Tutorial: Switch only operation with Dell Enterprise SONiC in GNS3

This tutorial will walk you through the steps needed to build up a topology in GNS3 and use MetalSoft to control the fabric.

Prerequisites

For this tutorial you will need a working CLI setup.

The tutorial doesn’t use ZTP due to complications with L2 setups on laptops thus the switch needs to be already configured with:

Management interface

In addition, if EVPN is used the following must be configured:

A VTEP interface
A ASN
A Loopback interface

And provided below to the switch as configuration.

Download and install the Site Controller OVA

Site Controller OVA: 4 cores, 8GB RAM

click import in VMWare fusion
Click Finish

Wait until the VM booted up and login to the VM

Username: root
Password: MetalsoftR0cks@$@$

DHCP is enabled by default. If necessary edit the netplan /etc/netplan/00-installer-config.yaml file (OS is Ubuntu) to suit your needs.

Configure the Site Controller

create a file such as local-dc.yaml. Most of the settings can be left as they are. Modify just the BSIMachinesSubnetIPv4CIDR, BSIVRRPListenIPv4 and BSIMachineListenIPv4List to match your Site Controller’s IP.

BSIMachinesSubnetIPv4CIDR: 192.168.1.11/24
BSIVRRPListenIPv4: 192.168.1.11
BSIMachineListenIPv4List:
    - 192.168.1.11
BSIExternallyVisibleIPv4: 209.43.59.203
repoURLRoot: http://<repo>
repoURLRootQuarantineNetwork: http://<repo>
SANRoutedSubnet: 100.96.0.0/16
NTPServers:
    - 45.55.58.103
DNSServers:
    - 1.1.1.1
    - 8.8.8.8
KMS: 84.40.58.70:1688
TFTPServerWANVRRPListenIPv4: 10.73.252.10
dataLakeEnabled: false
latitude: 41.8426112
longitude: 87.6695329
serverRegisterUsingGeneratedIPMICredentialsEnabled: false
serverRegisterUsingProvidedIPMICredentialsEnabled: true
switchProvisioner:
    LAGRanges:
        - 5-25
    LANVLANRange: 400-450
    MLAGRanges:
        - 26-27
    SANVLANRange: 300-399
    WANVLANRange: 100-199
    allocateDefaultLANVLAN: true
    allocateDefaultSANVLAN: false
    allocateDefaultWANVLAN: true
    leafSwitchesHaveMLAGPairs: false
    preventCleanupForVLANs:
        - 301
        - 1602
    preventCleanupForVLANsFromExternalConnectionUplinks:
        - 301
        - 1602
    preventUsageOfVLANs:
        - 301
        - 1602
    quarantineVLANID: 5
    storageHasSeparateFabric: false
    type: EVPNVXLANL2Provisioner
    zeroTouchRegistrationEnabled: true
enableTenantAccessToIPMI: false
allowVLANOverrides: true
allowNetworkProfiles: true
enableServerRegistrationStartedByInBandDHCP: false
extraInternalIPsPerSubnet: 0
extraInternalIPsPerSANSubnet: 0
serverRAIDConfigurationEnabled: true
webProxy:
    ip: 10.73.252.10
    port: 3128
isKubernetesDeployment: false
allowInstanceArrayFirmwarePolicies: false
provisionUsingTheQuarantineNetwork: true
enableDHCPRelaySecurityForQuarantineNetwork: false
enableDHCPRelaySecurityForClientNetworks: false
enableDHCPBMCMACAddressWhitelist: true
dhcpBMCMACAddressWhitelist:
    - 6C:2B:59:7C:0F:D3
    - CC:48:3A:09:EB:97
defaultServerCleanupPolicyID: 0
defaultDeploymentMechanism: virtual_media
defaultCleanupAndRegistrationMechanism: bmc
NFSServer: 172.18.38.38
Option82ToIPMapping: {}
flags: ""

Run site create:

% metalcloud-cli site create --config local-dc.yaml --format yaml --id local-dc-1 --title "Local DC 1"

Get the site auth URL

metalcloud-cli site get --id local-dc-1 --return-config-url
https://us05.metalsoft.io/api/url?rqi=br._mJHHCUMW7I1kwwNjYNh3HWcpwwvfwVo7RKlQVLGn9PbElV_hxvDq4CE79bFrw70MYmANJmtorHvwupXZG2OWTNm5Eszg84QVq5z8Cm19qU&v=YojW5IXpEARy6VA4_EUHNw&filename=site.json&site_name=local-dc-1

SSH into the Site Controller using the following username and pass:
- Username: metalsoft
- Password: MetalsoftR0cks@$@$
```
ssh -l metalsoft <IP>
```
Check if the Site Controller agents are now connected

Import MetalSoft VM into GNS3

This example uses GNS3 version 2.2.33.1 but should apply to all GNS3 versions

Create a GNS3 project
Import Site Controller appliance by following these steps:
1. Go to on File > New Template > Manually create a new template
2. VMWare Fusion > New Select the Site Controller VM from the list:
3. Click finish

Build the topology in GNS3

Add the Site Controller vm, a switch and two hosts.

