Skip to main content
Versa Networks

Integrate and Orchestrate Cloud Onramp with a Software-Defined Cloud Interconnect Vendor

Versa-logo-release-icon.pngFor supported software information, click here.

To integrate and orchestrate cloud onramp with a software-defined cloud interconnect vendor, you create a network virtualization function, here, Megaport Virtual Edge (MVE), and then you deploy an SD-WAN branch in the cloud of a an interconnect vendor, here, Equinix Network Edge.

Create an MVE Integrated with a Versa Director

This section describes how to create and configure an MVE with Versa Secure SD-WAN.

To configure an MVE with Versa SD-WAN, you do the following:

  • Obtain information for the Director node.
  • Create a new workflow template on the Director node.
  • Add a new device group on the Director node.
  • Add a new device on the Director node
  • Create the Versa MVE Instance on the Megaport portal.

After you create the MVE with Versa SD-WAN, you can view the MVE public IP address assignment on the Megaport portal and, from the Director node, you can verify that the MVE is registered and is in-sync.

Before you begin, you must have Megaport user accounts with ordering permissions that provide access to the Megaport portal and to the Versa Director node. For information about setting up a Megaport account, see https://docs.megaport.com/setting-up/registering/.

Obtain Information for the Director Node

To set up Versa SD-WAN, you need the following information:

  • IPv4 address or FQDN of the Director node. An example is cloud211.versa-networks.com.
  • Pv4 address or FQDN of the Controller node. To obtain this information from the Director node:
    1. In Director view, select the Configuration tab in the top menu bar.
    2. Select Templates > Device Templates in the horizontal menu bar.
    3. Select a template.
    4. In the template details page, select the Services tab (the gear icon).
    5. Select SD-WAN > System > Controller Configuration in the left menu bar. The Edit Controller Configuration popup window displays a list of the Controller nodes, their IP addresses, and any assigned FQDNs.

      edit-controller-config.png
       
  • Local authentication string—The default is SDWAN-Branch@Versa.com. If necessary, you can modify the string on the Director node.
  • Remote authentication string—The default is Controller-1-staging@Versa.com. If necessary, you can modify the string on the Director node.
  • Serial number—This value is created when you add a new device in Versa Director.

Create a New Workflow Template

On the Director node, you create a new workflow template and devices. It is strongly recommended that you use workflows for creating templates and devices. Workflows automatically build and create some behind-the-scenes configurations and variable values that might otherwise be overlooked.

To create a new workflow template:

  1. Log in to the Director node.
  2. Select the Workflows tab in the top menu bar.
  3. Select Template > Templates in the left menu bar.

    megaport-templates.png
     
  4. Click the add-icon.png Add icon to create a template.

    templates-create-template.png
  5. Select the Basic tab, and enter information for the following fields. For more information about creating templates, see Create and Manage Staging and Post-Staging Templates.
     
    Field Description
    Name Enter a name for the staging template.
    Type Select the template type SD-WAN Post Staging.
    Organization Select the provider organization to associate with the template.
    Device Type

    Select SD-WAN, and then select the appropriate role:

    • Full Mesh
    • Hub
    • Hub Controller
    • Spoke
    Controllers Select a controller node from your network to associate with the template.
    Subscription

    Select the subscription information for your network:

    • Solution Tier—Network service to be configured.
    • Service Bandwidth—Allocated bandwidth for the service, in Mbps.
    Preferred Software Version Select the preferred version of the software that should be deployed on the Director node. During zero-touch provisioning (ZTP), the Director node upgrades a branch to the preferred software version. The preferred version can be backward compatible for up to the two previous VOS versions.
  6. Select the Interfaces tab, and enter information for the following fields. For the fields not listed in the table, you can leave them unchanged.

    templates-create-template-interfaces-tab.png
     
    Field Description
    Number of Ports

    Choose 4, because MVE requires 4 ports. Note that Port 0 is reserved for management (mgmt) and cannot be changed.

    Port 1 Click the icon for port 1, and then select WAN from the dropdown menu. A row is added to the WAN Interfaces list. (The WAN interface is automatically configured by the MVE creation process to connect through the included transit VXC with bandwidth determined by the MVE size.)
    VLAN ID The value should be set to 0.
    Network name The value should be set to INET-1.
    IPv4 The value should be set to DHCP.
    Circuit Optionally, enter circuit information.
  7. Click the Continue button until you see the Create button.

    templates-create-template-interfaces-tab.png
  8. Click Create to create the template.

