RSP & Packages

[adieball]

Hi

I'm a big fan of Vyatta myself, using it at home and in the company for various things.

One thing one should keep in mind is that there is a special RSP Version of the Vyatta Image.

This is available for customers only, i.e. it's not the core edition but the subscription edition which does cost.

So, apart from the benefits you get of the paid subscription edition, one should know that the official RSP package has a modified kernel which better fits the RSP in regards to performance and stability.

So, if you plan to use it in production environments you might want to think about getting the paid SE Version.

Andre

[woodb1]

As promised  I am going to post the configuration instructions for Vyatta Router community edition.  Although I am unable to post the package you can fetch the bits from Vyatta, simply get the Virtual Appliance code and run through the packager.  Once created as a PKG, load on RSP as usual.

Now a couple of cavets with routing and Steelhead.   

1)  The steelhead is now your router and your wanopt device.  This means if there is some sort of failure on RSP, Vyatta or Steelhead you are toast until you get it fixed.  Fail to wire isn't going to help here because we are creating an L3 boundary on the device.  BUT!!  The business benefit of this often out weighs the risk.

2)  You are going to need to do a bit of network planning.  Because we are creating an L3 boundary for the WAN side network, you will have to match default gateways from your client to the LAN side of the Vyatta router.  Also you will need to make SH point to the same interface as it's default route.

As long as you keep those two things in mind, you are golden.

The following will be the command line sequence of setting up Vyatta router for two interfaces and OSPF with one area.  This is very simple, and you can add complexity as you need it.

one more thing to note.  This is NOT IOS.  Close but it's not.  The syntax can get a little wonky to work with but once you get in the flow the extra key strokes don't hurt too bad.

to start.  the initial login for the system is vyatta/vyatta.  ez nuf.....

let's get into configuration mode

$configure

now let's get the LAN side interface configured

#set interfaces ethernet eth1 address x.x.x.x/x  <----note this doesn't use a dotted mask like cisco

WAN interface

#set interfaces ethernet eth2 address y.y.y.y/y

before we use those interfaces we have to commit it.

#commit

So with this configuration you should be able to ping the interior interface from your computer and if you have our default route set to eth0 you should be able to ping eth1 as well.  The router will be routing.

Next let's setup OSPF routing so we can route to multiple networks.

#set protocols ospf parmeters router-id x.x.x.x

#set protocols ospf area 0.0.0.0 network x.x.x.x/x
#set protocols ospf area 0.0.0.0 network y.y.y.y/y

#commit

#save

So if you have an adjacent OSFP router you will see and adjacency change, and you should be able to reach any network that is in the routing table.  Don't forget the save or you will be sad when you reload.

Next we want to set the SH default route to the Vyatta router we just configured.

From the CLI of the SH

#ip in-path-gateway inpathX_X x.x.x.x  <-----being the eth0 or LAN side of the Vyatta router.

You now have a fully functioning Vyatta router Community Edition running on Steelhead.  Congrats!!  It's your first step to routing freedom

[woodb1]

So I was working the other day and found myself in a pinch.  I had a cheap linksys router infront of my and I need some routes.  So what did I do. I snatched the Community Edition of Vyatta Router and installed on my steelhead and was OSPF routing in under and hour including downloads.

I'll be adding screen shots and config instructions soon.  If you are in a pinch and can live without support for a day or two, Vyatta CE is the way to fly.