Note that connecting the Site Controller to the “Cloud” is not strictly required. If the virtual machine is connected to the host’s NAT the effect would be the same. However zero touch provisioning might not work.

Register the switch in MetalSoft using the CLI

Create a file called sw.yaml. Most of the settings can be left to the defaults, you can alter just the managementAddress field and the managementPassword field. Note also the VTEP, ASN and Loopback fields that need to be set if EVPN is used.

identifierString: sonic01
siteName: local-dc-1
provisionerType: evpnvxlanl2
provisionerPosition: leaf
driver: sonic_enterprise
managementUsername: admin
managementPassword: YourPaSsWoRd
managementAddress: 192.168.1.25
managementAddressMask: 255.255.255.248
managementAddressGateway: 192.168.255.1
managementMACAddress: 8c:04:ba:ea:60:c0
primaryWANIPv4SubnetPool: 10.0.0.1
primaryWANIPv4SubnetPrefixSize: 24
primarySANSubnetPrefixSize: 24
quarantineSubnetStart: 192.168.67.1
quarantineSubnetEnd: 192.168.67.254
quarantineSubnetPrefixSize: 24
quarantineSubnetGateway: 192.168.67.1
tags:
- tag
requiresOSInstall: false
isBorderDevice: false
isStorageSwitch: false
networkTypesAllowed:
- wan
- san
- lan
- quarantine
LoopbackAddress: 10.0.90.3
VTEPAddress: 10.0.91.2
ASN: 65102

Run switch create

./metalcloud-cli switch create --raw-config sw.yaml --format yaml

This command might take up to 30 seconds.

The switch should now be in active state:

Create a network profile

This is not strictly required but if you decided not to use EVPN this is how you would disable it:

If you are reusing an existing site rather than creating a new one using the configuration above, make sure to enable network profiles and automatic VLAN allocation by navigating to the Fabrics > select fabric > Configuration and: Add a default VLAN

Create a file called network-profile.yaml:

label: internet01
site: local-site-1
networkType: wan
vlans:
- vlanID: null #auto-allocated
  portMode: native
  provisionSubnetGateways: false # do not provision a gateway SVI
  provisionVXLAN: false # set this to false to disable EVPN
  extConnectionIDs: []

Create the network profile

metalcloud-cli network-profile create --raw-config ~/Desktop/network-profile1.yaml --site local-dc-1 --format yaml

Adding the GNS3 PCs as un-managed servers

We will now add the two PCs as un-managed servers. Note: By default MetalSoft does not allow servers with a single interface to be added. Go to Global Configuration > Advanced and enable “Allow servers with one interface” option then click save.

If you do not already have one, create a new “unmanaged” server type: Navigate to Servers > Server types tab > Add server type. a. Provide a name and a random SKU b. Check the “Unmanaged” checkbox at the bottom of the form.

Create a file called servers.yaml

site: local-site-1
serialNumber: PC1
serverType: M.15.15.1
interfaces:
- mac: 00:B0:D0:63:C2:26
  switch: sonic01
  switchInterface: Ethernet1
---
site: local-dc-1
serialNumber: PC2
serverType: M.15.15.1
interfaces:
- mac: 00:B0:D0:63:C2:26
  switch: sonic01
  switchInterface: Ethernet2

Import the servers

metalcloud-cli server import-batch --file servers.yaml --format yaml

The servers should now show up in the Servers section:

We are now ready to start deploying network configurations.

Provisioning a network using the self-service interface

This is how end-users will be consuming the network profile that you configured. In this case the same user will be performing both the definition of the service and the consumption part, but in a real setting the end-user and the admin will be different. End-users will receive access to their ‘infrastructure’ with the servers already added.

Access the Infrastructure designer from the upper right corner menu with the user’s initials.
If a single site exists then the default infrastructure will be created. If not, create an infrastructure in the local site you just created.
Click “Create your first instance array”
Select the unmanaged server type used.
Select one of the servers you just added in the dropdown below.
Select the network profile ‘internet01’. Alternatively use the Advanced tab to select it on both servers.
Click save.
Repeat the process for the other server

The two servers are now connected to the default “WAN” network.

Click the Deploy button on the bottom.

At the end of the deploy both servers will show as ‘Active’.

You have now successfully provisioned a network “as a Service”.

Next steps

Learn more about networks and network profiles Networking Overview