Add a New Device Group

  1. Log in to Versa Director.
  2. Select the Configuration tab in the top menu bar.
  3. Select Devices > Device Groups in the horizontal menu bar.

    configuration-devices-device-groups.png
     
  4. Click the add-icon.png Add icon to add a device group. In the Add Device Group popup window, enter information for the following fields.

    add-device-group.png
     
    Field Description
    Name Enter a name for the device group that is easily identifiable.
    Description Enter a text description for the device group.
    Tags Enter a text string or phrase to associate with the device group.

    A tag is an alphanumeric text descriptor with no white spaces or special characters that you can use to search groups. You can specify multiple tags.

    Organization Select the organization.
    Post-Staging Template Select the template you created in Create a New Workflow Template, above.
  5. Click OK.

Add a New Device

  1. Log in to Versa Director.
  2. Select the Workflows tab in the top menu bar.
  3. Select Devices > Devices in the left navigation bar.

    workflows-device-devices.png
     
  4. Click the add-icon.png Add icon. The the Add Device popup window displays.

    add-device.png
     
  5. Select the Basic tab, and enter information for the following fields.
     
    Field Description
    Name Enter a name for the device that is easily identifiable.
    Global Device ID The Director node automatically assigns the next available identifier.
    Organization Select the organization.
    Deployment Type Select CPE-Baremetal Device.
    Serial Number Enter a serial number for the device. Specify a unique and meaningful value for the device and make a note of it, as you need it again when creating the Versa MVE instance in the Megaport Portal.
    Device Groups Choose the device group you created in Add a New Device Group, above. The new device is assigned to this device group.
  6. Click Continue.
  7. In the Location Information tab, enter the country where the device is located.
  8. Click the Continue button until you see the Deploy button.
  9. Click Deploy to deploy the new device on the Director node.

Create a Versa MVE on the Megaport Portal

Before you create an MVE on the Megaport portal, you need to determine the best location for the MVE. You should select a location that supports MVE and that is in the most compatible metropolitan area. You can connect multiple locations to an individual MVE. For location details, see Planning Your Versa Deployment.

For redundancy or to increase capacity, you can deploy multiple MVEs in the same metropolitan area.

To create an MVE:

  1. Go to the Megaport portal, at https://portal.megaport.com.
  2. Go to the Services page.
  3. Click Create MVE.

    create-MVE.png
  4. Select the MVE location. Select a location geographically close to your target branch or on-premises locations. The country you choose must be a market in which you have already registered. To register a billing market in the location where you want to deploy the MVE, see Enabling a Billing Market.
  5. To search for a local market in the list, enter a country in the Country Filter or enter a metro region detail in the Search filter.

    Megaport-select-country-country-filter.png
     
  6. Click Next.
  7. Select Versa FlexVNF and the software version. The MVE is configured to be compatible with this Versa Networks software version.
  8. For the MVE, enter information for the following fields.

    Megaport-new-VME-details.png
     
    Field Description
    MVE Name Enter a name for the MVE that is easily identifiable, especially if you plan on provisioning more than one. This name appears in the Megaport portal.
    Size Select a size. The list displays all sizes that match the CPU capacity at the selected location. The sizes support varying numbers of concurrent connections, and individual partner product metrics vary slightly. For more information about sizing, see Planning Your Versa Deployment.
    Minimum Term Select No Minimum Term to pay as you go, or select a term of 12, 24, or 36 months. Longer terms result in a lower monthly rate. The default is 12 months. For more information about contract terms, see MVE Pricing and Contract Terms.
    Service Level Reference Enter a unique identifying number for the MVE, which is used for billing purposes, for example, the cost center number or a unique customer ID. The service level reference number appears for each service under the Product section of the invoice. For an existing service, you can also edit this field.
    Director Address Enter the FQDN or IPv4 address of the Director node.
    Controller Address Enter the FQDN or IPv4 address of the Controller node.
    Local Authentication Enter the local authentication string that is configured on the Director node.
    Remote Authentication Enter the remote authentication string that is configured on the Director node.
    Serial Number Enter the serial number that you used when creating the device on the Director node.
  9. Click Next to view the Summary screen. The monthly rate is based on location and size.
  10. Confirm the configuration and pricing, and then click Add MVE.

    Megaport-new-VME-add.png
     
  11. Click Order.
  12. Review the order services agreement.
  13. Click Save to save the configured MVE before placing the order.
  14. Click Add Promo Code to enter a promotional code, and click Add Code.
  15. Click Order Now.

