Product manual

AX Series Network Partition: Solution Guide [Basic] Second Edition
© 2009-2010 ALAXALA Networks Corporation. All rights reserved.
6
1.2 VRF and partitions
One of the core technologies of network partition is Virtual/VPN Routing and Forwarding (VRF), which handles
multiple logically separated Layer 3 networks in a single device.
Figure 1.2-1 VRF and partitions
In VRF, the fundamental information of the Layer 3 network (routing tables and ARP tables) is controlled and
managed in each separate network. The integration of the logical Layer 3 network separated by VRF and the
logical Layer 2 network separated by VLANs is called the partition for each separated network unit.
Each partition of a device with VRF functionality is identified with an individually assigned, unique ID called a
VRF-ID. There is, however, a network containing a partition without a VRF-ID that is used for overall system
management. This is called a global network. A global network has broader support than common VRF for
system management functionality, including telnet, FTP and syslog.
VRF-ID:2
ARP table
Routing
table
Partition
ARP table
Routing
table
MAC
table
Global
network
VLAN
MAC
table
VLAN
VRF-ID:3
VLAN
ARP table
Routing
table
MAC
table
Partition
VRF-ID:n
Routing
table
ARP table
VLAN
MAC
table
Partition