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Cisco IOS Software Releases 12.1 Special and Early Deployments

Cisco 6400 NRP - Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC

Table Of Contents

Cisco 6400 NRP - Release Notes for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC

Contents

System Requirements

Memory Recommendations

Supported Hardware

Software Compatibility

Determining the Software Version

Upgrading to a New Software Release

Feature Tables

NRP-1 Feature Table

NRP-2 Feature Table

Features Not Yet Supported for the NRP-2

New and Changed Information

New Hardware and Software Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC3

New Hardware and Software Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC2

New Hardware and Software Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC1

New Hardware Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC

Node Route Processor 2 (NRP-2)

New Software Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC

ATM PVC Range and RBE Subinterface Grouping by PVC Range

New Hardware Features Supported in Release 12.1(3)DC1

New Software Features Supported in Release  12.1(3)DC1

IPCP Subnet Mask Support Enhancements

Multilink PPP

L2TP LAC CEF Switching

Single-Host Logon

Per VC Error Display

RADIUS Attribute 8 (Framed-IP-Address) in Access Requests

Service Selection Gateway (SSG) Proxy RADIUS Enhancements

New Hardware Features Supported in Release 12.1(1)DC1

New Software Features in Release 12.1(1)DC1

Cisco Express Forwarding

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Relay for Unnumbered Interfaces Using ATM RBE

Session Scalability Enhancements

L2TP Tunnel Management Enhancements

L2TP Tunnel Service Authorization Enhancements

L2TP Tunnel Switching

Node Route Processor-Service Selection Gateway—Local Forwarding

Segmentation and Reassembly Buffer Management Enhancements for the NRP-1

PPP Autosense

PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE) Fast Switching for Multicast

VPI/VCI Identification in RADIUS Requests

Limitations and Restrictions

Maximum Transmission Unit

VPI and VCI Limitations

Important Notes

NRP-2 Hardware Features

Gigabit Ethernet Interface on the NRP-2

LED Display on the NRP-2

Session and Tunnel Scalability

Session Scalability Commands

L2TP Session Scalability Commands with Recommended Settings for Both the NRP-1 and NRP-2

L2TP Session Scalability Commands with Recommended Settings for the NRP-2

Additional L2TP Session Scalability Commands

Software Caveats

Open Caveats—Cisco IOS Release 12.1(1) DC3

Resolved Caveats—Cisco IOS Release 12.1(1) DC3

Open Caveats—Release 12.1(4)DC2

Resolved Caveats—Release 12.1(4)DC2

Open Caveats—Release 12.1(4)DC1

Resolved Caveats—Release 12.1(4)DC1

Resolved Caveats—Release 12.1(4)DC3

Open Caveats—Release 12.1(4)DC

Caveats that Apply to Both the NRP-1 and NRP-2

Open Caveats for the NRP-2

Preexisting NRP-1 Hardware Caveats

Determining Your NRP-1 Part Number

Related Documentation

Release-Specific Documents

Platform-Specific Documents

Feature Modules

Cisco IOS Software Documentation Set

Documentation Modules

Cisco IOS Release 12.1 Documentation Set Contents

Obtaining Documentation

World Wide Web

Documentation CD-ROM

Ordering Documentation

Documentation Feedback

Obtaining Technical Assistance

Cisco.com

Technical Assistance Center

Contacting TAC by Using the Cisco TAC Website

Contacting TAC by Telephone


Cisco 6400 NRP - Release Notes for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC


February 18, 2002

Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3

78-10959-03 Rev. H0

These release notes for the Cisco 6400 node route processor (NRP) describe the enhancements provided in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3. These release notes are updated as needed.

For a list of the software caveats that apply to Release 12.1(4) DC3, see the "Software Caveats" section and Caveats for Cisco IOS Release 12.1 T . The caveats document is updated for every maintenance release and is located on Cisco.com and the Documentation CD-ROM.

Use these release notes in conjunction with the cross-platform Release Notes for Cisco IOS
Release 12.1
 located on Cisco.com and the Documentation CD-ROM.


Note In these release notes, the acronym NRP refers to both the NRP-1 and the NRP-2. Where there are differences between the NRP-1 and the NRP-2, a clear distinction is made.


Contents

These release notes describe the following topics:

System Requirements

New and Changed Information

Limitations and Restrictions

Important Notes

Software Caveats

Preexisting NRP-1 Hardware Caveats

Related Documentation

Obtaining Documentation

Obtaining Technical Assistance

System Requirements

This section describes the system requirements for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 and includes the following sections:

Memory Recommendations

Supported Hardware

Software Compatibility

Determining the Software Version

Upgrading to a New Software Release

Feature Tables

Memory Recommendations

Table 1 lists the memory recommendations for the NRP-1 and NRP-2.

