Cisco Easy Virtual Network At-A-Glance

Cisco Easy Virtual Network

Last Updated: June 2011

What Is the Value of EVN? EVN improves shared services support with route replication. Multiple EVN users
Easy Virtual Network (EVN) is an IP-based network virtualization solution that helps may require common sets of services such as Internet connectivity, email, video,
enable network administrators to provide traffic separation and path isolation on a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), or Domain Name System (DNS).
shared network infrastructure. EVN usesexisting Virtual Route Forwarding (VRF)-Lite Traditionally, sharing common services can be achieved through importing and
technology to: exporting routes between virtual networks using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP),
which is complex. EVNs route replication feature allows each virtual network to
Simplify Layer 3 network virtualization have direct access to the Routing Information Base (RIB) in each VRF, allowing the
Improve shared services support abilityto:
Enhance management, troubleshooting, and usability -- Link routes from a Shared VRF to several segmented VRFs but still maintain
separation where it is required

What Problems Does It Help Solve? -- Remove dependency on the BGP route target and route distinguisher, simplifying
both configuration and complexity of importing and exporting routes
EVN reduces network virtualization configuration significantly across the entire
network infrastructure with the Virtual Network Trunk. The traditional VRF-Lite -- Remove duplicate routing tables or routes, saving memory and CPU, as illustrated
solution requires creating one subinterface per VRF on all switches and routers in Figure 2
involved in the data path, creating a lot of burden in configuration management.
Figure 2. Route Replication
EVN removes the need of per VRF subinterface by using vnet trunk command. This
helps reduce the amount provisioning across the network infrastructure as shown in RIBVRF Y
VRF G (OSPF 3)
figure 1. R1
11.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/3
+10.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/1.Y
12.0.0.0/8 +11.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/3.G
Gig0/0/2 +12.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/2.B
Figure 1. VNET Trunk
Gig0/0/1 VRF B (OSPF 2) RIBVRF G
12.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/2 +10.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/1.Y
10.0.0.0/8 +11.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/3.G
Edges Interfaces Trunk Interface Edges Interfaces Gig0/0/3
11.0.0.0/8 RIBVRF B
VRF Y (OSPF 1)
+10.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/1.Y
10.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/1 +12.0.0.0/8 Gig0/0/2.B

802.1q vnet tag 802.1q

R1 R2

2011 Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Cisco and the Cisco Logo are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Ciscos trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party
trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1007R)
 Cisco Easy Virtual Network At-A-Glance

EVN enhances network virtualization troubleshooting by making VRF-Lite easier Why Cisco?
to deploy, operate, and scale. A routing context command mode allows network Cisco provides the only comprehensive, single-vendor, architectural-based network
operators to perform troubleshooting issues that pertain specifically within a VRF virtualization solution available today.
without specifying the VRF name in every command. For example, after entering a
Cisco is the leader in LAN switching, routing, and network virtualization.
routing context, operators can perform these actions:
Cisco provides award-winning technical support to help organizations implement
Router# routing-context vrf red
sustainable businesspractices.
Router%red#
Router%red# show ip route # routing table output for VRF red
Cisco and its partners can help customers deploy a robust, dependable solution by
Router%red# ping 10.1.1.1 # Ping result using VRF red
taking a lifecycle approach that addresses all aspects of deployment, operations,
Router%red# telnet 10.1.1.1 # Telnet to 10.1.1.1 in VRF red
and optimization.
Router%red# traceroute 10.1.1.1 # Traceroute output in VRF red
For More Information
For more information, please visit:
EVN Feature Summary http://www.cisco.com/go/evn.
Pure IP alternative to Multiprotocol Label Switching(MPLS)
Supports up to 32 virtual networks
Backward compatible with VRF-Lite
Supports Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing
Protocol EIGRP as the Interior Gateway Protocol (IGP)
Can be deployed with traditional MPLS VPNs or MPLS VPNomGRE
Supports shared services using route replication
Full integration with Nonstop Forwarding (NSF)/Stateful Switch Over (SSO),
In-Service Software Upgrade (ISSU), and Virtual Switching System (VSS)
Supports routing context, traceroute, debug condition, Cisco-VRF-MIB, and
VRF-aware Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

2011 Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates. Cisco and the Cisco Logo are trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries. A listing of Ciscos trademarks can be found at www.cisco.com/go/trademarks. Third-party
trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any other company. (1007R) C45-675118-00 6/11