Multi-instance IP-VRF

Note: Multi-instance IP-VRF is supported on 7250 IXR and 7730 SXR platforms.

Multi-instance IP-VRF refers to an IP-VRF network instance that supports multiple instances of BGP-VPN (a generalization of BGP families that are used for VPN services, EVPN, or IP-VPN). Multi-instance IP-VRF is configured using the command network-instance protocols bgp-vpn bgp-instance.

Multi-instance IP-VRFs are used on service gateway PE routers that stitch multiple domains together. These domains can use different BGP Layer 3 families or different tunnels in the data path.

The following figure illustrates PE1 and PE2 as service gateways that connect an EVPN-IFL domain to an IP-VPN domain. PE1 and PE2 use a single IP-VRF with two BGP-VPN instances.

Figure 1. Multi-instance IP-VRF structure
The following example shows the configuration of PE1.
--[ network-instance IP-VRF1]--
A:pe1# info
  type ip-vrf
  interface lo0.1 {
  }
  protocols {
    bgp-evpn {
      bgp-instance 2 {
        encapsulation-type mpls
        evi 10
        mpls {
          next-hop-resolution {
            allowed-tunnel-types [ bgp te-policy-sr-policy-mpls-uncolored ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
    bgp-ipvpn {
      bgp-instance 1 {
        mpls {
          next-hop-resolution {
            allowed-tunnel-types [ ldp sr-isis ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
    bgp-vpn {
      bgp-instance 1 {
        route-distinguisher { rd 1:1 }
        route-target {
          export-rt target:64500:10
          import-rt target:64500:10
        }
      }
      bgp-instance 2 {}
    }
  }
The following shows the configuration of PE2.
--[ network-instance IP-VRF1]--
A:pe2# info
  type ip-vrf
  interface lo0.1 {}
  protocols {
    bgp-evpn {
      bgp-instance 2 {
        encapsulation-type mpls
        evi 10
        mpls {
          next-hop-resolution {
            allowed-tunnel-types [ bgp te-policy-sr-policy-mpls-uncolored ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
    bgp-ipvpn {
      bgp-instance 1 {
        mpls {
          next-hop-resolution {
            allowed-tunnel-types [ ldp sr-isis ]
          }
        }
      }
    }
    bgp-vpn {
      bgp-instance 1 {
        route-distinguisher { rd 1:1 }
        route-target {
          export-rt target:64500:10
          import-rt target:64500:10
        }
      }
      bgp-instance 2 {}
    }
  }

Up to two BGP instances are supported in the same network instance of type ip-vrf. One BGP instance is used for EVPN-IFL and the other BGP instance is used for IP-VPN.

If the same route is received on the same IP-VRF via different BGP owners, such as IP-VPN, EVPN-IFL, or BGP PE-CE, the selection and combined ECMP set is completed based on the best path selection for EVPN IFL routes. For more information, see Best path selection for EVPN IFL routes.