Table 1 Memory Recommendations for the Cisco 6400 NRP-1 and NRP-2 

NRP
Version
Product Names
Image Names
Recommended
Minimum DRAM
Memory
Recommended Minimum Flash
Memory

Both

Boot Image

c6400r-boot-mz

Not applicable

Not applicable

NRP-1

IOS NRP-1 BASE
IOS NRP-1 MULTIDOMAIN
IOS NRP-1 WEB SELECTION

c6400r-g4p5-mz

64 MB for up to 750 sessions

128 MB for over 750 sessions

8 MB

NRP-2

IOS NRP-2 BASE
IOS NRP-2 MULTIDOMAIN
IOS NRP-2 WEB SELECTION

c6400r2sp-g4p5-mz

256 MB for up to 4000 sessions

512 MB for over 4000 sessions

Not applicable



Note In most NRP-1 configurations, 64 MB DRAM is adequate for up to 750 sessions. More sessions require 128 MB DRAM. Using the NRP-1, for an upgrade from an earlier release to Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3, 128 MB DRAM is recommended.



Note In most NRP-2 configurations, 256 MB DRAM is adequate for up to 4000 sessions. More sessions require 512 MB DRAM.


Supported Hardware

Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 supports the Cisco 6400 NRP-1 and NRP-2. For detailed descriptions of the new hardware features, see the "New and Changed Information" section and the "Related Documentation" section.

Software Compatibility

Cisco recommends that Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 be used concurrently with Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DB1 for the Cisco 6400 node switch processor (NSP). For information about Release 12.1(4)DB1 for the NSP, see the Release Notes for Cisco 6400 Node Switch Processor (NSP) for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DB1.

For NRP-Service Selection Gateway (SSG) users, Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 works with the Cisco Service Selection Dashboard (SSD) version 2.2. To use the Single-Host Logon feature, you can install and configure Cisco SSD version 2.2S(1.12). However, note that both Cisco SSD version 2.2 and version 2.2S(1.12) have not completed a full-production release cycle and therefore are considered nonsupported software versions. Cisco SSD version 2.5(1) is a fully supported production-release version that also supports Single-Host Logon, and was scheduled to be available in November 2000.

Determining the Software Version

To determine the version of Cisco IOS software currently running on the Cisco 6400 NRP, log in to the NRP and enter the show version EXEC command:

Router> show version
Cisco Internetwork Operating System Software 
IOS (tm) C6400R Software (C6400R-G4P5-M), Version 12.1(4) DC3, EARLY DEPLOYMENT
RELEASE SOFTWARE (fc1)

The output includes additional information, including processor revision numbers, memory amounts, hardware IDs, and partition information.

Upgrading to a New Software Release

For information about upgrading software on the Cisco 6400 Universal Access Concentrator (UAC), including upgrading a single- or dual-NRP system to a new software release, see the software note Upgrading Software on the 6400 UAC 

For general information about upgrading to a new software release, see the Software Advisor located at: http://www.cisco.com/Support/Fusion/FusionHome.do

If you do not have an account on Cisco.com and want general information about upgrading to a new software release, see the product bulletin Cisco IOS Software Release 11.3 Upgrade Paths and Packaging Simplification (#703: 12/97) on Cisco.com.

Technical Documents: Product Bulletins: Software:Cisco IOS 11.3:
Cisco IOS Software Release 11.3 Upgrade Paths No. 703

This product bulletin does not contain information specific to Cisco IOS Release 12.1 DC but provides generic upgrade information that may apply to Cisco IOS Release 12.1 DC.

Feature Tables

The Cisco IOS software is packaged in software images. Each image contains a specific set of Cisco IOS features.

NRP-1 Feature Table

Table 2 lists the features supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP-1 image called c6400r-g4p5-mz in this release.


Note This table might not be cumulative or list all the features in each image. You can find the most current Cisco IOS documentation on Cisco.com. This set of electronic documents might contain updates and modifications made after the hard-copy documents were printed. If you have a Cisco.com login account, you can find image and release information regarding features prior to Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 by using the Feature Navigator tool at: http://www.cisco.com/go/fn.


Table 2 Features Supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP-1 in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3

Layer 2 and Layer 3 Protocols

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP)

Internet Protocol (IP) forwarding

IP host

IP multicast

Integrated routing and bridging (IRB)

Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol (L2TP)

Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol (MLPPP or MLP)

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), including MPLS VPN

Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE), including PPPoE Fast Switching for Multicast

Route bridge encapsulation (RBE)

Routed RFC1483 encapsulation

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

Telnet

Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)

User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

Transparent bridging

Virtual LAN (VLAN)

Layer 3 Routing Protocols

Border Gateway Protocol version 4 (BGP4)

Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)

Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS)

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

Layer 3 Routing Protocols
(continued)

Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM)

Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

Web Cache Coordination Protocol (WCCP) version 2

Network Management, Security

Authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA)

Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP)

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

Network Address Translation (NAT)

Password Authentication Protocol (PAP)

Remote Dial-In User Service (RADIUS)

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

Terminal Access Controller Access Control System Plus (TACACS+)

LAN Interfaces

ATM (OC-3, OC-12, DS3)

Ethernet (10BASE-T)

Fast Ethernet (100BASE-TX)

NRP Service Selection Gateway

RADIUS accounting and interim accounting

Service Selection Gateway (SSG) default network

SSG autologon service

SSG automatic service access order manipulation

SSG Cisco express forwarding (CEF) support

SSG Cisco IOS NAT support

SSG Domain Name System (DNS) fault tolerance

SSG DNS selection

SSG full username RADIUS attribute

SSG idle timeout

SSG IPCP subnet mask

SSG local forwarding

SSG local profile

SSG L2TP web selection

SSG multicast support

SSG proxy service

SSG sequential and concurrent service access

SSG service-defined cookie

SSG service profile order selection

SSG session timeout

SSG single-host logon

SSG virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier (VPI/VCI) RADIUS accounting

