SysAdmin Lab 3

A10 Virtual Chassis System

(aVCS)
Version 4.1.0 (12/15/16)
Lab 3 Overview
The A10 Virtual Chassis System (aVCS) is a centralized management layer that combines up
to 8 devices into a structure that functions as a single virtual chassis. An aVCS cluster
consists of a Master device that accesses the chassis configuration and multiple Blade
devices that provide chassis resources. Chassis changes are implemented through the
Master device and propagated to the blade devices.
This lab creates an aVCS chassis from three ACOS devices and illustrates common
maintenance and verification tasks including transferring the Master device designation to
a blade device, using a floating IP address to access the chassis, and modifying the structure
of the chassis to add or remove an ACOS device.
Lab 3 objectives include:
• Configure an aVCS chassis from a Master and two Blade devices
• Understand heartbeat synchronization of Master and Blade devices
• Verify and monitor the aVCS configuration and operations
• Modify an A10 chassis by removing, replacing, and adding a device
• Create and use a floating IP address
• Transfer control of the chassis between devices

Lab 3 Planning
• The chassis is assigned the set ID of 1
• Device ID assignments: A1: 1 A2: 2 A3: 3
• The floating management IP is 1.0.0.10
• Default priority is 0; this allows aVCS Master device assignment to any chassis device
• Heartbeat network interfaces: ve 300 and Management

Device Preparation
Prepare the devices for this lab by performing the appropriate instruction set.

Continuing from Lab2: Initial Configuration

When starting the lab after successfully completing Lab 2, proceed to Configuring the A10
Virtual Chassis System (aVCS).

Starting from all Other Chassis Conditions

When starting this lab from any other starting point, prepare the devices by following the
instructions Appendix A section Device Preparation: Lab 3 – aVCS.

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Configuring the A10 Virtual Chassis System (aVCS)
Configuring the Master Device
The Master VCS device is configured through the A1 device. In addition to the device and
chassis IDs, this configuration includes a floating IP address and the network assignment to
facilitate heartbeat signals that synchronize the devices.
1. Open an SSH connection to device A1 and enter config mode.
2. Configure the Device ID and Set ID specified in the planning section.
vrrp-a common
device-id 1
set-id 1
exit
The first command changes the prompt to A1(config-common)#, indicating the device
is accessing VRRP-A global commands. The exit command returns device to config
mode.
3. Enable aVCS on the device.
vcs enable
The prompt changes to A1(config:1)#, indicating that subsequent configuration
commands modify the first device in the chassis.
4. Configure the floating IP address of 1.0.0.10/24.
vcs floating-ip 1.0.0.10 /24
5. Enter aVCS configuration mode for device 1
vcs device 1
The vcs device 1 command changes the prompt to A1(config:1-device:1)#, indicating
subsequent commands configure aVCS for device 1 (A1).
6. Configure aVCS to use ve 300 and management interfaces for VCS heartbeat signals
that synchronize the device chassis.
interfaces ve 300
interfaces management
priority 200
enable
exit
7. Reload the aVCS daemon to start aVCS (respond no to save configuration prompt).
vcs reload

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8. Wait a few moments, then press Enter repeatedly until the prompt changes.
The prompt (A1-vMaster[1/1]) indicates device is vMaster and is device 1 in chassis 1.
9. Display the aVCS status.
show vcs summary
The output consist of two sections:
• VCS Chassis block displays chassis status, settings, and IP addresses aVCS uses.
This includes the Multicast IP address and Multicast Port the device assigned to the
chassis. The chassis facilitates VCS communications through these addresses.
• Member table indicates the chassis contains one vMaster device. The Member ID
references the device ID configured on the device.

