L3VPN Configuration Guide for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Cisco IOS XR Releases

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L3VPN Configuration Guide for Cisco 8000 Series Routers, Cisco IOS XR Releases

Configure Layer 3 route synchronization with port-active redundancy

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Provides instructions to configure Layer 3 route synchronization with port-active redundancy, enabling reliable failover and efficient routing in EVPN multihoming scenarios.


Enable consistent Layer 3 route synchronization for VRF instances across redundant PE routers in EVPN fabric with port-active multihoming.

Port-active mode ensures that only a single PE forwards traffic for a given Ethernet segment at any time, improving network redundancy and reliability.

Before you begin

  • Ensure you have access to the command-line interface (CLI) of the PE router.

  • Identify the VRF instances for which you want to enable Layer 3 route synchronization.

  • Determine the interfaces that will participate in port-active multihoming.

Procedure

  1. Configure the BGP route-targets for VRFs to control IPv4/IPv6 route distribution and enable synchronization of Layer 3 routing information with the Layer-2 EVPN fabric.

    Example:

    Router# configure
    Router(config)#vrf PA1
    Router(config-vrf)#address-family ipv4 Unicast
    Router(config-vrf-af)#import route-target 64600:10000
    Router(config-vrf-af)#export route-target 64600:10000
    Router(config-vrf-af)#evpn-route-sync 10000
    Router(config-vrf)#vrf PA1
    Router(config-vrf)#address-family ipv6 Unicast
    Router(config-vrf-af)#import route-target 64600:10000
    Router(config-vrf-af)#export route-target 64600:10000
    Router(config-vrf)#vrf PA2
    Router(config-vrf)#address-family ipv4 Unicast
    Router(config-vrf-af)#import route-target 64600:10001
    Router(config-vrf-af)#export route-target 64600:10001
    Router(config-vrf-af)#evpn-route-sync 10001
    Router(config-vrf)#vrf PA2
    Router(config-vrf)#address-family ipv6 Unicast
    Router(config-vrf-af)#import route-target 64600:10001
    Router(config-vrf-af)#export route-target 64600:10001
    Router(config-vrf-af)#commit
    Router(config-vrf-af)#exit
    Router(config-vrf)#exit
  2. Configure VRF, encapsulation, and L3 addresses for the relevant subinterfaces.

    Example:

    Router(config)#interface Bundle-Ether200.2307
    Router(config-subif)#vrf PA1
    Router(config-subif)#ipv4 address 172.16.1.1/24
    Router(config-subif)#ipv6 address 155:1:1:7::1/64
    Router(config-subif)#encapsulation dot1q 2307
  3. Configure Ethernet segment for port-active redundancy.

    Example:

    Router(config)# evpn
    Router(config-evpn)# interface Bundle-Ether200
    Router(config-evpn-ac)# ethernet-segment
    Router(config-evpn-ac-es)# identifier type 0 11.11.11.11.11.11.11.11.11
    Router(config-evpn-ac-es)# load-balancing-mode port-active
    Router(config-evpn-ac-es)# root
    Router(config)# commit
  4. Use the show arp vrf PA1 detail command to verify the ARP entries and their synchronization status for VRF PA1.

    Example:

    Router#show arp vrf PA1 detail
    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    0/RP0/CPU0
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Address         Age        Hardware Addr   State      Flag       Type  Interface
    192.0.2.11       -          0000.0000.0200  Interface  Unknown    ARPA  Bundle-Ether200.2301
    192.0.2.12      -          0010.9400.2f8e  EVPN_SYNC  EVPN-SYNC  ARPA  Bundle-Ether200.2301
    192.0.2.13       -          0000.0000.0200  Interface  Unknown    ARPA  Bundle-Ether200.2303
    192.0.2.14      00:00:36   0010.9400.2f90  Dynamic    Dynamic    ARPA  Bundle-Ether200.2303
    192.0.2.15       -          0000.0000.0200  Interface  Unknown    ARPA  Bundle-Ether200.2305
    192.0.2.16      00:00:36   0010.9400.2f92  Dynamic    Dynamic    ARPA  Bundle-Ether200.2305
    192.0.2.17       -          0000.0000.0200  Interface  Unknown    ARPA  Bundle-Ether200.2307
    192.0.2.18      -          0010.9400.2f94  EVPN_SYNC  EVPN-SYNC  ARPA  Bundle-Ether200.2307
  5. Verify route synchronization status for the bridge-domain.

