Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Virtual Device Context Configuration Guide, Release 4.0 - Managing VDCs [Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Switches]

Table Of Contents

Managing VDCs

Information About Managing VDCs

Interface Allocation

VDC Resource Limits

HA Policies

Saving All VDC Configurations to the Startup Configuration

Licensing Requirements for Managing VDCs

Prerequisites for Managing VDCs

Guidelines and Limitations

Managing VDCs

Allocating Interfaces to a VDC

Applying a VDC Resource Template

Changing VDC Resource Limits

Changing the HA Policies

Saving VDC Configurations

Deleting a VDC

Verifying the VDC Configuration

Example VDC Management Configuration

Additional References

Related Documents

Feature History for Managing VDCs

Managing VDCs

This chapter describes how to manage virtual device contexts (VDCs) on NX-OS devices.

This chapter includes the following sections:

•Information About Managing VDCs

•Licensing Requirements for Managing VDCs

•Prerequisites for Managing VDCs

•Guidelines and Limitations

•Managing VDCs

•Verifying the VDC Configuration

•Example VDC Management Configuration

•Additional References

•Feature History for Managing VDCs

Information About Managing VDCs

After you create a VDC, you can change the interface allocation, VDC resource limits, and the single-supervisor and dual-supervisor high availability (HA) policies. You can also save the running configuration of all VDCs on the physical device to the startup configuration.

This section includes the following topics:

•Interface Allocation

•VDC Resource Limits

•HA Policies

•Saving All VDC Configurations to the Startup Configuration

Interface Allocation

When you create a VDC, you can allocate I/O interfaces to the VDC. Later, the deployment of your physical device might change and you can reallocate the interfaces as necessary.

You can allocate the interfaces on your physical device in any combination, except for the interfaces on the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series 32-port 10-Gbps Ethernet module (N7K-M132XP-12). This module has eight port groups that consist of four interfaces each. You must you assign all four interfaces in a port group to the same VDC (see Figure 4-1).

Figure 4-1 Example Interface Allocation for Port Groups on a Cisco 7000 Series 10-Gbps Ethernet Module

Table 4-1 shows the port numbering for the port groups.

Table 4-1 Port Numbers for Port Groups on the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series 32-port 10-Gbps Ethernet Module

Port Group

Port Numbers

Group 1

1, 3, 5, 7

Group 2

2, 4, 6, 8

Group 3

9, 11, 13, 15

Group 4

10, 12, 14, 16

Group 5

17, 19, 21, 23

Group 6

18, 20, 22, 24

Group 7

25, 27, 29, 31

Group 8

26, 28, 30, 32

For more information on port groups on the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series 32-port 10-Gbps Ethernet module, see the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Hardware Installation and Reference Guide.

Note When you add or delete interfaces, the NX-OS software removes the configuration and disables the interfaces.

VDC Resource Limits

You can change the resource limits for your VDC individually or by applying a VDC resource template as your needs change. You can change the following limits for the following resources:

•IPv4 route memory

•IPv6 route memory

•Port channels

•Switched Port Analyzer (SPAN) monitor sessions

•VLANs

•Virtual routing and forwarding instances (VRFs)

HA Policies

The HA policy determines the action that the physical device takes when the VDC encounters an unrecoverable field. You can change the HA policy for the VDC that was specified when you created the VDC.

Note You cannot change the HA policies for the default VDC.

Saving All VDC Configurations to the Startup Configuration

From the VDC, a user with the vdc-admin or network-admin role can save the VDC configuration to the startup configuration. However, you might want to save the configuration of all VDCs to the startup configuration from the default VDC.

Licensing Requirements for Managing VDCs

The following table shows the licensing requirements for this feature:

Product

License Requirement

NX-OS

Managing nondefault VDCs requires an Advanced Services license. Managing the default VDC requires no license. For a complete explanation of the NX-OS licensing scheme and how to obtain and apply licenses, see the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Licensing Guide, Release 4.1.

Note The NX-OS software allows a grace period of 120 days to use VDCs without an Advanced Services license. If the grace period expires before you obtain a license, all nondefault VDC configuration is removed from the physical device.

Prerequisites for Managing VDCs

VDC management has the following prerequisites:

•You must have the network-admin user role.

•You must log in to the default VDC.

Guidelines and Limitations

VDC management has the following guidelines and limitations:

•Only users with the network-admin user role can manage VDCs.

•You can only change VDCs from the default VDC.

Managing VDCs

This section includes the following topics:

•Allocating Interfaces to a VDC

•Applying a VDC Resource Template

•Changing VDC Resource Limits

•Changing the HA Policies Saving VDC Configurations

•Deleting a VDC

Allocating Interfaces to a VDC

You can allocate one or more interfaces to a VDC. When you allocate an interface, you move it from one VDC to another VDC. The interfaces are in the down state after you move them.