NRP Service Selection Gateway (continued)

Transparent passthrough

Transparent passthrough filter

VPI/VCI static bind index to service profile (or VC service map)

Other Features and Feature Enhancements

CEF switching

L2TP access concentrator (LAC) CEF switching

L2TP tunnel switching, including:

L2TP tunnel management enhancements

L2TP tunnel service authorization enhancements

Per-VC Error Display

PPP Autosense

RADIUS Attribute 8 (Framed-IP-Address) in Access Requests

Segmentation and Reassembly Buffer Management Enhancements

Session Scalability Enhancements

VPI/VCI Identification in RADIUS Requests


NRP-2 Feature Table

Table 3 lists the features supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP-2 image called c6400r2sp-g4p5-mz in this release.


Note Table 3 contains a selected list of features. The table is not a cumulative or complete list of all the features in this image.


Table 3 Features Supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP-2 in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 

Layer 2 and
Layer 3 Protocols

Address Resolution Protocol (ARP)

Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP)

Internet Protocol (IP) forwarding

IP host

IP multicast

Integrated routing and bridging (IRB)

Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol (L2TP)

Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol (MLPPP or MLP)

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), excluding MPLS VPN

Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) over Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)

PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE), excluding PPPoE Fast Switching for Multicast

Route bridge encapsulation (RBE)

Routed RFC1483 encapsulation

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)

Layer 2 and
Layer 3 Protocols (continued)

Telnet

Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)

User Datagram Protocol (UDP)

Transparent bridging

Virtual LAN (VLAN)

Layer 3 Routing Protocols

Border Gateway Protocol version 4 (BGP4)

Enhanced Interior Gateway Routing Protocol (EIGRP)

Intermediate System-to-Intermediate System (IS-IS)

Open Shortest Path First (OSPF)

Protocol Independent Multicast (PIM)

Routing Information Protocol (RIP)

Web Cache Coordination Protocol (WCCP) version 2

Network Management, Security

Authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA)

Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP)

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

Network Address Translation (NAT)

Password Authentication Protocol (PAP)

Remote Dial-In User Service (RADIUS)

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

Terminal Access Controller Access Control System Plus (TACACS+)

LAN Interfaces

ATM (OC-3, OC-12, DS3)

Gigabit Ethernet interface1

NRP Service Selection Gateway

RADIUS accounting and interim accounting

Service Selection Gateway (SSG) default network

SSG autologon service

SSG automatic service access order manipulation

SSG Cisco express forwarding (CEF) support

SSG Cisco IOS NAT support

SSG Domain Name System (DNS) fault tolerance

SSG DNS selection

SSG full username RADIUS attribute

SSG idle timeout

SSG IPCP subnet mask

SSG local profile

SSG L2TP web selection

SSG multicast support

SSG proxy service

NRP Service Selection Gateway (continued)

SSG sequential and concurrent service access

SSG service-defined cookie

SSG service profile order selection

SSG session timeout

SSG single-host logon

SSG virtual path identifier/virtual channel identifier (VPI/VCI) RADIUS accounting

Transparent passthrough

Transparent passthrough filter

VPI/VCI static bind index to service profile (or VC service map)

Other Features

CEF Switching

L2TP access concentrator (LAC) CEF Switching

L2TP tunnel switching2 , including:

L2TP tunnel management enhancements

L2TP tunnel service authorization enhancements

RADIUS Attribute 8 (Framed-IP-Address) in Access Requests

Session Scalability Enhancements

VPI/VCI Identification in RADIUS Requests

1 The GE interface was not yet fully tested for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2 and therefore should not be deployed with Release 12.1(4)DC2.

2 In Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2, L2TP tunnel switching for the NRP-2 has been tested and is supported at the same session and tunnel levels as the NRP-1. For more information, see Table 6.


Features Not Yet Supported for the NRP-2

Table 4 lists the features that are present in the c6400r2sp-g4p5-mz image, but not yet tested by the 6400 test team and therefore not yet supported for the NRP-2 in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3.

Table 4 Features Not Yet Supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP-2 in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 

Layer 2 and
Layer 3 Protocols

MPLS VPN

PPPoE Fast Switching for Multicast

NRP Service Selection Gateway

SSG local forwarding

Other Features and Feature Enhancements

Per-VC Error Display

PPP Autosense

Redundant NRP-2 configurations

VC Traffic Shaping


New and Changed Information

The following sections list the new hardware and software features supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP for Release 12.1(4) DC3.


Note Most of the features documented in this section have a feature module. For information about feature modules, see the "Feature Modules" section.


New Hardware and Software Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC3

No new hardware and software features are supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3.

New Hardware and Software Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC2

No new hardware and software features are supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC2.

New Hardware and Software Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC1

No new hardware and software features are supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC1.

New Hardware Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC

The following new hardware features are supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC.

