Configuration Guide

Table Of Contents
©2021 Extreme Networks, Inc. All rights reserved
October 2021
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Fabric Attach element model
FA Server
When a switch is enabled as an FA Server, it receives IEEE 802.1AB Logical Link Discovery Protocol
(LLDP) messages from FA Proxy switches and/or FA Client devices requesting the creation of Switched
UNI service identifiers (I-SIDs). An FA Server can receive requests and consequently attach to multiple FA
Proxy switches and/or FA Client devices. The I-SIDs thus created is required to join a Shortest Path Bridging
(SPB) network.
The service created on the FA Server is an ELAN Switch UNI service with a FA I-SID to VLAN mapping.
For Layer 2 or Layer 3 participation, you can create a platform VLAN with the same I-SID value as that of
the ELAN I-SID value; this can be on the local FA Server node or another SPBM node in the network.
A platform VLAN is a VLAN created using the vlan create <2-4059> type port-mstprstp
<instance> ACLI command
FA Proxy & Proxy Standalone
A FA proxy switch supports the ability to define ISID to VLAN assignments and relay this information to the
FA server. This assignment can be accomplished, for example, by the local CLI or using Enterprise Device
Manger. It also has the ability add I-SID to VLAN assignments after a FA client, i.e. WLAN 9100 AP, has
successfully authenticated using EAP device authentication against Extreme’s Identity Engines RADIUS
server. In this case, after the FA Client has successfully authenticated, the policy used on Identity Engines
RADIUS will contain all the various VLAN and I-SID assignments required. This information is sent via the
outbound values provisioned in the Identity Engines Policy server. The I-SID assignment binding request
in turn will be relayed from the FA Proxy to the FA Server where the FA Server will automatically create an
ELAN (Switched UNI with c-vid and I-SID mappings).
A FA Proxy switch can be deployed in Standalone Proxy mode for scenarios where a FA Server is not
available, i.e. a legacy network. In this case, in Standalone Proxy mode, the switch simply connects to a
core/distribution switch or cluster via a tagged VLAN uplink port or MLT. Identity Engines is used in this
case to authenticate the attached FA Clients and push down the necessary VLANs required. In this case,
the policy created on Identity Engines must use a VLAN and I-SID combination where the I-SID must be a
null ISID value of 0.
FA Client
A FA Client is a network attached end device supporting the Fabric Attach or (IEEE Auto Attach) agent in
Client mode. FA Clients can initiate I-SID / VLAN binding requests for service creation to a FA Proxy or a
FA Server. A FA Client will use FA signaling to automatically attach to fabric services that are always
terminated on a FA Server. An FA Proxy switch will simply relay these requests from FA clients to the FA
Server.