Bug 1380645

Hello,

Summarizing this:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux machines (and other GNU/Linuxes) are often used as routers, so a more advanced VLAN configuration should be possible on their network interfaces.

Please document how to obtain, on a Red Hat Enterprise Linux Ethernet interface, the equivalent of the following Cisco commands (which are "common language" among network engineers and widely described in technical network literature):


vlan
vlan database

switchport mode access
switchport access vlan ID

switchport encapsulation (dot1q or isl)
switchport mode trunk
switchport trunk native vlan ID
switchport trunk allowed vlan IDs

switchport mode private-vlan

switchport voice


and their "no" counterparts.


Please see, as reference from other major providers:


https://supportforums.cisco.com/discussion/12476171/switch-port-modes

https://www.alliedtelesis.com/sites/default/files/gs900mx_command_ref_5.4.6-2.x_reva.pdf

https://www.alliedtelesis.com/sites/default/files/x510_command_ref_5.4.5-0.1_reva_0.pdf


Thank you,
Răzvan

Hi Răzvan,

Thank you for reporting this docs BZ. I'll create a new section with an introduction based on the info you provided, and I'll set a needinfo on a Red Hat Subject Matter expert to determine the extent of the new section and then work on the content.

Please note that we are not trying to document absolutely all features with all options in Red Hat documentation. Instead, we are trying to prioritize appropriately by identifying user stories to enhance our documentation in order to provide guidance for situation and problems the users encounter.

I'll discuss with a Subject Matter Expert how to best handle this docs update, and we'll let you know in a public comment.

Thanks again for taking the time to file this BZ and helping us make Red Hat documentation awesome.

(In reply to Răzvan Sandu from comment #2)
> vlan
> vlan database

We don't have any equivalent commands and basically refer on how to list vlans on a local system. We might be able to talk a bit about GVRP a bit in here, depending on its status in NetworkManager?

> switchport mode access
> switchport access vlan ID
>
> switchport encapsulation (dot1q or isl)
> switchport mode trunk
> switchport trunk native vlan ID
> switchport trunk allowed vlan IDs

We can refer to: https://access.redhat.com/solutions/39674

> switchport mode private-vlan

For Layer two, we basically just need to enable routing instead of switching, weak end host model does the rest (in contrast to Cisco). On top of that either proxy_arp or simple routing with /32 addresses (if supported by the end operating system, otherwise /31).

> switchport voice

As far as I see, we miss support for cisco discovery protocol. We provide LLDP instead, but AFAIK there is no integration with LLDP and Cisco's voice capabilities.

Voice VLANs also have a lot to do with 802.1P and we don't support QoS and vlan priorities out of the box. We might be able to come up with special tc/qdisc setups upon providing more details. But there is no single-click feature we can offer right now.

Hello,

@Milan Navratil

Thank you for your kind response!

In today's high density networks, using VLANs is not uncommon; in fact, these are basic networking tasks, such as assigning IP addreses.

So a user must know how to:

- connect his RedHat workstation to a given VLAN (the "switchport access" case)

- send (or forward, if the system is used as a router) packets for *multiple* VLANs on a single interface (the "switchport trunk" case).


This is pretty common, should be well-known and easily feasible.


Thanks again,
Răzvan

Hello Răzvan Sandu,

please also have a look at comment #5, which I just made public.

(In reply to Răzvan Sandu from comment #6)
> In today's high density networks, using VLANs is not uncommon; in fact,
> these are basic networking tasks, such as assigning IP addreses.
> 
> So a user must know how to:
> 
> - connect his RedHat workstation to a given VLAN (the "switchport access"
> case)
> 
> - send (or forward, if the system is used as a router) packets for
> *multiple* VLANs on a single interface (the "switchport trunk" case).

Both of these should be pretty easy to configure with either iproute or in NetworkManager. Basically it is about just adding interfaces and enabling forwarding. I hope the comment in #5 helped you. If not, please let us know.

Bye,
Hannes

The updated version is:
http://jenkinscat.gsslab.pnq.redhat.com:8080/job/doc-Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux-7-Networking_Guide%20(html-single)/lastSuccessfulBuild/artifact/tmp/en-US/html-single/index.html#sec-Configure_802_1Q_VLAN_Tagging-Configuring-VLAN-switchpport-mode

This update has been published on the Customer POrtal:

https://access.redhat.com/documentation/en-US/Red_Hat_Enterprise_Linux/7/html/Networking_Guide/sec-Configure_802_1Q_VLAN_Tagging-Configuring-VLAN-switchpport-mode.html