Node Route Processor 2 (NRP-2)

The second-generation node route processor (NRP-2) for the Cisco 6400 platform allows aggregation and termination of large numbers of broadband subscribers while supporting Layer 3 and integrated high-touch services such as authentication, policy routing, and Network Address Translation (NAT). The Cisco 6400 receives subscribers over OC-3, OC-12, or DS-3 interfaces on node line cards (NLCs). The node switch processor (NSP) switches incoming virtual circuits (VCs) or virtual paths (VPs) to the appropriate NRP-2. The NRP-2 aggregates and terminates the incoming virtual circuits (VCs), offering extended services based on user and service profiles through the Service Selection Gateway (SSG).

Benefits of the NRP-2

In comparison with the NRP-1, the NRP-2 provides the following benefits:

Increased Session Scalability

The NRP-2 increases the session capacity of the Cisco 6400, providing a dramatic reduction in cost per subscriber. Table 6 shows the number of sessions and tunnels supported by the NRP-2 in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2.

Increased Bandwidth

The NRP-2 supports a 622-Mbps ATM interface to the backplane and a Gigabit Ethernet (GE) packet interface on the faceplate.


Note The GE interface is not supported in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2.


Dual Processors

The NRP-2 hardware includes two processor subsystems. In Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2, only one of the processors is used. In later software releases, the second processor will be used to provide increased session scalability.

Integrated System Management

Configuration storage, console traffic, and network management traffic are now controlled by the existing NSP, providing a more manageable and integrated platform. You can use a single console port on the NSP to access the console lines of all NRP-2s in the Cisco 6400 chassis and use a single management Ethernet interface on the NSP to monitor all NRP-2s in the system.

Backward Compatibility

The NRP-2 can be deployed in a Cisco 6400 chassis with existing modules, including the first-generation NRP-1. This enables you to increase your network capacity without replacing the chassis.


Note In redundant configurations, NRPs must be paired with NRPs of the same type (NRP-1 with NRP-1, NRP-2 with NRP-2). However, note that Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2 does not support redundancy on the NRP-2.


Modular Design

The modular nature of the NRP-2 allows you to upgrade as your subscriber base grows. As the demand for services rises, you can add NRP-2 modules to the Cisco 6400 to provide increased session and bandwidth support.

Differences Between the NRP-1 and NRP-2

Table 5 shows the major differences between the NRP-1 and NRP-2.

Table 5 Differences Between NRP-1 and NRP-2 

Characteristic
NRP-1
NRP-2

Session scalability

Hardware supports as many as 2000 sessions per NRP-1.

Hardware supports as many as 16,000 sessions per NRP-2

Physical interfaces

Faceplate interfaces:

Console port

Auxiliary port

Ethernet port

Fast Ethernet port

Faceplate interfaces:

Gigabit Ethernet interface1

Backplane interfaces:

155-Mbps ATM interface

Backplane Ethernet (BPE)

Backplane interfaces:

622-Mbps ATM interface

PAM2 mailbox serial interface3

Location of software images, configurations, and crash information

NRP-1 memory (built-in or internal Flash)

PCMCIA4 disk on NSP

Message logging

Messages are logged on the NRP-1 as local messages.

NRP-2 messages are logged on both the NSP and NRP-2. NRP-2 messages on the NSP include the NRP-2 slot number.

Console line access

Direct external connection to NRP-1 console port or auxiliary port

Indirect external connection via the NSP. NSP contains a virtual communication server to access the NRP-2 console.

ROMMON5

ROMMON not upgradable;
NRP-1 ROM state information stored locally on NRP-1

ROMMON is upgradable;
NRP-2 ROM state information is stored on the NSP PCMCIA disk.

SNMP6

Standard SNMP services

Standard SNMP services, or can use the NSP as the proxy forwarder

LED display7

None

On faceplate

1 The GE interface is not supported in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2.

2 PAM = Pulse amplitude modulation

3 The PAM mailbox serial interface is used for internal system communication. Do not attempt to configure serial interfaces on the Cisco 6400.

4 PCMCIA = Personal Computer Memory Card International Association

5 ROMMON = ROM Monitor

6 SNMP = Simple Network Management Protocol

7 The LED display on the NRP-2 does not provide any information in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2, but will do so in future software releases.


More Information about the NRP-2

For more information about the NRP-2, see the NRP-2 feature module.

New Software Features Supported in Releases 12.1(4)DC

The following new software features are supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC.

ATM PVC Range and RBE Subinterface Grouping by PVC Range

In a digital-subscriber line (DSL) environment, many applications require the configuration of a large number of ATM permanent virtual circuits (PVCs). The ATM PVC Range and Routed Bridge Encapsulation (RBE) Subinterface Grouping feature enables you to group a number of PVCs together into a PVC range in order to configure them all at once.

For applications that use multipoint subinterfaces, such as PPP over Ethernet and PPP over ATM, the PVC range is on a single multipoint subinterface. For applications that use point-to-point subinterfaces, such as RBE, a point-to-point subinterface is created for each PVC in the range.

Configuring many PVCs and subinterfaces at once saves time for the user and the parser, and conserves NVRAM space.

A PVC range is defined by two virtual path identifier (VPI)/virtual channel identifier (VCI) pairs. The two VPIs define a VPI range, and the two VCIs define a VCI range. The number of PVCs in the PVC range equals the VPI range multiplied by the VCI range.

