Nexus Line card Naming Conventions

In the below chart I tried to explain the fields present in the Nexus line card model number. I have taken N7K-F248XT-25E as an example but you can drive the details of any line card using it.

What is GGSN ?

GGSN – Gateway GPSR support Node is the mobility anchor point within the mobile packet core network. It provides connectivity to the SGSN (Serving GPRS support Node) and PDN (Packet data network). Session state information of the subscriber is always maintained at the GGSN. It also maintains the necessary information required to route the user traffic towards the SGSN and PDN.

GGSN is mostly located in the service provider network so even if the subscriber is in roaming location or in the home network, he will be connected to the GGSN located in the home network.

Key functions of GGSN

• Process PDP request from SGNSs in both home and foreign PLMN network. After the subscriber is     attached to the network, it will initiate the PDP activate procedure.
•  Assign an IP address to the subscriber - A subscriber could have maximum of 11 PDP context and secondary PDP context. Each subscriber should have at least one primary PDP context in order to access the services with the PRD network. The secondary PDP context would create depending on the type of application the subscriber is accessing. Depending upon the application, the bandwidth requirement may be higher, due to which the secondary PDP context will be created. It depends on the type of application as the application may need more bandwidth which was negotiated in primary PDP context. For every primary PDP context, the GGSN will assign the IP address since the secondary PDP context will be associated with the primary PDP context and therefore GGSN will not assign an IP address to secondary PDP context.
•  Negotiate QOS – For any given subscriber session the GGSN will negotiate the QOS parameter with SGSN as a part of PDP activation procedure and during any PDP modification procedure.
• Dynamic Policy control – GGSN has interface Gx towards the PCRF. This is used for policy control and charging rule function. This function helps the GGSN to charge the subscriber as per the QS policy. Depending upon the type of subscription, PCRF can negotiate various types of QOS policies to the subscriber and install different charging rules.
• Performs prepaid / postpaid billing – using the Gy interface GGSN performs the prepaid billing, using the OCS - Online charging server and performs the postpaid billing towards the Charging gateway function.
• GGSN also authenticates users to perform the authentication using AAA, OCS and PCRF since all of these maintain a database with the user subscription.
• GGSN also provides secure VPN tunnel connectivity of corporate subscriber towards the corporate PDN network. Tunneling mechanism such as GRE, IPSEC, L2TP tunneling can be used for setting up the tunneling interface on the Gi interface.

GGSN  interface types –

• Gn/Gp interface – Used by GGSN to communicate with SGNSs within the home/PLMN network. This interface is based on the GPRS tunneling protocol (GTP). It uses the GP interface towards the SGSN within the foreign PLMN network. This interface carries both Data and signaling plane traffic for a subscriber PDP session. It uses GTP-C for control signaling and GTP-U for user data traffic.
• Gx Interface – It is used to communicate with te PCRF and its bases on the diameter protocol.
• Gy Interface – This interface is used between GGSN and OCS. It is based on the diameter protocol used for prepaid billing.
• Ga/Gz interface – As per the 3GPP standard, the Gz interface between CTF (charging trigger function) and CDF (charging data function). The CDF is a proxy between GGSN and CGF. The interface between the CDF and CGF is known as Ga interface.
• Gi Interface – This interface is between GGSN and PDN. It routes the traffic towards the PDN for the services offered within PDN. This interface carries both uplink and downlink subscriber data.
• DHCP interface – This interface goes towards the DHCP server. The GGSN can use this interface if external server is to be used for assigning IP addresses to the subscribers.
• GC interface – This interface goes towards HLR via GTP – MAP protocol converter. It is used during network initiated PDP activation procedure.
• AAA – This interface goes towards AAA server. It’s based on radius protocol and used for authentication and accounting.

What is Fabric module in Cisco Nexus 7000 switches ?

Fabric modules provide connectivity between Supervisor module and line cards. 7k chassis support up to 5 fabric cards.

