PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

The Performance Routing v3 (PfRv3) Intelligent Load Balance feature helps to move the traffic-classes based on the remote ingress interface, if the remote interface is overrun the bandwidth threshold. It validates remote interface ingress bandwidth when choosing the path. The PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance feature detects the remote bandwidth overrun at the earliest and helps to reduce the packet drop caused by per tunnel QoS and increases the bandwidth utilization.

Feature Information for PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

The following table provides release information about the feature or features described in this module. This table lists only the software release that introduced support for a given feature in a given software release train. Unless noted otherwise, subsequent releases of that software release train also support that feature.

Use Cisco Feature Navigator to find information about platform support and Cisco software image support. To access Cisco Feature Navigator, go to www.cisco.com/go/cfn. An account on Cisco.com is not required.
Table 1. Feature Information for PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

Feature Name

Releases

Feature Information

PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

Cisco IOS XE 16.11

The Performance Routing v3 (PfRv3) Intelligent Load Balance feature helps to move the traffic-classes (TC) based on the remote ingress interface, if the remote interface is overrun the bandwidth threshold.

The following command was introduced: remote-ingress-bandwidth-check.

Prerequisites for PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

You must upgrade master hub software version to 16.11 or later. The spoke sites that require PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance feature must be upgraded to version 16.11 or later. However, It is not mandatory to upgrade the spoke sites that do not use the PfRv3 intelligent Load Balance feature to the recommended versions.

Restrictions for PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

  • The PfRv3 Intelligent Load balance supports the traffic only from hub to spoke.

  • Only the default traffic classes are load-balanced among paths when the WAN interface is overrun in remote spoke sites.

  • Remote bandwidth check is only supported on the hub or on the transit hub.

  • Remote bandwidth TCA is sent from branch to hub or from branch to transit hub only.

Information About PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

How to Configure PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

Configuring PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

SUMMARY STEPS

  1. enable
  2. configure terminal
  3. domain iwan
  4. vrf default
  5. master hub
  6. load-balance
  7. load-balance advanced
  8. path-preference INET1 fallback MPLS1
  9. advanced
  10. remote-ingress-bandwidth-check max 75
  11. exit

DETAILED STEPS

  Command or Action Purpose
Step 1

enable

Example:


Device> enable

Enables privileged EXEC mode.

  • Enter your password if prompted.

Step 2

configure terminal

Example:


Device# configure terminal

Enters global configuration mode.

Step 3

domain iwan

Example:

Device(config)# domain iwan

Enters domain iwan configuration mode.

Step 4

vrf default

Example:

Device(config-domain)# vrf default

Configures Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) for the default domain.

Step 5

master hub

Example:

Device(config-domain-vrf)# master hub

Configures the device as a master hub and enters master controller configuration mode.
Step 6

load-balance

Example:

Device(config-domain-vrf-mc)# load-balance

Enables load balance.
Step 7

load-balance advanced

Example:

Device(config-domain-vrf-mc)# load balance advanced

(Optional) Enables advanced mode of VRF on master hub.

Step 8

path-preference INET1 fallback MPLS1

Example:

Device(config-domain-vrf-mc-load-balance)# path-preference INET1 fallback MPLS1

Specifies the path preference name and the fallback path(s) preference to use when the primary path(s) are out of policy.

Step 9

advanced

Example:

Device(config-domain-vrf-mc-load-balance)# advanced

Enters advanced configuration mode.

Step 10

remote-ingress-bandwidth-check max 75

Example:

Device(config-domain-vrf-mc-advanced)# remote-ingress-bandwidth-check max 75

(Optional) Enables to change the value of remote bandwidth threshold. The default value of remote bandwidth threshold is 75%. You should change the remote bandwidth threshold followed by per tunnel QoS.

Note 

Remote spoke site sends out BW-TCA, if WAN interface BW utilization exceeds the threshold.
Step 11

exit

Example:

Device(config-domain-vrf-mc-advanced)exit

Exits border configuration mode and returns to privileged EXEC mode.

What to do next

The remote BW percentage must be configured after configuring PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance.

Verifying PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

Use the following commands to verify PfRv3 intelligent load balance configuration:

  • show domain domain-name vrf vrf-name master exits

  • show domain domain-name vrf vrf-name master exists site-id path-id

Example: Configuring PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

domain iwan
 vrf default
 master hub
 load-balance advanced
 path-preference INET1 fallback MPLS1
 advanced
 remote-ingress-bandwidth-check max 75

Example: Verifying PfRv3 Intelligent Load Balance

The following is an example output from the show domain iwan master exits command. 

  Device#show domain iwan master exits    
 BR address: 168.254.0.2 | Name: Tunnel10 | type: external | Path: MPLS1 | path-id: 11 | PLR TCs: 0                                                                                                                                                                                 
      Egress capacity: 1000000 Kbps | Egress BW: 2 Kbps | Ideal:1078 Kbps | under: 1076 Kbps | Egress Utilization: 0 %
      Ingress capacity: 1000000 Kbps | Ingress BW: 1076 Kbps | Ingress Utilization: 0 %

  BR address: 168.254.0.3 | Name: Tunnel20 | type: external | Path: INET1 | path-id: 12 | PLR TCs: 0
      Egress capacity: 1000000 Kbps | Egress BW: 1076 Kbps | Ideal:1078 Kbps | under: 2 Kbps | Egress Utilization: 0 %
      Ingress capacity: 1000000 Kbps | Ingress BW: 2 Kbps | Ingress Utilization: 0 %
      DSCP: default[0]-Number of Traffic Classes[1]

The following is an example output from the show domain iwan master exits 168.254.0.9 path-id command. 

  Device#domain iwan master exits 168.254.0.9 path-id     
 Site id  : 168.254.0.9
Site mc type :  Branch
Border Address  : 168.254.0.9
     Service provider: MPLS1 path-id: 11 if_index: 28 bandwidth: 2000Kbps bw-from-local-to-remote: 0Kbps  Address: NA
     Service provider: INET1 path-id: 12 if_index: 29 bandwidth: 300000Kbps bw-from-local-to-remote: 1040Kbps  Address: NA