Once the PVC range is defined, you can configure the range by using the existing Interface-ATM-VC configuration commands that are also supported in PVC range configuration mode. The shutdown PVC range command can be used to deactivate the range without deleting the configuration.

The ATM PVC Range and RBE Subinterface Grouping feature also introduces the pvc-in-range command, which allows you to explicitly configure an individual PVC within the defined range of PVCs on a multipoint subinterface. The shutdown PVC-in-range command allows you to deactivate an individual PVC within a range.

ATM PVC Range only supports multipoint ATM subinterfaces. You cannot configure individual PVCs within a PVC range on point-to-point subinterfaces. You must remove the individual PVC configurations from the configuration file to take advantage of the PVC range. If multiple configurations remain in the file, these configurations will override the PVC range commands.

For more information on this feature, see the ATM PVC Range and Routed Bridge Encapsulation Subinterface Grouping feature module.


Note This feature is supported for both the NRP-1 and NRP-2.


New Hardware Features Supported in Release 12.1(3)DC1

There are no new hardware features for the Cisco 6400 NRP supported in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(3)DC1.

New Software Features Supported in Release  12.1(3)DC1

The following new software features are supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(3)DC1.

IPCP Subnet Mask Support Enhancements

IP Control Protocol (IPCP) subnet mask support allows customer premise equipment (CPE) to connect to the Cisco 6400 NRP and obtain an IP address and subnet mask range that it can use to populate its Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server database. However, the software default setting does not allow subnet negotiations.

To enable IPCP subnet mask support, issue the ppp ipcp mask CLI command. In addition, a value must be specified for the Framed-IP-Netmask attribute (Internet Engineering Task Force [IETF] RADIUS attribute 9) in the RADIUS user profile.

The Cisco 6400 NRP brings up PPP sessions with the CPE and authenticates each CPE as a separate user. The Cisco 6400 NRP adds a static route for the IP address with the subnet mask specified. If the subnet mask is specified in the user profile, the Cisco 6400 NRP passes the IP netmask value and the IP address to the CPE during IPCP negotiation. The CPE uses the subnet mask to calculate an IP address pool from which IP addresses are assigned to PCs using the access link.

For more information on the IPCP subnet mask support feature, see the PCP Subnet Mask Support Enhancements feature module.


Note The IPCP subnet mask support feature was introduced in Cisco IOS Release 12.0(5)DC.


Multilink PPP

Multilink Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), referred to as MLPPP or MLP, is now supported on the Cisco 6400 NRP. MLP provides a method for spreading traffic across multiple physical WAN links while providing packet fragmentation and reassembly, proper sequencing, multivendor interoperability, and load balancing on inbound and outbound traffic. MLP provides bandwidth on demand and reduces transmission latency across WAN links.

For information on configuring MLP, see the chapter Configuring Media-Independent PPP and Multilink PPP in the PPP Configuration section of the Cisco IOS Dial Services Configuration Guide: Terminal Services.

L2TP LAC CEF Switching

Cisco express forwarding (CEF) is now supported on the Cisco 6400 NRP configured as an L2TP access concentrator (LAC).

For more information on CEF, see the chapter "Cisco Express Forwarding" in the Cisco IOS Switching Services Configuration Guide. For more information on L2TP, see the Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol Scalability Enhancements feature module.

Single-Host Logon

Single-Host Logon is an enhancement to the Node Route Processor—Service Selection Gateway (NRP-SSG). Single-Host Logon combines the PPP session logon and NRP-SSG host logon steps into one.

For more information, see the Node Route Processor-Service Selection Gateway Enhancements IV feature module.


Note For NRP-Service Selection Gateway (SSG) users, Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4)DC2 works with the Cisco Service Selection Dashboard (SSD) version 2.2. To use the Single-Host Logon feature, you can install and configure Cisco SSD version 2.2S(1.12). However, note that both Cisco SSD version 2.2 and version 2.2S(1.12) have not completed a full-production release cycle and therefore are considered nonsupported software versions. Cisco SSD version 2.5(1) will be a fully supported production-release version that will also support Single-Host Logon, and was scheduled to be available in November 2000.



Note The SSG allows subscribers to log on to services and reach the service network, even when there is no static service binding on the SSG, nor a dynamic binding using a Next Hop Gateway (NHG) table.


Per VC Error Display

The command show controllers atm of the command language interface (CLI) was modified to allow the user to:

enable the output of cyclic redundancy check (CRC) error counts on a per-virtual circuit (VC) basis,

display only segmentation and reassembly (SAR) controller information as the default output,

control the output with new options, including error counters on a per-VC basis.

For more information on this feature, see the Per VC Error Display feature module.

RADIUS Attribute 8 (Framed-IP-Address) in Access Requests

The RADIUS Attribute 8 (Framed-IP-Address) in Access Requests feature makes it possible for a network access server to provide the RADIUS server with a hint of the user IP address in advance of user authentication. An application can be run on the RADIUS server to use this hint and build a table (map) of user names and addresses. Using the mapping information, service applications can begin preparing user login information to have available upon successful user authentication.

For more information on this feature, see the RADIUS Attribute 8 (Framed-IP-Address) in Access Requests feature module.