Fabric cards must be present in all 7K nexus switches to make it work except 7004 as it doesn't support fabric card.

 Fabric cards are hot swappable, it means we can remove it from the chassis and other Fabric cards will take over with any impact to the traffic.

There are two below types of fabric cards available. the migration from Fab-1 to Fab-2 is non disruptive. But both in the chassis for long duration is not recommended by Cisco.

Fabric module version 1 :-

·         46 Gbps per slot.

·         Maximum performance per slot with 5 Fabric modules is 46 * 5 = 230Gbps

·         Not supported in 7009 chassis.

·         Upto 5 Fabric modules are supported

Fabric module version 2 :-

·         110 Gbps per slot

·         Maximum performance per slot with 5 Fabric modules is 110 *5 =550Gbps.

·         Supported on all 7K series.

·         Upto 5 Fabric modules are supported

Cisco Nexus 7000 Supervisor module comparision - Sup1 Vs Sup2 Vs Sup2E

1. Supervisor 1 :-

• Before 6.2, maximum 4 VDC (3 non default + 1 default ) are supported. 
• In 6.2(2), Sup-1 also support admin VDC. It gives you the option to either create 1 x default VDC and 3 x non default VDC or 1 x admin VDC and 4 x non-default VDC.
• Maximum 32 FEX are supported
• CMP supported.
• CPU – Dula core Xeon
• Speed- 1.66 Ghz
• Memory – It comes with 4GB RAM and upgrade to 8GB is needed for MPLS and VDC features.
• CPU share not supported.

2. Supervisor 2 :-

• Maximum 4+1 admin VDC supported. In initial configuration Wizard, we get an option to create admin VDC. If we choose NO, then we can create 1x default VDC and 3 x non default VDC.
• Maximum 32 FEX are supported
• CMP is not supported.
• CPU – Quad core 
• Speed- 2.13 Ghz
• Memory – 8Gb
• CPU share is supported

3. Supervisor 2E :-

• Maximum 8+ 1 admin VDC supported. 
• Maximum 64 FEX are supported
• CMP is not supported.
• CPU – Dual  quad core
• Speed- 2.13 Ghz
• Memory – 32 Gb
• CPU share is supported.

Note :-
1. There is a license#LAN_ADVANCED_SERVICES_PKG (N7K-ADV1K9)  needed to create more than one VDC upto 4 VDC. Without license you can only use VDC 1 ( admin or  default whichever is chosen in the initial wizard).
2. For Sup 2, " VDC Licenses (N7K-VDC1K9) " License is needed to add license for 4 VDCs and hence can support 8 VDCs. Each license increment the vdc number by 4.

2. CPU share is the way by which we can allocate the specific CPU to the important VDCs.

Cisco Nexus 7000 FAQs

1. What are the 7K model available?
Answer:- 7004 , 7009 , 7010 and 7018

2. Is 7004 supports all Fabric Modules?
Answer:- No, Fabric module is not present in 7004 whereas all other Nexus 7K needs fabric module to work.

3. In 7k, Can we use supervisor slot for line cards?
Answer :- No, we cannot use supervisor slots for line card.

4. Is Sup-1 supported in all 7k models?
Answer :- No, Sup-1 is not supported in 7004 whereas all other model supports Sup-1.

5. Is fab-1 supported in all 7K models?
Answer:- No, Fab-1 is not supported in 7004 and 7009.

6. Can we use  non-XL M1 model in all 7K?
Answer:- No, non-XL model is not supported in 7004.

7. Can we use mix of Fab-1 and Fab-2 in single chassis?
Answer:- Yes but only one fabric version (1 or 2) is recommended in a chassis.

8. Can we use Fabric module of 7009 to 7018?
Answer: No, we cannot use Fabric module of one model to another.

9. Can we create port-channel with one M-card port and other in F-card port?
Answer:- No, it is not possible to bundle M-series and F-port.

