Deployment Guide

SFS sets up a second overlay network that is called client control network specifically for VxRail integrated solutions. When a VxRail node
is discovered, it is automatically added as a tagged member of this network. SFS also enables the mDNS Avahi service on this network for
master advertisement and fabric discovery by integrated solutions. The SFS Master virtual IP for VxLAN network is advertised. The VIP
address is fde1:53ba:e9a0:cccc:0:5eff:fe00:1100 is fixed and not user configurable.
VLAN 3939 is used as the default client control VLAN for this VxLAN network. Although you can change the VLAN associated with this, it
is not recommended to change it for VxRail integrated solution deployments.
Spanning-tree protocol
SFS uses RPVST+ as the default spanning-tree protocol to build leaf and spine switches. Only RPVST+ mode is supported on switches in
SFS mode to have nonblocking leaf and spine connections. To prevent the loops in SFS, control VLAN 4000 RPVST is enabled with root
bridge that is forced to be on one spine switch.
NOTE: VLANs used for setting up the leaf and spine eBGP peering are automatically set up to prevent loops while having
nonblocking connections between the leaf and spine switches.
Spanning-tree protocol is disabled for VxLAN networks. SFS automatically creates user networks as VxLAN networks inside the fabric and
these networks. For Layer 2 uplink from the fabric to the external network, the uplink ports in the fabric are configured as VxLAN access
interfaces and spanning-tree BPDUs are not sent to the external network.
For Layer 3 uplinks using routed Interfaces, spanning-tree is disabled on the uplink ports automatically. For Layer 3 uplinks using VLAN IP
interfaces, RPVST+ is enabled on the VLAN and cannot be disabled or changed.
SFS VxRail integrated solutions
This information describes two SFS VxRail integrated solutions.
• SFS for VxRail L2 single rack — enables an automated single rack network fabric (L2 fabric profile) for VxRail clusters. Use the L2
personality for the existing fabric deployments. For more information about configuring VxRail L2 single rack personality, see VMware
Integration for VxRail Fabric Automation SmartFabric User Guide, Release 1.1, September 2019. For new SmartFabric deployments, it
is recommended to use L3 leaf and spine fabric personality for future expansion.
• SFS leaf and spine fabric — enables a multi rack data center network fabric offering flexibility to start with a L3 single rack (L3
fabric profile), and expand to a multi rack solution on demand. The L3 personality is integrated with VxRail to enable single-site, multi
rack VxRail deployments allowing VxRail nodes to be easily deployed in any rack without complex underlay network configuration.
OpenManage Network Integration (OMNI) enables fabric management and zero-touch automation for:
• SFS leaf and spine fabric
• SFS VxRail L2 single rack fabric
Table 1. VxRail SFS personality comparison
VxRail L2 single rack fabric Multi rack leaf and spine fabric
Network fabric with two ToR switches in a single rack, and cannot
be expanded beyond a single rack.
Network fabric with up to 20 switches in a leaf and spine design
that can start with a single rack, and extend up to eight racks.
If you want to deploy a L3 single rack VxRail fabric, enable only leaf
switches in the rack without spine. Add spine to the L3 single rack
to form a L3 multi rack leaf and spine fabric.
All VxRail SmartFabric deployments prior to SmartFabric OS10
10.5.0.5.
All new VxRail SmartFabric deployments with SmartFabric OS10
10.5.0.5 or later.
Enabled through shell commands with fixed parameters. Enabled through standard SmartFabric OS10 CLI commands with
just role and VLTi ports for leaf as fixed parameters. Enable SFS
using SmartFabric GUI also. For more information about SFS GUI,
see Dell EMC SmartFabric OS10 User Guide.
Default uplink and jump box port that is created as part of
SmartFabric initialization, and cannot be modified after enabling
SFS as part of Day 2 operations.
The network fabric is created as part of SmartFabric initialization.
Uplinks and jump box port must be created through the embedded
SFS user interface or OMNI. These are fully customizable as part of
Day 2 operations.
10 SmartFabric Services