Unit 2

ERX Virtual Routers

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 1

 Virtual Routers Unit Objectives

• Define the term Virtual Router

• List and describe three different uses for
Virtual Routers
• Identify ERX parameters specific to Virtual
Routers
• Configure and manage Virtual Routers on the
ERX

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 2

 ISP1’s Current Network…

EDGE LAN EDGE WAN CORE EDGE WAN EDGE LAN

IP 75xx IP
PPP 75xx FR/PPP
T1/FT1/T3
C I S C O SY S TE M S

E1/E3
C I S C O SY S T E M S

OC3, DS3
100’s of
100’s of Customers
Customers POS

IP FR ATM
T1/FT1/T3 9000 75xx
C I S C O SY S T E M S

75xx
C I S C O SY S T E M S

IP
FR/PPP 100’s of
E1/E3 Customers

100’s of
Customers

Recall that our ISP’s current network looks like the above diagram.
This ISP is currently services only their direct customers. These customer’s access rates
vary from 56 kbps to T1 using a combination of PPP and Frame Relay.
This ISP uses a combination of Cisco 75xx;s for dedicated, high speed links, and uses
9000’s to aggregate slower speed links onto higher speed links which then are fed into the
7500.
Now this ISP is interested in wholesaling to ISP A and B.

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 3

 Wholesaling … Approach #1

EDGE LAN EDGE WAN CORE EDGE WAN EDGE LAN

IP 75xx IP
PPP 75xx FR/PPP
T1/FT1/T3
C I S C O SY S TE M S

E1/E3
C I S C O SY S T E M S

OC3, DS3
100’s of
100’s of Customers
Customers
C I S C O S Y S T E M S
POS C I S C O S Y S T E M S

ISP B ISP A
IP FR 9000 ATM
T1/FT1/T3 75xx
C I S C O SY S T E M S

75xx
C I S C O SY S T E M S

IP 100’s of
FR/PPP Customers
100’s of E1/E3
Customers C I S C O S Y S T E M S

C I S C O S Y S T E M S

C I S C O S Y S T E M S

C I S C O S Y S T E M S

ISP A ISP A
ISP B ISP B

A common approach to wholesaling is installing a separate router at each location for

each wholesale client. Unfortunately, this approach is hardware intensive, space
intensive, and difficult to manage.

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 4

 Wholesaling using ERX Virtual
Routers
ERX
ISP A ERX ISP A

ISP A
ISP A
ISP B ISP B ISP B
ISP B

1000’s of
1000’s of Customers
Customers

ATM
ISP A ISP A
ERX
ERX
ISP A
ISP B ISP A ISP B
ISP B
ISP B
1000’s of
Customers

1000’s of
Customers

Using the ERX and virtual routers, this ISP can offer services to different ISPs without
purchasing a router for each provider.

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 5

 Virtual Routers on the ERX

ISP A U

Corporate VPN ISP A

VPN X
Customer A
Customer B default
Customer C

• Multiple separate and distinct routers within a single chassis

• Potential Uses:
- Individual routers dedicated to wholesale customers
- Corporate Virtual Private Networks (VPN)
- Routers dedicated to a particular traffic type
• 240 Virtual Routers per ERX
• You’ve already been working with virtual routers!
- The ‘default’ virtual router

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 6

 ERX Virtual Routers - Think Layers
Again!

OC3
CT3
ISPA ispa
Per IP
0
FR 192.168.9.1/24 Virtual Router
0
ISPB FR FR
ispb
1

192.168.33.1/24 1 Global T1 #1
‘Box-wide’ DS0 1-4

2 default
PPP 192.168.2.1/24
CT3 Port
10.3.202.1/16

Customers SRP 0

• Layer 1 and Layer 2 information is global or ‘box-wide’

- controllers, serial interfaces, PPP, Frame Relay, POS, ATM
• Layer 3 information is specific to a virtual router
- IP Interfaces, Routing Processes, IP Routing Tables

On the ERX, Layer 1 and Layer 2 information is global or ‘box-wide’ in nature.

Physical Layer information such as slot/port number, controller information such as
timeslots, timing, speed, and framing can be configured in any virtual router since this
information applies to the entire box. It is not specific to a virtual router. The same holds
true for data link information. Encapsulation methods, such as PPP, Frame Relay, etc.
are also box-wide in nature and can be configured within any virtual router.
IP information is specific to a virtual router and must be configured within the appropriate
virtual router. Commands used to view layer 3 information, such as IP interfaces or IP
routing tables, must be executed in the appropriate virtual router.

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 7

 ERX Virtual Routers
• Configuration

OC3
CT3
ispa
ISPA ERX1:(config)#virtual-router ispa
0 Proceed with new virtual-router
FR 192.168.9.1/24
creation? [confirm]
0 ERX1:ispa(config)#
ISPB • VR Rules of Thumb
FR
ispb - Can not abbreviate virtual router
1 names
- Virtual Router names are CaSe
192.168.33.1/24 1 sensitive
- Initially login to the default virtual
router
2 default
- The prompt indicates virtual router
PPP 192.168.2.1/24
location
10.3.202.1/16
- Physical and Data Link
Customers SRP 0 configuration can occur in any
Virtual Router
- Network configuration must occur
in the appropriate Virtual Router
- Telnet configured per Virtual Router
- show config specifying virtual router

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 8

 How do I manage Virtual Routers?
• List virtual routers configured on the ERX
- ERX1#show virtual-router
• Prompt indicates current virtual router
- ERX1#
- ERX1:ispa#
• Change to a different Virtual Router
- ERX1# virtual-router ispb
- ERX1:ispb#
• Manage layer 1 and layer 2 from any virtual router
- show controller
- show interface serial 4/0:1/1
- show ppp interface down
- show pos interface
• Manage layer 3 from a specific virtual router
- show ip route
- show ip interface brief
- show ip traffic
• View the configuration for a specific virtual router
- show config virtual-router ispa

ERX Virtual Routers Rev 3.2 Page 2- 9