10. Is it possible to create port-channel with M-series on one end an other end is F card?
Answer:- We cannot make port-channel with M port at one end and F at other side.

11. Are FCOE and Fabricpath supported on M-series card?
Answer:- No, Fabricpath and FCOE are not supported on M-series line cards.

12. Is Mixing I/O modules on the same side of a port channel supported?

Answer: No, Mixing of IO modules in a port-channel is not supported.

13. Can we configure LACP on half duplex port?

Answer: - LACP does not support half-duplex mode. Half-duplex ports in LACP port channels are put in the suspended state.

14.  Does nexus 7000 series support fragmentation?

Answer:- No, Nexus 7k doesn't support fragmentation and reassembly.

15. Is dense-mode supported on Nexus 7k?

Answer:- No, Nexus 7k only support PIM sparse mode.

Cisco Nexus 7000 Model comparison.

             7004 :-

·         Fabric Module is not present.

·         Sup 1 is not supported. Only supports Sup2 and Sup 2E. 

·         All XL versions of M1series modules, M2 series modules, and F2 series modules are supported. It does not support the F1 series module or non-XL M1 series modules

·         Maximum 2 line card supported, with 2 dedicated supervisor slots which cannot be used for line cards.

·         Maximum BW per slot is 440 Gig.

·         Throughput - more than 1.92.

·         Supervisor Module slot - 1 and 2

            7009:-

·         Only Fab-2 supported

·         All supervisor and line card supported

·         Maximum 7 line card supported with 2 dedicated supervisor slots.

·         Maximum BW per slot is 550Gig.

·         Throughput – more than 8 Tbps.

·         Rack Space - 14 RU

·         Supervisor Module slot - 1 and 2

              7010:-

·         Maximum 8 line card supported with 2 dedicated supervisor slots. 

·         All Sup, Fab and line card supported.

·         More than 15 Tbps throughput

·         Rack Space - 21 RU

·         Maximum BW per slot is 550Gig.

·         Supervisor Module slot -5 and 6

  7018:-

·         All Sup, Fab and line card supported

·         Maximum 16 line card supported with 2 dedicated supervisor slots.

·         More than 15 Tbps throughput.

·         Rack Space - 25 RU

·         Maximum BW per slot is 550Gig.

                      ·        Supervisor Module slot - 9 and 10

Configure SSID with Mac filtering Cisco WLC

Step 1. Go to CONTROLLER - > INTERRFACE -> NEW to create new interface.

Step 2. Give the interface name and Vlan id and press APPLY.

Step 3. Provide the IP address/Net mask/Gateway to the interface. Also enter the VLAN id to which the SSID traffic will be mapped.

Map the logical interface to the physical port of the WLC.

DHCP server setting: - Enter WLC’s own address when the DHCP scope is created on WLC itself otherwise adds external DHCP server IP addresses.

Step 4. Press APPLY to apply the interface settings. You will get the below warning which says that it can impact the connectivity to the SSID. Hence we should not change the interface setting during production hours.

Step 5. Once you press OK, you will get the list of interface created so far.

Step 6. Go to WLAN ->wlan -> From the scroll Tab on right side plan, select CREATE NEW and press GO.

Step 7 Enter Profile name and SSID name and select the unique ID and press APPLY.

Step 8 Click the SSID ID to configure the other parameter of the SSID.

Select the interface and radio policy for the SSID.

Step 9 Go to Security -> Layer 2 security and choose none and select the mac filtering option.

               
Step 10. Go to Security ->Mac filtering and click New.

Step 11 Enter the mac address of the user machine and choose the appropriate profile and interface. Press APPLY to add the mac address.

Step 12. We see the list of mac address.

Step 13. You can delete the mac entry by clicking the blue button and then please Remove.

Step 14. Enable the SSID, once the configuration is done.

Step 15  Go to WLAN - > WLANS and check the status of the SSID.