Ordering MVE provisions the instance and assigns IP addresses from the Megaport SDN. The MVE provisioning takes a few minutes to complete. The provisioning process creates a Versa FlexVNF.

View the MVE Public IP Address Assignment on the Megaport Portal

After you create the MVE, you can view it on the Megaport portal and the Director node.

To view the MVE on the Megaport portal, go to the Services page.

view-MVE.png

As part of MVE provisioning, Megaport creates a transit virtual cross-connect (VXC) to provide internet connectivity and to allow MVE to register and communicate with the Versa SD-WAN overlay network. Versa Networks creates and maintains, the overlay network to provide secure tunnels from the branch locations. The transit VXC is a fixed size, based on the size of the MVE. You cannot modify or delete the transit VXC. In the Megaport portal, the transit VXC icon differs from a standard VXC icon, as shown in the screenshot above.

To view the public IP addresses assigned to the MVE:

  1. Click the gear-icon.png Gear icon next to the transit VXC to Megaport Internet.
  2. Locate the public IPv4 or IPv6 address from the public IP addresses that are assigned to the MVE. Make a note of these addresses for use later.
  3. Under Services, verify that the new MVE device is present in the Megaport portal.
  4. On the Director node, verify that the new MVE configuration is synced and that the service is up and reachable.
    1. Select the Monitor tab in the top menu bar.
    2. Select Devices in the horizontal menu bar.
    3. Review the Config Synchronized, Reachability and Service columns.

      Megaport-monitor.png​​​​​​

Note: It can take up to 10 minutes for the MVE to register with the Director node.

Deploy an SD-WAN Branch on Equinix Network Edge

This section describes how to deploy Versa VOS on Equinix Network Edge (NE). It describes how to directly connect the network-to-network interface (NNI) connection on the network edge device to cloud and service providers globally. Network Edge provides virtual network services that run on a modular infrastructure platform and that are optimized for instant deployment and interconnection of network services. The Equinix Cloud Exchange (ECX) fabric portal allows you to establish on-demand network connections between data centers, internet service providers, cloud providers, and UCaaS providers, between any two ECX fabric locations within a metropolitan area or globally, using software-defined interconnections.

Note that the screenshots in this section may vary slightly from what you see, but the basic configuration parameters remains the same.

Deploy Network Edge

To deploy a Versa VNF in the Equinix infrastructure:

  1. Log in to the Equinix ECX fabric portal.
  2. Select Network Edge > Create a Virtual Device in the top menu bar.

    Equinix_VOS_Deployment.png
  3. Select either High Availability Edge Device or Single Edge Device for branch deployment.
  4. In the Add New Edge Device screen, in Vendor Package, select Versa FlexVNF.

    Equinix_add-new-edge-device.png
  5. In Location, select the metro region in which to deploy the VNF.

    Equinix_location.png
  6. In Device Details, provide bootstrapping information by entering information in the following fields.

    Equinix_device-details.png
     
    Field Description
    Licensing (Group of Fields) Enter information about the Versa Networks headend components.
    • Local ID
    Enter the local authentication information.
    • Remote ID
    Enter the remote authentication information.
    • Serial Number
    Enter the serial number of the device.
    SD-WAN Controller Enter the public IP address of the Controller node's WAN interface.
    Edge Device Details (Group of Fields)  
    • Device Name
    Enter the name of the device as it is configured on the Director node.
    Software Package Select the software package. The number represents the number of cores to use for the software. Using more cores increases the performance.
  7. In Additional Services, enter information for the following fields.

    Equinix_additional-services.png
     
    Field Description
    Add Access IP Addresses Add the WAN IP addresses of the Controller nodes. As access list (ACL) is then created on upstream router to allow control plane communication.
    Additional Internet Bandwidth By default, Equinix Network Edge provides one ISP connection that has 15 Mbps of bandwidth. For an extra cost, you can add up to 2 Gbps of additional bandwidth.
  8. In Review and Submit, click Confirm. The following screen displays. It can take 10 to 30 minutes to provide the edge device, depending on the metro region. When the provisioning completes, you receive an email.

Equinix_review-submit.png

You can check information about the FlexVNF device on the Equinix cloud exchange fabric.

To check the device status, select Network Edge > View Virtual Device. The edge device can be in one of three stages: Initializing, Provisioning, and Provisioned.

 

Equinix_device-status.png

 

Equinix_device-status-2.png

Equinix_device-status-3.png

After the edge device status changes to Provisioned, the IP address information displays. The FlexVNF public IP is available as a WAN IP address. The FlexVNF management IP address is only for Equinix internal use and cannot be accessed from an external site.