Note When you allocate an interface, all configuration on the interface is lost.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Log in to the default VDC with a username that has the network-admin user role.

SUMMARY STEPS

1. config t

2. vdc vdc-name

3. show vdc membership

4. allocate interface ethernet slot/port

allocate interface ethernet slot/port - last-port

allocate interface ethernet slot/port, ethernet slot/port, ...

5. exit

6. show vdc membership [status]

7. copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS
Command

Purpose
Step 1
config t
Example:
switch# config t
switch(config)#
Enters configuration mode.
Step 2
vdc vdc-name
Example:
switch(config)# vdc Engineering
switch(config-vdc)#
Specifies a VDC and enters VDC configuration mode.
Step 3
show vdc membership
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# show vdc membership
(Optional) Displays VDC interface membership information.
Step 4
allocate interface ethernet slot/port
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# allocate interface ethernet 2/1
Moving ports will cause all config associated to them in source vdc to be removed. Are you sure you want to move the ports? [yes] yes
Allocates one interface to the VDC.
allocate interface ethernet slot/port - last-port
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# allocate interface ethernet 2/1 - 4
Moving ports will cause all config associated to them in source vdc to be removed. Are you sure you want to move the ports? [yes] yes
Allocates a range of interfaces on the same module to the VDC.
allocate interface ethernet slot/port, ethernet slot/port, ...
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# allocate interface ethernet 2/1, ethernet 2/3, ethernet 2/5
Moving ports will cause all config associated to them in source vdc to be removed. Are you sure you want to move the ports? [yes] yes
Allocates a list of interfaces to the VDC.
Step 5
exit
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# exit
switch(config)#
Exits VDC configuration mode.
Step 6
show vdc membership
Example:
switch(config)# show vdc membership
(Optional) Displays VDC interface membership information.
Step 7
copy running-config startup-config
Example:
switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.

Note After you add an interface to a VDC, you must copy the default VDC running configuration to the startup configuration before users can copy the changed VDC running configuration to the startup configuration.
Applying a VDC Resource Template

You can change the VDC resource limits by applying a new VDC resource template. Changes to the limits take affect immediately except for the IPv4 and IPv6 route memory limits, which take affect after the next VDC reset, physical device reload, or physical device stateful switchover.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Log in to the default VDC with a username that has the network-admin user role.

SUMMARY STEPS

1. config t

2. vdc vdc-name

3. show vdc resource detail

4. template template-name

5. exit

6. show vdc vdc-name resource

7. copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS
Command

Purpose
Step 1
config t
Example:
switch# config t
switch(config)#
Enters configuration mode.
Step 2
show vdc resource detail
Example:
switch(config)# show vdc resource detail
(Optional) Displays the resource information for all VDCs.
Step 3
vdc vdc-name
Example:
switch(config)# vdc Engineering
switch(config-vdc)#
Specifies a VDC and enters VDC configuration mode.
Step 4
template vdc-template-name
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# template MyTemplate
Applies a new resource template for the VDC.
Step 5
exit
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# exit
switch(config)#
Exits VDC configuration mode.
Step 6
show vdc vdc-name resource
Example:
switch(config)# show vdc MyVDC resource
(Optional) Displays the resource information for a specific VDC.
Step 7
copy running-config startup-config
Example:
switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
(Optional) Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.
Changing VDC Resource Limits

You can change the limits on the VDC resources. Changes to the limits take effect immediately except for the IPv4 and IPv6 routing table memory limits, which take effect after the next VDC reset, physical device reload, or physical device stateful switchover.

Note You can have a maximum of two SPAN monitoring sessions on your physical device.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Log in to the default VDC with a username that has the network-admin user role.

SUMMARY STEPS

1. config t

2. vdc vdc-name

3. limit-resource monitor-session minimum min-value maximum {max-value | equal-to-min}

limit-resource port-channel minimum min-value maximum {max-value | equal-to-min}

limit-resource u4route-mem minimum min-value maximum max-value

limit-resource u6route-mem minimum min-value maximum max-value

limit-resource vlan minimum min-value maximum {max-value | equal-to-min}

limit-resource vrf minimum min-value maximum {max-value | equal-to-min}

4. exit

5. show vdc vdc-name resource

6. copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS
Command

Purpose
Step 1
config t
Example:
switch# config t
switch(config)#
Enters configuration mode.
Step 2
show vdc resource detail
Example:
switch(config)# show vdc resource detail
(Optional) Displays the resource information for all VDCs.
Step 3
vdc vdc-name
Example:
switch(config)# vdc Engineering
switch(config-vdc)#
Specifies a VDC and enters VDC configuration mode.
Step 4
limit-resource monitor-session minimum min-value maximum {max-value | equal-to-min}
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# limit-resource monitor-session minimum 0 maximum 1
Configures the SPAN monitor session resource limits. The range is from 0 to 2. The equal-to-min keyword automatically sets the maximum limit equal to the minimum limit.