Service Selection Gateway (SSG) Proxy RADIUS Enhancements

The Cisco 6400 NRP-SSG feature was first released in Cisco IOS Releases 12.0(3)DC, while enhancements were added in later releases. Releases 12.1(3)DC1 introduces the following Proxy RADIUS Enhancements:

Service-Defined Cookie—A configurable vendor-specific attribute (VSA) that allows user-defined information to be included in the RADIUS authentication and accounting requests.

Full Username RADIUS Attribute—Enables usage of the full username (user@service) in the RADIUS authentication and accounting requests.

For more information on these enhancements, see the Node Route Processor-Service Selection Gateway Enhancements IV feature module.

New Hardware Features Supported in Release 12.1(1)DC1

There are no new hardware features for the Cisco 6400 NRP supported in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(1)DC1.

New Software Features in Release 12.1(1)DC1

The following new software features are supported by the Cisco 6400 NRP for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(1)DC1.

Cisco Express Forwarding

CEF switching is now supported for PPP over ATM (PPPoA), generic routing encapsulation (GRE), and Network Address Translation (NAT).

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Relay for Unnumbered Interfaces Using ATM RBE

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Relay now supports unnumbered interfaces using ATM route bridge encapsulation (RBE). DHCP Relay automatically adds a static host route specifying the unnumbered interface as the outbound interface.

DHCP Relay now also can use the ip dhcp database global configuration command. This optional command allows the DHCP Relay to save route information to a TFTP, FTP, or RCP server for recovery after reloads.

For more information on DHCP, see "Configuring DHCP" in the Cisco IOS IP and IP Routing Configuration Guide and "DHCP Commands" in the Cisco IOS IP and IP Routing Command Reference. For more information on the ATM RBE feature, see the ATM Routed Bridge Encaps feature module.

Session Scalability Enhancements

The following enhancements provide better session stability:

Increased input and output hold-queue limits

Limiting the number of simultaneous link control protocol session initiations

Limiting the load metric

For more information, see the Session Scalability Enhancements II feature module.

L2TP Tunnel Management Enhancements

The L2TP tunnel management enhancements include the following features:

Tunnel Sharing—Enables sessions authorized with different domains to share the same tunnel

Sessions per Tunnel Limiting—Enables the initiate-to command to limit the number of sessions per L2TP tunnel

For more information, see the L2TP Tunnel Management Enhancements feature module

L2TP Tunnel Service Authorization Enhancements

These enhancements enable the L2TP access concentrator (LAC) to conduct static or dynamic tunnel service authorization. A static domain name can be configured on the ATM permanent virtual circuit (PVC) port to override the domain name supplied by the client. If a static domain name is not configured, the LAC conducts dynamic tunnel service authorization, which now includes two steps:

1. Domain Preauthorization—The LAC checks the client-supplied domain name against an authorized list configured on the RADIUS server for each PVC. If successful, the LAC proceeds to tunnel service authorization. If domain preauthorization fails, the LAC attempts PPP authentication/authorization for local termination.

2. Tunnel Service Authorization—The user profile on the RADIUS server provides a list of domains accessible to the user, enabling tunnel service authorization for the client-supplied domain. If successful, the LAC establishes an L2TP tunnel.

For more information, see the L2TP Tunnel Service Authorization Enhancements feature module.

L2TP Tunnel Switching

This feature enables the Cisco 6400 NRP to terminate tunnels from LACs and forward the sessions through new L2TP tunnels selected independently of the client-supplied domains. The NRP as a tunnel switch performs virtual private dial-up network (VPDN) tunnel authorization based on the ingress tunnel names that are mapped to specified LTP Network Servers (LNSs).

For more information, see the L2TP Tunnel Switching feature module.

Node Route Processor-Service Selection Gateway—Local Forwarding

This feature includes the Local Forwarding enhancement to the Node Route Processor—Service Selection Gateway (NRP-SSG). Local Forwarding enables NRP-SSG to forward packets locally.

For more information, see the Node Route Processor—Service Selection Gateway Enhancements III  feature module.

Segmentation and Reassembly Buffer Management Enhancements for the NRP-1

This feature includes the following enhancements to segmentation and reassembly (SAR) buffer management:

Reduced segmentation buffer size

Increased input/output memory size

Reserved segmentation buffer slot for high-priority packets

For more information, see the Segmentation and Reassembly Buffer Management Enhancements
feature module.

PPP Autosense

The PPP Autosense feature enables the network access server to:

Distinguish between incoming PPPoA and PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE) sessions with Subnetwork Access Protocol (SNAP) encapsulation

Allocate resources on demand for both PPP types.

For more information, see the PPP Autosense feature module.

PPP over Ethernet (PPPoE) Fast Switching for Multicast

PPPoE now supports fast switching for multicast in addition to Cisco express forwarding (CEF).

VPI/VCI Identification in RADIUS Requests

This feature enables the RADIUS VC Logging [Cisco IOS Release 12.0(5)DC] feature to support PPPoE. With RADIUS VC Logging enabled, the RADIUS network access server port field is extended and modified to carry VPI/VCI information. This information is logged in:

RADIUS accounting record created at session startup

RADIUS authentication requests

For more information, see the RADIUS VC Logging feature module.