Configuring Blade Devices

This section repeats the process for the A2 and A3 devices. The Set ID is identical on each
device; Device IDs differ from A1. The floating IP address is configured on only one device.
10. Open an SSH connection to device A2 and enter config mode.
11. Configure the Device ID and Set ID specified in the planning section and enable aVCS.
vrrp-a common
device-id 2
set-id 1
vcs enable
The prompt changes to A2(config:2)#, indicating that subsequent commands modify
Device 2 (A2) in the aVCS chassis.
12. Configure aVCS (Device 2) to use ve 300 and management interfaces for VCS heartbeat
signals. Reload aVCS daemon to start aVCS (respond no to save configuration prompt).
vcs device 2
interfaces ve 300
interfaces management
priority 180
enable
vcs reload
13. Wait a few moments, then press Enter repeatedly to observe prompt changes.
The SSH session is eventually closed by a reload operation that VCS requires to
synchronize the device to the chassis.
14. Re-open the SSH connection to A2.
The prompt (A2-vBlade[1/2]) indicates device is a blade and is device 2 in chassis 1.

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15. Attempt to enter configuration mode.
The device responds This device is currently a vBlade. Try using the virtual chassis
floating IP address instead. Config mode commands that modify aVCS chassis devices
must be entered through the vMaster.
16. Display the aVCS status.
show vcs summary
VCS Chassis block that a blade device displays a subset of the information shown by the
vMaster device. Member table indicates the chassis now has two devices: a vMaster and
one blade. The asterisk (*) indicates the local device.
17. Display the system’s running config.
show running-config
VRRP-A and VCS parameters are displayed first. The remainder of running config
includes the commands on both configured devices.
18. Open an SSH connection to device A3, enter configuration mode, configure the Device
ID and Set ID specified in the planning section, then enable aVCS on the device
vrrp-a common
device-id 3
set-id 1
exit
vcs enable
19. Configure aVCS to use ve 300 and management interfaces for VCS heartbeat signals,
then reload the aVCS daemon to start aVCS (respond no to save configuration prompt).
vcs device 3
interfaces ve 300
interfaces management
priority 160
enable
exit
vcs reload
20. Wait a few moments, then press Enter repeatedly to observe prompt changes.
The SSH session is eventually closed by a reload operation that VCS requires to
synchronize the device to the chassis.

Verifying the aVCS Configuration

21. Return to the A1 device and display aVCS status.
show vcs summary

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 The Member table indicates the chassis contains three devices.
22. Check the system’s running config.
show running-config
The A1 configuration includes statements for all devices in the aVCS chassis.

Saving and Backing Up the aVCS Configuration

23. From the aVCS Master (device A1), save the configuration to the startup profile. This
writes the configuration to all devices in the aVCS set.
write memory
24. Back up the file system to the FTP server.
backup system use-mgmt-port ftp://ftp@1.0.0.100/ConfigBackup/
Lab03_A1.tar.gz (respond no to save configuration prompt)

Working with aVCS Configurations

Adding a Heartbeat Interface
This section configures VE 200 as a heartbeat and synchronization interface.
25. Open an SSH connection to device A1 and enter config mode.
26. Add interface VE 200 to the aVCS configuration.
vcs device 1
interfaces ve 200
exit
27. Reload VCS to activate the configuration change.
vcs reload respond no to save configuration prompt
Device A1 retains its role as the vMaster.
28. Reboot device A1.
reboot respond yes to save configuration prompt
29. Open an SSH connection to device A2 and notice this device has become the vMaster.
Display the aVCS summary and wait for device A1 to complete the reboot.
show vcs summary
Notice that once device A1 is completely restated it will not reassume the vMaster role
even though it has the higher priority.
30. From another shell, open an SSH connection to 1.0.0.10.