Equinix_IP-address-details.png

The Director node reports a failed task, because the edge devices automatically to to bootstrap using a staging script. This is expected behavior.

Equinix_IP-address-details-2.png

Equinix_Director.jpg

Create a Template and a Device on the Director Node

After you have provisioned the edge device, you create a template and the device on the Director node. You cannot create the device on the Director node in advance, because you do not have the WAN IP address.

To create a template and device on the Director node:

  1. Log in to the Director node.
  2. To create a template, select the Workflows tab in the top menu bar, select Template > Templates in the left menu bar, and then click the add-icon.png Add icon.

    Equinix_create-template.png
  3. Select the Basic tab, and configure the appropriate information.
  4. Select the Interfaces tab. You can configure up to 9 interfaces on the branch device. Note the following:
    • vni-0/0 is reserved for the default ISP connection. Information about the WAN static IP address is available on the ECX portal. Currently, DHCP is not supported for Network Edge.
    • vni-0/1 is reserved for an additional ISP connection, at an extra cost, or to bring up your own MPLS connection.
    • vni-0/8 is reserved for the network-to-network interface (NNI). This is a cross-connect with other services, such as UCaaS providers, cloud providers, and ISPs.
    • In the Link Monitor field, do not check Nexthop. The Network Edge upstream routers do not allow ICMP packets.

      Equinix_create-template-interfaces.png
  5. On the Director node, create a branch device. Select Devices > Device Groups in the horizontal menu bar, and then Click the add-icon.png Add icon.
  6. Select the Basic tab, and configure the appropriate information. Ensure that the serial number matches the serial number that you provided when creating the Network Edge on the ECX fabric portal.

    Equinix_add-device-basic-tab.png
  7. Select the Location Information tab, and enter the appropriate information.

    Equinix_add-device-location-information-tab.png
  8. Select the Bind Data table, and enter the WAN static IP address information that you used when creating the device.

    Equinix_add-device-location-information-tab-2.png
  9. Click OK.
  10. Click Deploy

After you deploy the device, a task is generated for create an appliance, which you can see on the Tasks screen. Note that bootstrapping takes about 5 to 6 minutes to complete.

Equinix_tasks.png

When the bootstrapping completes, are branch devices are listed under Administration > Appliances.

Equinix_administration-appliances.png

The following are issues and limitations with Network Edge:

  • You cannot access the Network Edge using SSH or a console. The only way to access the Network Edge is using shell from the Director node after the device completes its bootstrapping.
  • By default, Equinix Network Edge provides a single ISP connection with 15 Mbps of bandwidth. For an extra cost, you add up to 2 Gbps of additional bandwidth.
  • The Network Edge has 9 interfaces on edge device
    • vni-0/0 is reserved for the default ISP connection. Information about the WAN static IP address is available on the ECX portal. Currently, DHCP is not supported for Network Edge.
    • vni-0/1 is reserved for an additional ISP connection, at an extra cost, or to bring up your own MPLS connection.
    • vni-0/8 is reserved for the network-to-network interface (NNI). This is a cross-connect with other services, such as UCaaS providers, cloud providers, and ISPs.

Create an NNI Connection

The Equinix ECX portal allows you to establish connections between data centers, and on-demand connections for service providers, cloud providers, and UCaaS providers between any two ECX fabric locations within a metro or globally using software-defined interconnection.

To create the network-to-network interface connection:

  1. Log in to ECX fabric portal.
  2. Select the Network Edge > Create a Virtual Device, and then click Create Connection to initiate the process.

    Equinix_create-NNI-connection.png
  3. Select the type of connection.

    Equinix_create-NNI-connection-2.png
  4. Select the service provider. The following screenshot shows the creation of a network-to-network interface connection with RingCentral.

    Equinix_select-service-provider.png
  5. Select the edge device and service providers location from the available metro regions. Note that this screen differs from service provider to service provider.

    Equinix_select-locations.png
  6. Select the bandwidth requirements. Note that this screen differs from service provider to service provider.

    Equinix_select-banwidth-requirements.png

To verify the status of the network-to-network interface connection, select the Connections tab.

Equinix_virtual-device-connections-tab.png

To verify which VOS interface the network-to-network interface connection is associated with, select the Interfaces tab. By default, vni-0/8 is reserved for the network-to-network interface.

Equinix_virtual-device-interfaces-tab.png

Supported Software Information

Releases 21.2.2 and later support all content described in this article.