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Connections

Connection objects represent logical and physical connections between the devices in the Fabric (Switch, Server, Gateway, and External objects) and are needed to define all the connections in the Wiring Diagram.

All connections reference switch or server ports. Only port names defined by switch profiles can be used in the wiring diagram for the switches. In a Gateway connection the interface name on the gateway needs to be accurate. NOS (or any other) port names aren't supported. Currently, server ports aren't validated by the Fabric API other than for uniqueness. See the Switch Profiles and Port Naming section for more details on the switch port names.

There are several types of connections.

Workload server connections

Server connections are used to connect workload servers to switches. For settings on the server side, see end host settings

Unbundled

Unbundled server connections are used to connect servers to a single switch using a single port.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: server-4--unbundled--s5248-02
  namespace: default
spec:
  unbundled:
    link: # Defines a single link between a server and a switch
      server:
        port: server-4/enp2s1
      switch:
        port: s5248-02/E1/1

Bundled

Bundled server connections are used to connect servers to a single switch using multiple ports (port channel, LAG). The server interfaces should be configured for 802.3ad LACP.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: server-3--bundled--s5248-01
  namespace: default
spec:
  bundled:
    links: # Defines multiple links between a single server and a single switch
    - server:
        port: server-3/enp2s1
      switch:
        port: s5248-01/E1/1
    - server:
        port: server-3/enp2s2
      switch:
        port: s5248-01/E1/2

MCLAG

MCLAG server connections are used to connect servers to a pair of switches using multiple ports (Dual-homing). Switches should be configured as an MCLAG pair which requires them to be in a single redundancy group of type mclag and a Connection with type mclag-domain between them. MCLAG switches should also have the same spec.ASN and spec.VTEPIP. The server interfaces should be configured for 802.3ad LACP.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: server-1--mclag--s5248-01--s5248-02
  namespace: default
spec:
  mclag:
    links: # Defines multiple links between a single server and a pair of switches
    - server:
        port: server-1/enp2s1
      switch:
        port: s5248-01/E1/1
    - server:
        port: server-1/enp2s2
      switch:
        port: s5248-02/E1/1

ESLAG

ESLAG server connections are used to connect servers to the 2-4 switches using multiple ports (Multi-homing). Switches should belong to the same redundancy group with type eslag, but contrary to the MCLAG case, no other configuration is required. The server interfaces should be configured for 802.3ad LACP.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: server-1--eslag--s5248-01--s5248-02
  namespace: default
spec:
  eslag:
    links: # Defines multiple links between a single server and a 2-4 switches
    - server:
        port: server-1/enp2s1
      switch:
        port: s5248-01/E1/1
    - server:
        port: server-1/enp2s2
      switch:
        port: s5248-02/E1/1

Switch connections (fabric-facing)

Switch connections are used to connect switches to each other and provide any needed "service" connectivity to implement the Fabric features.

Fabric

A Fabric Connection is used between a specific pair of spine and leaf switches, representing all of the wires between them.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: s5232-01--fabric--s5248-01
  namespace: default
spec:
  fabric:
    links: # Defines multiple links between a spine-leaf pair of switches with IP addresses
    - leaf:
        ip: 172.30.30.1/31
        port: s5248-01/E1/18
      spine:
        ip: 172.30.30.0/31
        port: s5232-01/E1/1
    - leaf:
        ip: 172.30.30.3/31
        port: s5248-01/E1/16
      spine:
        ip: 172.30.30.2/31
        port: s5232-01/E1/2

Mesh

A Mesh connection is used between a pair of leaf switches directly connected to each other, without the need for a spine switch in between. This can be used to create smaller mesh topologies, or to connect border leaves to the fabric when there are no available spine ports.

Warning

Mesh connections are experimental and not yet recommended for production use.