Note You can have a maximum of two SPAN monitoring sessions on your physical device.
limit-resource port-channel minimum min-value maximum {max-value | equal-to-min}
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# limit-resource port-channel minimum 0 maximum 128
Configures the port-channel resource limits. The range is from 0 to 256. The equal-to-min keyword automatically sets the maximum limit equal to the minimum limit.
limit-resource u4route-mem minimum min-value maximum max-value
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# limit-resource u4route-mem minimum 16 maximum 40
Configures the limits for IPv4 route memory in megabytes. The default minimum value is 8.

In Cisco NX-OS Release 4.0(1a) and earlier releases, the default maximum value is 256 and the range for both values is from 1 to 256. In Cisco NX-OS Release 4.0(2) and later releases, the default maximum value is 320 and the range for both values is from 1 to 320.
limit-resource u6route-mem minimum min-value maximum max-value
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# limit-resource u6route-mem minimum 16 maximum 32
Configures the limits for IPv6 route memory in megabytes. The default minimum value is 4.

In Cisco NX-OS Release 4.0(1a) and earlier releases, the default maximum value is 256. In Cisco NX-OS Release 4.0(2) and later releases, the default maximum value is 192. The range for both values is from 1 to 256.
limit-resource vlan minimum min-value maximum {max-value | equal-to-min}
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# limit-resource vlan minimum 24 maximum 2056
Configures the VLAN resource limits. The range is from 16 to 4094. The equal-to-min keyword automatically sets the maximum limit equal to the minimum limit.
limit-resource vrf minimum min-value maximum {max-value | equal-to-min}
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# limit-resource vrf minimum 32 maximum 4196
Configures the VRF resource limits. The range is from 16 to 8192. The equal-to-min keyword automatically sets the maximum limit equal to the minimum limit.
Step 5
exit
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# exit
switch(config)#
Exits VDC configuration mode.
Step 6
show vdc vdc-name resource
Example:
switch(config)# show vdc MyVDC resource
(Optional) Displays the VDC resource information.
Step 7
copy running-config startup-config
Example:
switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
(Optional) Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.
Changing the HA Policies

You can change the HA policies for a VDC. The VDC HA policies are as follows:

•Dual supervisor modules:

–Bringdown—Puts the VDC in the failed state. To recover from the failed state, you must reload the physical device.

–Restart—Restarts the VDC. This process includes shutting down all the interfaces within that VDC and stopping all the virtualized services processes. The NX-OS software restarts all the virtualized services saved in the startup configuration and brings the interfaces back up with the configuration saved in the startup configuration. Any configuration that you did not save in the startup configuration prior to the restart is lost.

–Switchover—Initiates a supervisor module switchover.

•Single supervisor modules:

–Bringdown—Puts the VDC in the failed state. To recover from the failed state, you must reload the physical device.

–Reload—Reloads the supervisor module.

Caution With the reload action, any configuration that you did not save in the startup configuration prior to the reload is lost.

Note The reload action affects all interfaces and all VDCs on the physical device.

–Restart—Restarts the VDC. This process includes shutting down all the interfaces within that VDC and stopping all the virtualized services processes. The NX-OS software restarts all the virtualized services saved in the startup configuration and brings the interfaces back up with the configuration saved in the startup configuration. Any configuration that you did not save in the startup configuration prior to the restart is lost.

Caution With the reload action, any configuration that you did not save in the startup configuration prior to the reload is lost.

Note You cannot change the HA policies for the default VDC.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Log in to the default VDC with a username that has the network-admin user role.

SUMMARY STEPS

1. config t

2. vdc vdc-name

3. ha-policy {dual-sup {bringdown | restart | switchover} | single-sup {bringdown | reload | restart}}

4. exit

5. show vdc detail

6. copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS
Command

Purpose
Step 1
config t
Example:
switch# config t
switch(config)#
Enters configuration mode.
Step 2
vdc vdc-name
Example:
switch(config)# vdc Engineering
switch(config-vdc)#
Specifies a VDC and enters VDC configuration mode.
Step 3

ha-policy {dual-sup {bringdown | restart | switchover} | single-sup {bringdown | reload | restart}}

Configures the HA policy for the VDC. The dual-sup and single-sup option keyword values are as follows:

•bringdown—Puts the VDC in the failed state. To recover from the failed state, you must reload the physical device.

•reload— Initiates a supervisor module switchover for physical devices with two supervisor modules, or reloads physical devices with one supervisor module.

•restart—Takes down the VDC and recreates it using the startup configuration.

•switchover—Initiates a supervisor module switchover.