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 The cursor identifies the vMaster device (A2-vMaster[1/2] or A3-vMaster[1/3]).
Configuration tasks can be performed from this device.
31. From the vMaster device, add interface VE 200 to device 2 (host A2).
vcs device 2
interfaces ve 200
32. From the A1 session, confirm the aVCS change propagated to the blade.
show running-config | sec vcs
The vcs device 1 and vcs device 2 sections include interfaces ve 200.
33. Open an SSH connection to device A1, transfer the vMaster role to device A1.
vcs vmaster-take-over 255
34. (A1) Add interface ve 200 to device 3.
vcs device 3
interfaces ve 200
exit
The vcs vMaster-maintenance command retains the local device’s role as vMaster for a
specified period. This command can be used before a reload or vcs reload command
35. Set vMaster-maintenance for 5 minutes, then reload VCS. Save the configuration when
prompted. Repeatedly display aVCS status to view device activity as aVCS reloads.
vcs vMaster-maintenance 300
vcs reload respond yes to save configuration prompt
repeat 5 show vcs summary
36. When aVCS is stable (the Member table does not change over a 30 second period),
terminate the show vcs summary display (type Ctrl-C).

Managing L2/3 device specific configurations

This section adds VLAN 500 to each device in the aVCS chassis.
37. Add VLAN 500 (tagged Ethernet interface 1 and IP address 5.0.0.1) to device 1.
device 1
vlan 500
tagged ethernet 1
router-interface ve 500
interface ve 500
ip address 5.0.0.1 /24
38. Add VLAN 500 to devices 2, and 3, assigning tagged Ethernet interface 1 and IP
addresses 5.0.0.2 and 5.0.0.3 to the VLANs on the respective devices.

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 device 2
vlan 500
tagged ethernet 1
router-interface ve 500
interface ve 500
ip address 5.0.0.2 /24
device 3
vlan 500
tagged ethernet 1
router-interface ve 500
interface ve 500
ip address 5.0.0.3 /24
When viewing many status settings on a VCS chassis, designating a device in the show
command identifies the device that you are viewing.
39. From each device, display interface status to verify they are enabled and functioning.
show interfaces brief

Removing a device from the aVCS virtual chassis

Before removing a device from an aVCS chassis, you should disable aVCS on the device to
avoid disrupting other chassis devices. The aVCS configuration on the removed device
persists after aVCS is disabled; it can attempt to spontaneously enable VCS when deployed
in another environment. Best practice when permanently removing a device from a chassis
is to delete all VCS commands from the device.
These commands disable aVCS on device A3, then erases all configuration commands
except its management interface IP address. VCS disable is an enable mode command that
is available on vMaster and blade devices.
40. Establish an SSH connection to device A3.
41. Disable VCS,
vcs disable
42. Erase the configuration and reload the device.
erase preserve-management reload (respond yes to reload confirmation prompt)
43. From the vMaster, view the VCS status.
show vcs summary
The device block still displays three devices, but the last device is unknown.

Replacing a device in an aVCS virtual chassis

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This section inserts a device into a functional aVCS chassis, replacing a device that was
previously removed. The procedure requires the new device has the same chassis ID and a
device ID that is the same as that of the removed device.
In this example, the device that was previously removed is restored, using the original
chassis and device IDs. The aVCS configuration retained the settings of the removed device.
44. Open an SSH connection to 1.0.0.3.
45. Configure the Set ID (1) and Device ID (3).
vrrp-a common
device-id 3
set-id 1
46. Enable aVCS and configure a heartbeat interface that the chassis uses.
vcs enable
vcs device 3
interfaces management
enable
47. Reload aVCS, using the disable-merge option to prevent the device from writing over
the configuration on the other chassis devices.
vcs reload disable-merge
Press Enter repeatedly to observe changes to the prompt. The device eventually closes.
48. After aVCS reloads the device, open an SSH connection to the device (A3)
49. Verify the device 3 settings were pushed to device A3 (including the hostname and all
heartbeat interfaces).

Preparation for the Next Lab

Configuration changes in the Working With aVCS Configurations section are not used by the
next lab exercise. This section restores the aVCS chassis to the base configuration that was
in place before starting that section.
50. From the A1 device, restore the file system to device 1 from the FTP server (the
following is a single line command).
device 1
restore use-mgmt-port ftp://ftp@1.0.0.100/ConfigBackup/
Lab03_A1.tar.gz (respond no to save configuration prompt)
51. Reload the vMaster device to prepare the devices for the next lab.
vcs vmaster-maintenance 300
end

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 reload

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