- Overview
- Product Documentation
- CML 2.8 Release Notes
- CML 2.8 Installation Guide
- CML 2.8 User Guide
- CML 2.8 Admin Guide
- CML Administrator's Guide
- Cisco Modeling Labs System Overview
- System Defaults
- Creating a New Node Definition
- Node Definition SMBIOS Parameters Specification
- Custom VM Images
- Clustering
- CML Admin Tools
- System Settings
- Networking
- Resources
Adding VLAN Interfaces¶
You can use any network interface you add to the CML server to carry multiple VLANs at once, if you set it up in trunk mode. In VMWare ESXi, you would assign the interface to a network configured for special VLAN id 4095. Bare metal servers can typically set trunk mode or access mode to a concrete VLAN in each network interface’s settings.
A bridge you create over this interface will then forward all VLANs into the lab nodes, which you then can configure accordingly. In this setup, you need to disable bridge protection on the newly-created bridge during the final configuration steps.
However, you can reuse an interface in trunk mode to host VLAN subinterfaces, each of which you then add to a separate L2 bridge. Only 802.1Q VLANs can be created in System Administration Cockpit, there is no direct support of switching them to QinQ in the UI.
You can use each VLAN once per network interface, and you can create a subinterface with the same VLAN id on multiple interfaces. You create a different bridge for each subinterface. The traffic will be separated on the CML server, as long as it is also separated in the environment outside the CML deployment.
In all cases, only one of the layers (server management, CML server, or lab node) should be configured for VLAN tagging.
Procedure
Select an existing unused Ethernet interface on the CML server, or create one. disable its IP configuration like you would on the bridge and set its MTU as needed.
Log into the System Administration Cockpit as the system administrator account. See Logging into the System Administration Cockpit.
Click Networking in the navigation bar on the left side of the page.
Click on the designated parent interface name in the Interfaces table.
Click the Automatic (DHCP) link to open the IPv4 settings dialog.
Turn the configuration method to Disabled, and turn all toggles to the off position.
Click Apply.
IPv4 Settings dialog¶
Repeat this for the IPv6 settings, where you set the configuration method to Ignore.
(Optional) If your use case demands, and your network outside of CML can handle it, set a specific MTU on the interface, e.g., 9000. Otherwise, leave it as Automatic.
MTU Settings Dialog¶
Click Networking in the navigation bar on the left side of the page.
For each VLAN number you want to add, click the Add VLAN button to open a dialog. Select the main interface as a parent and enter the VLAN number. You may change the name for the subinterface, but the provided default is usually more helpful.
VLAN Subinterface Create Dialog¶
Click Apply.
The new subinterface will be created and enabled. Disable its IP configuration using the same steps as for all other interfaces. You should not need to set a separate MTU.
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Each new VLAN subinterface can be used to create a separate L2 bridge. You may, but are not required to, name the created bridge vlan followed by 1-4 digits, ideally the VLAN id itself.
The new L2 networks behave in the same manner as if they used separate vNIC interfaces in access mode in their respective VLANs. Traffic sent and received on lab nodes connected to the bridges via external connector nodes will be therefore untagged.