Note You cannot change the HA policies for the default VDC.
Step 4
exit
Example:
switch(config-vdc)# exit
switch(config)#
Exits VDC configuration mode.
Step 5
show vdc detail
Example:
switch(config)# show vdc detail
(Optional) Displays VDC status information.
Step 6
copy running-config startup-config
Example:
switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
(Optional) Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.
Saving VDC Configurations

You can save the configuration of all the VDCs on the physical device to the startup configuration.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Log in to the default VDC with a username that has the network-admin user role.

SUMMARY STEPS

1. switchto vdc vdc

2. copy running-config startup-config

3. switchback

4. copy running-config startup-config vdc-all
Command

Purpose

Step 1

switchto vdc vdc

Switches to the VDC.

Step 2

copy running-config startup-config

Copies the running configuration for the VDC to the startup configuration.

Step 3

switchback

Switches back to the default VDC.
Step 4
copy running-config startup-config vdc-all
Example:
switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config vdc-all
Copies the running configuration for all the VDCs to the startup configuration.
Deleting a VDC

When you delete a VDC, the NX-OS software removes the configuration for all interfaces allocated to the VDC and returns the interfaces to the default VDC. Deleting a VDC stops all virtualized services and removes any configuration within that VDC.

Note You cannot delete the default VDC (VDC 1).

Caution Deleting a VDC disrupts all traffic on the VDC.

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Log in to the default VDC with a username that has the network-admin user role.

SUMMARY STEPS

1. config t

2. no vdc vdc-name

3. exit

4. show vdc

5. copy running-config startup-config

DETAILED STEPS
Command

Purpose
Step 1
config t
Example:
switch# config t
switch(config)#
Enters configuration mode.
Step 2
no vdc vdc-name
Example:
switch(config)# no vdc NewVDC
Deleting this vdc will remove its config. Continue deleting this vdc? [yes] yes
Removes the VDC.

Caution Deleting a VDC disrupts all traffic on the VDC and removes all configuration on all the interfaces allocated to the VDC.
Step 3
exit
Example:
switch(config)# exit
switch#
Exits VDC configuration mode.
Step 4
show vdc
Example:
switch# show vdc
(Optional) Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.
Step 5
copy running-config startup-config
Example:
switch(config)# copy running-config startup-config
Copies the running configuration to the startup configuration.
Verifying the VDC Configuration

To display VDC configuration information, perform one of the following tasks:

Command

Purpose

show running-config {vdc | vdc-all}

Displays the VDC information in the running configuration.

show vdc [vdc-name]

Displays the VDC configuration information.

show vdc current-vdc

Displays the current VDC number.

show vdc membership [status]

Displays the VDC interface membership information.

show vdc resource template

Displays the VDC template configuration.

show resource

Displays the VDC resource configuration for the current VDC.

show vdc [vdc-name] resource [resource-name]

Displays the VDC resource configuration for all VDCs.

For detailed information about the fields in the output from these commands, see the Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Virtual Device Context Command Reference, Release 4.1.

Example VDC Management Configuration

The following example shows how to allocate interfaces between VDCs for port groups on a Cisco Nexus 7000 32-port 10-Gbps Ethernet module as described in Figure 4-1:

Note VDC-A is the default VDC.
config t
hostname VDC-A
vdc VDC-B
! Port group 2
allocate interfaces ethernet 2/2, ethernet 2/4, ethernet 2/6, ethernet 2/8
! Port group 3
allocate interfaces ethernet 2/9, ethernet 2/11, ethernet 2/13, ethernet 2/15
vdc VDC-C
! Port group 4
allocate interfaces ethernet 2/10, ethernet 2/12, ethernet 2/14, ethernet 2/16
! Port group 5
allocate interfaces ethernet 2/17, ethernet 2/19, ethernet 2/21, ethernet 2/23
vdc VDC-D
! Port group 6
allocate interfaces ethernet 2/18, ethernet 2/20, ethernet 2/22, ethernet 2/24 
! Port group 7
allocate interfaces ethernet 2/25, ethernet 2/27, ethernet 2/29, ethernet 2/30 
Additional References

For additional information related to VDCs, see the following sections:

•Related Documents

Related Documents

Related Topic

Document Title

DCNM Licensing

Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Licensing Guide, Release 4.1

Cisco Nexus 7000 Series 32-port 10-Gbps Ethernet module

Cisco Nexus 7000 Series Hardware Installation and Reference Guide

Command reference

Cisco Nexus 7000 Series NX-OS Virtual Device Context Command Reference, Release 4.1

Feature History for Managing VDCs

Table 4-2 lists the release history for this feature.

Table 4-2 Feature History for VDC Resource Templates

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

IPv4 unicast route memory resource

4.0(2)

Changed the default maximum value from 256 to 320.

IPv6 unicast route memory resource

4.0(2)

Changed the default maximum value from 256 to 192.