because the SuperCom San Jose, New York, and Paris PE-routers all attach to EuroBank and FastFoods sites, the VRF configuration for these specific VPN customers must exist on all the PE-routers.
You can achieve this configuration by using the ip vrf vrf-name command. Example 9-1 shows the configuration for the FastFoods VRF on the SuperCom San Jose PE-router.
Example 9-1 Configuration of the VRF
San Jose(config)# ip vrf FastFoods
San Jose(config-vrf)#
Note
The name of the VRF used in the ip vrf vrf-name command is case sensitive.
The command shown in Example 9-1 creates the relevant VRFs and unique CEF forwarding and routing tables. However, the VRFs are not fully provisioned yet and do not contain any routes. You must configure the VRFs further to provide routes for the tables and to create associated MPLS labels.
When you enter the ip vrf vrf-name command, the router moves into the vrf configuration sub-mode. Now you can configure the variables associated with this VRF, such as the route distinguisher and the import and export policies.
Example 9-2 shows the initial configuration, including the creation of all relevant VRFs for the SuperCom San Jose PE-router.
Example 9-2 Initial VRF Configuration for the SuperCom San Jose PE-router
hostname San Jose
!
ip vrf EuroBank
!
ip vrf FastFoods
