Setting Up Virtual Connection Endpoints (VCEs)

Use this page to add and manage Virtual Connection Endpoints (VCE) for a particular Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance (formerly Skylight) module. You can also add routes to a VCE here.

If you want to set up an NFV TWAMP session or an NFV ETH-DMM session from sensor orchestration capabilities within Provider Connectivity Assurance (formerly Skylight orchestrator), you must use a remote device for which an appropriate VCE has been defined. For examples of how to set up VCEs for these purposes, see "Setting Up Virtual Connection Endpoints (VCEs)".

After you add a VCE, the VCE will be instantly propagated to the sensor orchestration capabilities within Provider Connectivity Assurance to which the Sensor Control is linked. From sensor orchestration capabilities within Provider Connectivity Assurance, you will then be able to set up sessions on the Provider Connectivity Assurance module using its VCE. For more information on setting up NFV sessions, see the Sensor Orchestration as a Capability within Provider Connectivity Assurance Guide.

▶ To add a new VCE or edit an existing VCE

1. Access the page Virtual Connection ▶ VCE ▶ Configuration.

   A list of all existing VCEs and their current status is displayed.

   ---

   Note: You cannot assign the name of an existing logical interface to a VCE. For more information about logical interfaces, refer to Adding or Editing a Logical Interface.

   ---

2. Click Add to create a new VCE or click the Name of an existing VCE to edit its settings.

3. Enter values in the required fields, then click Apply.

   For more information on specific parameters, refer to the table "VCE Configuration and Status (VCE ▶ Configuration)".

   The VCE is instantly propagated to the sensor orchestration capabilities within Provider Connectivity Assurance to which the Sensor Control is linked. From the sensor orchestration capabilities within Provider Connectivity Assurance, you can set up sessions on the Cisco Provider Connectivity Assurance Sensor Modules using its VCE.

4. You are now ready to add routes to the VCE, as explained in "Adding Routes to a Virtual Connection Endpoint (VCE) ".

   ---

   Note: You can check the "Simplified NFV-PM Configuration" to preconfigure some VCE's fields.

   ---

The IP information of a VCE associated to a VCA-VLAN can be set. But the L2 parameters are read-only. For more information on specific parameters, refer to the following section.

VCE Configuration and Status (VCE ▶ Configuration) Parameters

VCE Name: A name that uniquely identifies the VCE on the Sensor Control. This name is propagated to the sensor orchestration capabilities within Provider Connectivity Assurance (to which the Sensor Control is linked) along with all the connectivity information for VCE.

Remote Device: Name The remote device is selected automatically in the remote device context selection on the top right corner. You can choose to select another remote device if required.

Type: Specifies the type of VCE to be selected. This is associated with the TPID, therefore changing the type will also change the TPID.

Available options are:

• Customer: Emulation of a Customer Bridge
• Operator: Emulation of a Service Bridge
• Tunnel: Emulation of a bundling Service Bridge

TPID: The TPID (Tag Protocol Identifier). Specifies the type of VLAN-tagging used in the frames that will be handled by this VCE.

Available tag protocol options are:

• 0x8100: C-VLAN
• 0x88a8: S-VLAN
• 0x9100: T-VLAN

Component ID: The ID of the Component into which the VCE will be attached. Specifying 0 indicates that the system shall automatically assign a component ID.

VLAN Settings

Frame Type: Specifies the type of frames that will be selected for handling by this VCE.

Available options are:

• all-to-one: All frames that are associated with a VLAN.
• untagged: Frames that are not associated with a VLAN.
• vlan-tagged: Frames that are associated with with a specific VLAN.

Relay Action: Select the action to be performed on incoming frames.

• none: Do not perform any action
• tag: Add a VLAN tag to frames
• untag: Remove a VLAN tag from tagged frames
• preserve: Keep the VLAN tag of tagged frames
• translate: Change the VLAN ID of tagged frames

A VCE can only perform one action. If you need to perform a series of actions, you must define multiple VCEs.

TP A: Use this parameter to configure the incoming Terminal Point (TP) to either UNI (User Network Interface) or NNI (Network Network Interface).

By default, the TP A is a virtual UNI port, and it can be:

• Internal: Used to identify the TP as being connected to another VCE.
• External: The incoming UNI port is enabled
• Disabled: The incoming UNI port will not be used

TP Z: Use this parameter to configure the outgoing Terminal Point (TP) to either UNI (User Network Interface) or NNI (Network Network Interface).

By default, the TP Z is a virtual NNI port, and it can be:

• Internal: Used to identify the TP as being connected to another VCE.
• External: The outgoing NNI port is enabled
• Disabled: The outgoing NNI port will not be used

TP A Port: The TP A Port defines the Ingress port of VCE. It can be either UNI or NNI.

TP Z Port: The TP Z Port defines the Egress port of VCE. It can be either UNI or NNI.

TP A VID: Frames from this VLAN will be handled by the VCE/Provider Connectivity Assurance module:

In the AtoZ direction this VLAN is used to categorize the traffic coming in, and apply the corresponding filters.

In the ZtoA direction this VLAN is used in the Relay action (either the tag or translate).

TP Z VID: Specifies the VLAN ID associated with the outgoing port (the TP Z). The action that will be applied to the incoming frames will be to change the VLAN ID from the TP A VID value to the TP Z VID value.

In the AtoZ direction this VLAN is used in the Relay action (either the tag or translate).

In the ZtoA direction this VLAN is used to categorize the traffic coming in, and apply the corresponding filters.

CoS Mapping

TP A PCP Mapping: The TP A PCP Mapping is the ingress CoS profile name with the type PCP.

Also if you do not specify any CoS profile, the default one will be automatically selected. It will be visible after the VCE is created.

TP Z PCP Mapping: The TP Z PCP Mapping is the egress CoS profile name with the type PCP.

Layer-3 Settings

L3 Domain State: The IP domain configured for the VCE can operate at Layer 3 as well as at Layer 2.

Available options for the Enable check box:

• Checked: Enable Layer 3 domain for both virtual ports of the VCE (TP A and TP Z)
• Unchecked: Disable both virtual ports

You can enable or disable each of the two virtual ports separately using the two check boxes TP A L3 state and TP Z L3 state.

TP A L3 State: Enable or disable the Layer-3 domain for the incoming virtual port.

TP Z L3 State: Enable or disable the Layer-3 domain for the outgoing virtual port.

IPv4 Settings

Automatic IP (DHCP): Select this option to obtain an IP address and gateway for the Provider Connectivity Assurance module automatically.

Allows the interface to act as a DHCP client and automatically obtain its IP address, DNS server and gateway settings from a DHCP server.

Use DHCP route information: Enable (or disable) the use of DHCP to assign the route to the VCE.

Manual configuration: Select this option to assign a static IP address to the VCE.

IP Address: The IP address to assign to the interface.

Only displayed if Manual is selected as the method for assigning an IP address.

Network mask: Only displayed if Manual is selected as the method for assigning an IP address.

The network mask associated with the IP address.

Default gateway: Only displayed if Manual is selected as the method for assigning an IP address.

A default gateway address provides a shortcut for creating a default gateway through the route configuration. Only one default gateway can be set per VCE.

IPv6 Settings

IPv6 enable: Enable or disable IPv6 on the interface.

IPv6 address: Static VCE IPv6 address, with prefix.

Prefix Length: The Prefix Length associated with the IP address.

Default gateway: A default gateway address provides a shortcut for creating a default gateway through the IPv6 route configuration. Only one default gateway can be set per VCE.