Configuring Layer 2 Mesh Transparency

Configuring Layer 2 Mesh Transparency

Layer 2 mesh transparency feature allows you to select the ether type for a specific protocol. To forward the ether-types, use CLI or GUI to enable or disable the network. The following list of reserved ether-types cannot be configured:
Table 1. List of reserved ether-types

Ether-type (range)

Forwardable

Additional information

0x0000 – 0x05FF

User-configurable

Ethernet-I frames. STP and CDP are subject to other configuration options

0x0800

Yes

IPv4

0x0806

Yes

ARP (IPv4)

0x0900 – 0x09FF

No

URWB signaling protocols

0x8100

Yes

IEEE 802.1Q VLAN encapsulation

0x8847 – 0x8848

No

MPLS

0xFFFF

No

IANA reserved
The following functionalities are supported using the URWB data plane mesh network when used in MPLS Layer 2 mode.

  • The Layer 2 mesh transparency feature forwards non-IPv4 Layer 2 protocols across the URWB network by selectively filtering which ether-types are permitted.

  • Ether-types present in URWB network are detected and reported automatically.

  • Ability to add and remove ether-types from the allowlist.

  • Ability to configure full transparency (enable all Layer 2 protocols) in a convenient manner.

  • Both CLI and GUI are supported.

Configuring and Verifying Layer-2 Protocols Forwarding Using CLI

To configure a Layer 2 protocol forwarding, use the following CLI command:

To add an ethernet type to allowlist, use the following CLI command:

Device# configure mpls ether-filter allow-list add
<0x0-0xffff> ether-type value
         all allow all ether-types

Example:

Device# configure mpls ether-filter allow-list add 0x86DD

Device# show mpls config
        ...
        Ethernet Filter allow-list: 0x8892 0x8204 0x86dd, ethernet-I block
        ...
To delete an ethernet type from allowlist, use the following CLI command: 
Device# configure mpls ether-filter allow-list delete
         <0x0-0xffff> ether-type value

Example:

Device# configure mpls ether-filter allow-list delete 0x86DD

Device# show mpls config
        ...
        Ethernet Filter allow-list: 0x8892 0x8204, ethernet-I block
        ...
To clear all ethernet types from allowlist, use the following CLI command: 
Device# configure mpls ether-filter allow-list clear

Example:

Device# show mpls config
                ...
                Ethernet Filter allow-list: 0x8892 0x8204 0x86dd, ethernet-I block
                ...
        Device# configure mpls ether-filter allow-list clear
        Device# write
        Device# reload

        Device# show mpls config
        ...
        Ethernet Filter allow-list: none, ethernet-I block
        ...
To add all ethernet types to allowlist, use the following CLI command: 
Device# configure mpls ether-filter allow-list add all

Example:

Device# configure mpls ether-filter allow-list add all

        Device# show mpls config
        ...
        Ethernet Filter allow-list: all, ethernet-I block

Note

The all keyword is used to set the ether filter in all-pass mode (fill allowlist with single entry 0x0000).

To clear list of detected ether-types, use the following CLI command: 
Device# configure mpls ether-filter table clear

Example:

Device# show mpls ether-filter
                Ether-type Direction Description
                0x8899      INGRESS    ---
                0x86DD      INGRESS    IPv6
        Device# configure mpls ether-filter table clear
                Cisco-81.160.136#show mpls ether-filter
                Ether-type Direction Description
                0x8899      INGRESS    ---

Note

The detection process works in background after clearing the detected ethernet types.
To configure Ethernet – I protocol, use the following CLI command: 
Device# configure mpls ether-filter ethernet-I forward

Example:

Device# configure mpls ether-filter ethernet-I forward

Deive# show mpls config
        ...
        Ethernet Filter allow-list: 0x88F8 0x891D, ethernet-I forward
        ...


Device# configure mpls ether-filter ethernet-I block

Example:

Device# configure mpls ether-filter ethernet-I block

         Device# show mpls config
         ...
         Ethernet Filter allow-list: 0x88F8 0x891D, ethernet-I block
To verify list of allowed ether-types, use the following show command: 
Device# show mpls config

Example:

Device# show mpls config
                 ...
                 Ethernet Filter allow-list: 0x8892 0x8204 0x86dd, ethernet-I block
                 ...
To verify list of detected ether-types, use the following show command: 
Device# show mpls ether-filter table

Example:

Device# show mpls ether-filter table
                 Ether-type   Direction   Description
                 0x8899        INGRESS       ---
                 0x86DD        INGRESS       IPv6

Configuring Layer-2 Protocol Forwarding using GUI

To add specific and detected ether types to the allowlist, follow these steps:

  1. In the ADVANCED SETTINGS, click ethernet filter.

    The Ethernet Filter window appears.

  2. Click Add to add an ether types to the allowlist in the Detected ethernet types section.

  3. Once it is added, you can see the added ether types reflected in the Allowed Ethernet type section.

  4. In the Allowed ethernet types section, to add a specific ether type to the allowlist, enter the Ethertype name in the text box and click Add.

The following images show the specific and detected ether types added to the allowlist:

To clear all allowed ethernet types from the allowlist, follow these steps:

  1. In the ADVANCED SETTINGS, click ethernet filter.

    The Ethernet Filter window appears.

  2. Click Clear allowed in the Allowed ethernet types section to clear all the ethernet types from the allowlist.

  3. Once you click Clear allowed, you can see all ethernet types cleared from allowlist.

The following image shows all allowed ethernet types cleared from the allowlist:

To clear all detected ethernet types from the allowlist, follow these steps:

  1. In the ADVANCED SETTINGS, click ethernet filter.

    The Ethernet Filter window appears.

  2. Click Clear detected in the Detected ethernet types section to clear the detected ethernet types from allowlist.

  3. Once you click Clear detected, you can see ethernet types cleared in the Detected ethernet types section.

The following image shows all detected ethernet types cleared from the allowlist:

To add or allow all ethernet types to the allowlist, follow these steps:

  1. In the ADVANCED SETTINGS, click ethernet filter.

    The Ethernet Filter window appears.

  2. Check the Allow all ethernet types check box in the Ethernet Filter section to allow all ethernet type to allowlist.

  3. Click Save and then Apply to change the configuration.

The following image shows adding of all ethernet types to the allowlist:

To configure an ethernet 1 protocol, follow these steps:

  1. In the ADVANCED SETTINGS, click ethernet filter.

    The Ethernet Filter window appears.

  2. Check the Allow Ethernet 1 protocols check box in the Ethernet Filter section to enable ethernet 1 protocol mode.

  3. Click Save and then Apply to change the configuration.

The following image shows the configuration of allowing an ethernet 1 protocol: