Lab Guide 1 - Multi-vendor

Blueprints

Now, you will take the elements that we created in previous sections (and some others that were predefined for you) and bring them together to create a blueprint. Then you will configure individual resources for various elements in the Staging tab. Some elements require resource assignments from pools to complete the configurations. This exercise takes you through the necessary assignments. As these are added, Apstra extracts what is needed from the pool assignements and ensures that all required resources are properly allocated. These details are validated to verify they are in compliance with the design intent before any configurations are performed on the devices. Let’s begin the blueprint creation now.

Create Blueprint

  1. Click Blueprints, then click Create Blueprint.

    blueprint_create-421.jpg

  2. Name the blueprint apstra-pod1 or you may replace apstra with your own name, if you like.

  3. From the template drop-down list, select apstra. A preview of the blueprint’s intent appears.

  4. Click Create to create the blueprint and return to the blueprint summary view. For a moment, you will see Apstra 'scaffolding' the blueprint

  5. Once complete, click the blueprint name to see its dashboard. This is where you can check the overall health of the network and quickly see any anomalies. But, before we can see any information on the dashboard, we’ll need to complete our build-out of the blueprint and deploy it. Let’s get started by clicking on the blueprint you have just created.

    select_bp-421.jpg

Assign Resources

You’ll notice that there are red indicators showing where assignments are needed. These are places where assignments are necessary to complete the definitions and prepare for deployment. Let’s begin these assignments.

  1. From the blueprint, navigate to Staged > Physical > Build > Resources.

    assign_resources-421.jpg

  2. Click the red status indicator next to one of the required resources, then click the Update assignments button to see available resource pools.

    JuniperApstraBlueprintsStagedPhysicalBuildResources.png

  3. Select the pool as specified in the table below for the required resource that you are assigning:

    Table 1. Table Pool Resources
    Resource Requirement Resource Pool

    ASNs - Spines

    vpod-evpn-asn-pool (You created this one.)

    ASNs - Leafs

    vpod-evpn-asn-pool

    Loopback IPs - Spines

    spine-loopback (This was created for you.)

    Loopback IPs - Leafs

    leaf-loopback (This was created for you.)

    Link IPs - Spines <>Leafs

    spine-leaf (This was created for you.)
    If you don’t see the required pool, you may need to click the directional arrow to see additional pools.

    more_pools_330.png

  4. Click the Save button. When the resource has been successfully assigned, the red status indicator turns green.

    moreJABlueprintsStagedPhysicalBuildResources4.png

  5. Repeat the steps for each resource requirement.

Assign Devices and Preparing for the First Commit

  1. To the right of the Resources tab, select the Device Profiles tab.

    dp_assignment-421

  2. Click the red status indicator next to virtual-7x10-1, then click the Change Interface Maps assignment button.

  3. Assign interface maps for each device as shown in the table below.

    Table 2. Table Interface Map Assignment Values
    Name Value

    apstra_mlag_001_leaf1

    Arista_vEOS__slicer-7x10-1

    apstra_mlag_001_leaf2

    Arista_vEOS__slicer-7x10-1

    apstra_single_001_leaf1

    Cisco_NXOSv__slicer-7x10-1

    spine1

    VS_SONiC_BUZZNIK_PLUS__slicer-7x10-1

    spine2

    VS_SONiC_BUZZNIK_PLUS__slicer-7x10-1

    IM update

  4. Click Update Assignments to assign the device models and return to the build page. After a moment the red status indicator turns green indicating that the assignments were successful.

    IM_result.png

Assign System IDs

  1. To the right of the Device Profiles tab, select the Devices tab.

    im_assignment-421.jpg

  2. Click the yellow status indicator next to Assigned System IDs, then click the Change System IDs assignments button,

  3. Assign systems as shown in the table below. Note that the subnet of your lab is different from the one shown in the screenshot.

    Table 3. Table System ID Values
    Name Value

    spine1

    172.20.XXX.11

    spine2

    172.20.XXX.12

    leaf1

    172.20.XXX.13

    leaf2

    172.20.XXX.14

    leaf3

    172.20.XXX.15

  4. Assign the devices as shown and ensure that each system is set to Deploy mode. Click Update Assignments to assign the System IDs and you are returned to the Build page. If you had any difficulty making these assignments, make sure you performed the Interface Map assignments correctly (previous step). Click Update Assignments.

    bld_update_assignments

    Since the multi-vendor Reference Design uses MLAG for redundancy (you specified this in the Rack Type exercise), there is an additional resource assignment needed. MLAG requires that we assign an IP subnet to be used for peer links. Let’s do this now.

  5. Navigate to Staged > Virtual > Virtual Networks.

  6. Click the red status indicator next to SVI Subnets - MLAG domain.

  7. Click the Update assignments button, then select virtual-networks (You may need to click the directional arrow to see it.)

    mlag_assign-421.png

  8. Click the Save button. The red status indicator turns green indicating that the assignment was successful. You will also notice that the Staged tab is now green, indicating that all resource assignments have been completed.

    bld_peer_subnet-complete.png

    Click the Uncommitted tab, which you will notice is now yellow and no longer red. This indicates that all the staged changes are ready to be committed to the new fabric.

    bld_first_commit.jpg

  9. The information you see is all the changes that are staged for the blueprint. Since this is the first time you have done this, what you see is everything that has been added since instantiating the blueprint from the template. You can see even more details about the staged changes by clicking the Full Nodes Diff tab. Have a look around this screen to become familiar with how things appear when changes are complete and ready to be pushed to the Active network.

  10. Pressing Commit brings up a screen where you can place a description of the changes. Notes and details of the stages changes should be entered to describe what is being added to the blueprint. The more descriptive you are, the better it will be when you wish to move between fabric snapshots using the Time Voyager feature.

    bld_first_commit_description_entry.png

  11. Once the description is entered, press the Commit button and watch as the Active network is configured. This will take some time. You can enter the Active to watch the network come to life. Shortly, the objects will all turn green and the anomalies will dissapate. Be patient as the agents configure each device and telemetry begins to flow. Once everything turns green, you are ready to move to the next step.

This is how your network should appear before moving on to the next exercise, where you will be adding external connections to your pod.

bld_first_commit_all_green-421.jpg