Limitations and Restrictions

This section describes the following limitations:

Maximum Transmission Unit

VPI and VCI Limitations

Maximum Transmission Unit

The maximum transmission unit (MTU) of the NRP-2 ATM interface to the backplane is 1900 bytes. Any incoming packet larger than 1900 bytes is dropped by the NRP-2. To make sure that no incoming packets are larger than the NRP-2 MTU, see the section Matching the MTU Size of the NRP-2 and Its Network Neighbors (Optional) in the NRP-2 feature module.

VPI and VCI Limitations

VPI and VCI values on the NRP-2 must share 14 bits. By default, VPI values are limited to 4 bits (0-15), and VCI values are limited to 10 bits (0-1023). You can change the VPI and VCI ranges, but together the VPI and VCI values cannot exceed 14 bits. To change the allowed VPI and VCI values, see the Modifying VPI and VCI Ranges (Optional) section  in the NRP-2 feature module.

Important Notes

NRP-2 Hardware Features

Gigabit Ethernet Interface on the NRP-2

The Gigabit Ethernet interface was not yet fully tested for Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 and therefore should not be deployed with Release 12.1(4) DC3.

LED Display on the NRP-2

The LED display on the NRP-2 does not provide any information in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3, but will do so in future software releases.

Session and Tunnel Scalability

Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 supports the number of sessions and tunnels shown in Table 6. While using NRP-SSG, Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 supports the number of sessions and tunnels shown in Table 7.

Table 6 Session and Tunnel Scalability in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3

Protocol
NRP-1
NRP-2
Number of Supported Sessions
Number of Supported Tunnels
Number of Supported Sessions
Number of Supported Tunnels

L2TP
PPPoA

up to 1700

up to 300

up to 4000

up to 1000

L2TP
PPPoE

up to 2000

up to 300

up to 4000

up to 1000

L2TP Tunnel Switch
PPPoA

up to 940

up to 50 Ingress
up to 10 Egress

up to 940

up to 50 Ingress
up to 10 Egress

L2TP Tunnel Switch
PPPoE

up to 940

up to 50 Ingress
up to 10 Egress

up to 940

up to 50 Ingress
up to 10 Egress

PPPoA

up to 2000

up to 4000

PPPoE

up to 2000

up to 4000

PPP Autosense

up to 2000

Not applicable in 12.1(4) DC3

RBE

up to 2000

up to 4000

RFC 1483 IP Routed

up to 2000

up to 4000


Table 7 NRP-SSG Session and Tunnel Scalability in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3 

Protocol with NRP-SSG
NRP-1
NRP-2
Number of Supported Sessions
Number of Supported Tunnels
Number of Supported Sessions
Number of Supported Tunnels

L2TP
PPPoA

up to 1000

up to 50

up to 2000

up to 500

L2TP
PPPoE

up to 1000

up to 50

up to 2000

up to 500

PPPoA

up to 2000

up to 4000

PPPoE

up to 2000

up to 4000

RBE

up to 2000

up to 4000

RFC 1483 IP Routed

up to 2000

up to 4000



Note To support more than 750 sessions, the NRP-1 must have 128 MB DRAM.



Note In most NRP-2 configurations, 256 MB DRAM is adequate for up to 4000 sessions. More sessions require 512 MB DRAM.



Note The default threshold at which Cisco IOS declares a process to have run "too long" is too short for some Cisco IOS processes, when very large numbers of sessions are established on the NRP-2. Use the command scheduler max-task-time 20000 to increase the default threshold. This will avoid unnecessary "CPUHOG" messages.


Session Scalability Commands

This section provides commands that can be applied to achieve the session counts listed in Table 6 and Table 7.

Table 8 andTable 9 list commands for which Cisco recommends a particular setting in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3. Table 10 lists additional commands that might be useful to achieve high session counts, but for which no recommended settings are provided; the setting of these commands depends on the user's environment and configuration.

For additional information, refer to the Layer 2 Tunnel Protocol Scalability Enhancements feature module and the Session Scalability Enhancements feature module.

L2TP Session Scalability Commands with Recommended Settings for Both the NRP-1 and NRP-2

Table 8 lists L2TP session scalability commands with recommended settings that apply to both the NRP-1 and NRP-2 in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3.

Table 8 L2TP Session Scalability Commands with Recommended Settings for the NRP-1 and NRP-2 

Configuration Task and Commands
Guidelines

Modifying the PPP Max Configure:

NRP(config)# ppp max-configure number

1. Purpose

Specifies the number of Configure Requests.

2. Symptoms

Use when a large number of connections flap1 .

3. Recommended Settings

To achieve a large number of sessions, Cisco recommends a setting of 225 (that is, the value for number) on the NRP-1 and NRP-2.

Precloning Virtual Access Interfaces:

NRP(config)# virtual-template template-number preclone number

1. Purpose

Specifies the number of virtual access interfaces to be created and cloned from a specific virtual template.

2. Symptoms

Use to reduce the load on the system during call setup.

3. Recommended Settings

The recommended setting depend on the number of sessions that need to be configured. For example, to configure 2000 sessions on the NRP-1, enter a value of 2000 for number; to configure 4000 sessions on the NRP-2, enter a value of 4000 for number.