Here's an example YAML definition of a Mesh connection between two leaves:

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: s5248-03--mesh--s5248-04
  namespace: default
spec:
  mesh:
    links: # Defines multiple links between a pair of leaf switches with IP addresses
    - leaf1:
        ip: 172.30.128.8/31
        port: s5248-03/E1/55
      leaf2:
        ip: 172.30.128.9/31
        port: s5248-04/E1/55
    - leaf1:
        ip: 172.30.128.10/31
        port: s5248-03/E1/56
      leaf2:
        ip: 172.30.128.11/31
        port: s5248-04/E1/56

MCLAG-Domain

MCLAG-Domain connections define a pair of MCLAG switches with Session and Peer link between them. Switches should be configured as an MCLAG, pair which requires them to be in a single redundancy group of type mclag and Connection with type mclag-domain between them. MCLAG switches should also have the same spec.ASN and spec.VTEPIP.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: s5248-01--mclag-domain--s5248-02
  namespace: default
spec:
  mclagDomain:
    peerLinks: # Defines multiple links between a pair of MCLAG switches for Peer link
    - switch1:
        port: s5248-01/E1/12
      switch2:
        port: s5248-02/E1/12
    - switch1:
        port: s5248-01/E1/13
      switch2:
        port: s5248-02/E1/13
    sessionLinks: # Defines multiple links between a pair of MCLAG switches for Session link
    - switch1:
        port: s5248-01/E1/14
      switch2:
        port: s5248-02/E1/14
    - switch1:
        port: s5248-01/E1/15
      switch2:
        port: s5248-02/E1/15

VPC-Loopback

In Fabric versions prior to 25.03, VPC-Loopback connections were used for the local VPC peering, i.e. when both VPC are attached to the same switch, to work around a limitation of the supported switches. That workaround is no longer needed nor configurable; this connection type is deprecated.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: s5248-01--vpc-loopback
  namespace: default
spec:
  vpcLoopback:
    links: # Defines multiple loopbacks on a single switch
    - switch1:
        port: s5248-01/E1/16
      switch2:
        port: s5248-01/E1/17
    - switch1:
        port: s5248-01/E1/18
      switch2:
        port: s5248-01/E1/19

Connecting Fabric to the outside world

Connections in this section provide connectivity to the outside world. For example, they can be connections to the Internet, to other networks, or to some other systems such as DHCP, NTP, LMA, or AAA services.

StaticExternal

StaticExternal connections provide a simple way to connect things like DHCP servers directly to the Fabric by connecting them to specific switch ports.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: third-party-dhcp-server--static-external--s5248-04
  namespace: default
spec:
  staticExternal:
    link:
      switch:
        port: s5248-04/E1/1 # Switch port to use
        ip: 172.30.50.5/24 # IP address that will be assigned to the switch port
        vlan: 1005 # Optional VLAN ID to use for the switch port; if 0, no VLAN is configured
        subnets: # List of subnets to route to the switch port using static routes and next hop
          - 10.99.0.0/24
          - 10.199.0.100/32
        nextHop: 172.30.50.1 # Next hop IP address to use when configuring static routes for the "subnets" list

Additionally, it's possible to configure StaticExternal within the VPC to provide access to the third-party resources within a specific VPC, with the rest of the YAML configuration remaining unchanged.

...
spec:
  staticExternal:
    withinVPC: vpc-1 # VPC name to attach the static external to
    link:
      ...

External

Connection to external systems, such as edge/provider routers using BGP peering and configuring Inbound/Outbound communities as well as granularly controlling what gets advertised and which routes are accepted.

apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: s5248-03--external--5835
  namespace: default
spec:
  external:
    link: # Defines a single link between a switch and an external system
      switch:
        port: s5248-03/E1/3

Gateway Connections

Spine to Gateway Connections

These connection types are for gateway to spine connections. These connections will carry the traffic between VPCs that need network services, like NAT. More details about the Gateway are in the Gateway section.

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apiVersion: wiring.githedgehog.com/v1beta1
kind: Connection
metadata:
  name: spine-01--gateway--gateway-1
  namespace: default
spec:
  gateway:
    links:
    - gateway:
        ip: 172.30.128.9/31
        port: gateway-1/enp2s1
      switch:
        ip: 172.30.128.8/31
        port: spine-01/E1/5

Gateway to External Connections

TODO: give the YAML examples