# Fabrics

Fabrics are a collection of Network devices, network configurations, network profiles and external connections.

A Fabric is required before setting up a switch out of band [subnet](/content/configuration/network/IPAM.md) and a [network device](/content/configuration/network/managing_switches.md)


To set up a Fabric, click on `Fabrics` in the Admin UI and click on `Add Fabric`

![](/assets/configuration/network/add_fabric_01.png)

In the box, fill in the `Name`, `Description` and `Type` (Currently, Ethernet is the only supported option)

![](/assets/configuration/network/add_fabric_02.png)

You will notice the Fabric is currently in `Draft`.  In this state, the fabric is not available for use. Changing it to `Active` will make it available for use.

![](/assets/configuration/network/add_fabric_03.png)

At this point, set up the switch out of band [subnet](/content/configuration/network/IPAM.md) and the [network device](/content/configuration/network/managing_switches.md) which will be associated to the fabric.

Once these are set up, click on the fabric to edit it.
To add a network device click on `Add network device to this fabric` in the first tab `Network devices`

![](/assets/configuration/network/add_fabric_04.png)

In the pop up, click on the dropdown and select the network device you wish to add to the fabric and click `Add network device`

![](/assets/configuration/network/add_fabric_05.png)

Once the network devices are added, they can be edited by clicking on the name or clicking `edit` (this will direct you to the specified network device). They can also be deleted from the fabric by clicking on `delete`

![](/assets/configuration/network/add_fabric_06.png)

Click on `Configuration` to change the configuration of the fabric.
From here, the following can be configured:
* Site - The site this fabric will be assigned to 
* Default Network Profile - The default network profile used by the fabric
* Zero-Touch Provisioning Enabled - To enable the ability to provision switches in the fabric using Zero-Touch
* gNMI Monitoring Enabled - To enable monitoring for the switches in the fabric using gNMI
* Syslog Monitoring Enabled - To enable monitoring for the switches in the fabric using syslog
* Leaf switches have MLAG pairs - Enable if the switches will be in MLAG pairs
* Default VLAN - Default VLAN to use on fabric
* VNI Prefix 
* VLAN Ranges - The range of VLANs which this fabric will use to be automatically provisioned
* VRF VLAN Ranges - The range of VRF VLANs which this fabric will use to be automatically provisioned
* Reserved VLANs - List of VLANs to be blacklisted in the VLAN Ranges
* Prevent VLAN Cleanup - Prevent the specified VLANs from being cleaned up by the MetalSoft system
* Prevent Cleanup from Uplinks - Toggle to prevent/allow VLANs to be cleaned up from the Uplinks
* ASN ranges - List of ASN ranges to be used by the MetalSoft system
* LAG ranges - List of LAG ranges to be used by the MetalSoft system
* MLAG ranges - List of MLAG ranges to be used by the MetalSoft system
* Number of Spines Next to Leaf Switches - Specify the amount of spines which are next to the leaf switches in the fabric

Click on `Network Profiles` to add/edit [network profiles](/content/configuration/network/managing_network_profiles.md)

Click on `Advanced` to delete the fabric