1 Flapping = Routing problem where an advertised route between two nodes alternates (flaps) back and forth between two paths due to a network problem that causes intermittent interface failures.


L2TP Session Scalability Commands with Recommended Settings for the NRP-2

Table 9 lists L2TP session scalability commands with recommended settings that apply to the NRP-2 in Cisco IOS Release 12.1(4) DC3.

Table 9 L2TP Session Scalability Commands with Recommended Settings for the NRP-2 

Configuration Task and Commands
Guidelines

Increasing the Input Hold-Queue Limit:

NRP(config)# interface atm slot/subslot/port

NRP(config-if)# hold-queue length in

1. Purpose

Specifies the maximum number of packets in the input hold-queue.

2. Symptoms

Use when the show interfaces EXEC command reveals an excessive number of discarded packets because of input hold-queue overflows.

3. Recommended Settings

To accommodate more incoming control messages in the queue, set the maximum number of packets to a high value:
NRP-2: 1000 packets or more

Increasing the Output Hold-Queue Limit:

NRP(config)# interface atm slot/subslot/port

NRP(config-if)# hold-queue length out

1. Purpose

Specifies the maximum number of packets in the output hold-queue.

2. Symptoms

Use when the show interfaces EXEC command reveals an excessive number of discarded packets because of output hold-queue overflows.

3. Recommended Settings

To accommodate more outgoing control messages in the queue, set the maximum number of packets to a high value:
NRP-2: 1000 packets or more


Additional L2TP Session Scalability Commands

Table 10 lists additional commands that might be useful to achieve the session counts listed in Table 6 and Table 7, but for which no recommended settings are provided; the setting of these commands depends on the user's configuration and environment.

Table 10 Additional L2TP Session Scalability Commands without Recommended Settings 

Configuration Task and Commands
Guidelines

Limiting the Number of LCP Session Initiations:

NRP(config)# lcp max-session-starts number

1. Purpose

Specifies the maximum number of simultaneous LCP sessions to be negotiated.

2. Symptoms

Use when a large number of parallel LCP sessions causes many sessions to timeout and retry, which can result in a chain reaction of LCP session negotiations and excessive session recovery times.

Limiting the Number of LCP Session Initiations (continued)

3. Settings Information

To limit the number of simultaneous LCP session initiations, set the value for number between 100 and 3000.

Limiting the Load Metric:

NRP(config)# lcp max-load-metric number

1. Purpose

Specifies the maximum load metric based on the length of the PPP manager process input queue.

2. Symptoms

Use to shorten the session recovery time after a link dropout.

3. Settings Information

The nominal value for number depends on many factors. Cisco recommends that you start with 100. Try several values and select the one that results in the shortest session-recovery time after a link dropout.

Modifying the PPP Authentication Timeout:

NRP(config)# interface virtual-template number

NRP (config-if)# ppp timeout authentication seconds

1. Purpose

Specifies the PPP authentication timeout.

2. Symptoms

Use when the number of stable sessions is low because the waiting time for a response from the remote peer is too short, resulting in a PAP1 authentication request, CHAP2 challenge, or CHAP response being retransmitted.

3. Settings Information

The default PPP authentication timeout is 10 seconds. On the NRP-2, to increase the PPP authentication timeout, start with 15 seconds. Try several numbers and select the one that results in the highest number of stable sessions. (The maximum number is 255 seconds.)

Modifying the PPP Retry Timeout:

NRP(config)# interface virtual-template number

NRP(config-if)# ppp timeout retry seconds

1. Purpose

Specifies the PPP retry timeout.

2. Symptoms

Use when the number of stable sessions is low because the waiting time for a response from the remote peer is too short, resulting in a configuration request or connection-termination request being retransmitted.

3. Settings Information

The default PPP retry timeout is 2 seconds. On the NRP-2, to increase the PPP retry timeout, start with 15 seconds. Try several numbers and select the one that results in the highest number of stable sessions. (The maximum number is 255 seconds.)

Setting the Number of Retransmission Attempts:

NRP(config)# vpdn-group number

NRP(config-vpdn)# l2tp tunnel retransmit retries value

1. Purpose

Specifies the number of retransmission attempts per selected VPDN group.

2. Symptoms

Use when the number of retransmission attempts is insufficient.

3. Settings Information

The default number of L2TP tunnel control channel retransmission attempts is 10.

Setting the Minimum and Maximum Retransmission Timeouts:

NRP(config)# vpdn-group number

NRP(config-vpdn)# l2tp tunnel retransmit timeout min seconds

NRP(config-vpdn)# l2tp tunnel retransmit timeout max seconds

1. Purpose

Specifies the minimum or maximum timeout for retransmissions on a selected VPDN group.

2. Symptoms

Use when the timeout for retransmissions is too short or to long. To determine the best minimum and maximum timeouts for a given topology, use the privileged EXEC command show vpdn tunnel all and check the displayed retransmit time distribution.

3. Settings Information

Control channel retransmissions follow an exponential backoff, starting at the minimum retransmission timeout, and ending at the maximum retransmission timeout. The maximum timeout can be set to up to 8 seconds.

Setting the Local Control Channel Receive Window Size:

NRP(config)# vpdn-group number

NRP(config-vpdn)# l2tp