    Example:

    Router# show l2vpn bridge-domain bd-name rs#10000 detail
    
    Legend: pp = Partially Programmed.
    Bridge group: #ROUTE-SYNC, bridge-domain: rs#10000, id: 140, state: up, ShgId: 0, MSTi: 0
      Coupled state: disabled
      VINE state: EVPN Native
      MAC learning: enabled
      MAC withdraw: enabled
        MAC withdraw for Access PW: enabled
        MAC withdraw sent on: bridge port up
        MAC withdraw relaying (access to access): disabled
      Flooding:
        Broadcast & Multicast: enabled
        Unknown unicast: enabled
      MAC aging time: 300 s, Type: inactivity
      MAC limit: 524287, Action: none, Notification: syslog
      MAC limit reached: no, threshold: 75%
      MAC port down flush: enabled
      MAC Secure: disabled, Logging: disabled
      Split Horizon Group: none
      E-Tree: Root
      Dynamic ARP Inspection: disabled, Logging: disabled
      IP Source Guard: disabled, Logging: disabled
      DHCPv4 Snooping: disabled
      DHCPv4 Snooping profile: none
      IGMP Snooping: disabled
      IGMP Snooping profile: none
      MLD Snooping profile: none
      Storm Control: disabled
      Bridge MTU: 1500
      MIB cvplsConfigIndex: 141
      Filter MAC addresses:
      P2MP PW: disabled
      Multicast Source: Not Set
      Create time: 11/06/2025 03:28:06 (00:05:13 ago)
      No status change since creation
      ACs: 0 (0 up), VFIs: 0, PWs: 0 (0 up), PBBs: 0 (0 up), VNIs: 0 (0 up)
      List of EVPNs:
        EVPN, state: unresolved
          evi: 0 (N/A)
          XC ID 0x0
      List of ACs:
      List of Access PWs:
      List of VFIs:
      List of Access VFIs:
  6. Verify EVPN EVI details, including its association with VRF for route synchronization.

    Example:

    Router# show evpn evi vpn-id 10001 detail 
    
    VPN-ID     Encap      Bridge Domain                Type
    ---------- ---------- ---------------------------- -------------------
    10001      ROUTE-SYNC rs#10001                     EVPN
       Stitching: Regular
       E-Tree: Root
       Forward-class: 0
       Advertise MACs: No
       Advertise BVI MACs: No
       Aliasing: Enabled
       UUF: Enabled
       Re-origination: Enabled
       Multicast:
         IGMP-Snooping Proxy: No
         MLD-Snooping Proxy : No
       BGP Implicit Import: Enabled
       VRF Name: PA2
       Preferred Nexthop Mode: Off
       BVI Coupled Mode: No
       BVI Subnet Withheld: ipv4 No, ipv6 No
       L3VRF Label Mode: Per-VRF
       RD Config: none
       RD Auto  : (auto) 192.168.10.1:10001
       RT Auto  : 64600:10001
       Route Targets in Use           Type
       ------------------------------ ---------------------
       64600:10001                    Import
       64600:10001                    Export
  7. Use the show evpn ethernet-segment interface BE200 command to check the load-balancing mode.

    Example:

    Router# show evpn ethernet-segment interface BE200 carving detail
    ..
    
    Ethernet Segment Id      Interface                          Originating IP
    ------------------------ ---------------------------------- --------------------
    0011.1111.1111.1111.1111 BE200                              192.168.10.1
                                                                192.168.20.1
      ES to BGP Gates   : Ready
      ES to L2FIB Gates : Ready
      Main port         :
         Interface name : Bundle-Ether200
         Interface MAC  : 0000.0000.0200
         IfHandle       : 0x78000234
         State          : Standby
         Redundancy     : Not Defined
      ESI ID            : 1
      ESI type          : 0
         Value          : 0011.1111.1111.1111.1111
      ES Import RT      : 1111.1111.1111 (Local)
      Topology          :
         Operational    : MH
         Configured     : Port-Active
      Service Carving   : Auto-selection
         Multicast      : Disabled
      Convergence       : Reroute
      Peering Details   : 2 Nexthops
         192.168.10.1 [MOD:P:00:T]
         192.168.20.1 [MOD:P:00:T]

Layer 3 route synchronization is successfully configured and verified, ensuring consistent routing information and L2VPN connectivity across the EVPN fabric for VRFs PA1 and PA2.