Configuration Guide

Table Of Contents
©2021 Extreme Networks, Inc. All rights reserved
October 2021
89
19. SPB Best Practices
The following are best practices when setting up SPB.
IS-IS
Recommended to leave the IS-IS SYS-ID (B-MAC) with its default value to ensure no duplication
in the network
o
If you do change manually the SYS-ID, please take the necessary steps to ensure there
is no duplication in the network
In release 5.0 for the VSP 4000/7200/8000, duplicate SYS-ID detection is
supported
Create two B-VLANs to allow load distribution over both B-VLANs. Even if SMLT is not used, this
is still good practice as adding a new B-VLAN to an existing configuration requires that IS-IS to be
disabled therefore disrupting the network
SPB
Use a different IS-IS Nick Name on each switch that is easily recognizable
If IP is enabled, i.e. IP shortcuts, it is required that an IS-IS IP source address be added
IST
If the nodes are to form an SMLT Cluster, the IST must be already up and running before
enabling IS-IS on it on the VSP 9000 and ERS 8000
On the VSP 7000, SPB should be first configured prior to enabling the IST
SMLT
Each switch in the cluster must be configured to peer with its neighbor.
A virtual B-MAC will be automatically created based on the lowest SYS-ID in the cluster plus one
o
The virtual B-MAC is used as the source B-MAC when forwarding traffic received from an
SMLT/SLT UNI port into the SPB fabric. This allows reverse MAC learning on the remote
BEBs to map the SMLT learnt customer MAC address to an SMLT cluster rather than to
an individual BEB switch forming that cluster
o
If you choose to use the automatic created virtual B-MAC, careful consideration must be
taken to ensure that the SYS-ID if configured on of the cluster switches is greater than one
compared to its peer
o
If you have chosen to manually change the IS-IS SYS-ID (B-MAC), then you should do
the same for the virtual B-MAC.
Please note, the virtual B-MAC or any System ID created should not conflict with any
other System ID or virtual B-MAC in the network. In other words, please ensure there is
no duplication anywhere in your network of System ID’s and virtual B-MACs.
A safe practice, which is also future proof, would be to leave the lowest byte in the SYS-
ID as all zeroes.
There is a consistency check in place to ensure that L2 VSN VLANs cannot be added to the IST or
to any IS-IS enabled interface on the ERS 8800; does not apply for the IST MLT on a VSP 9000
L3 VSN VLANs must still be added to the IST