Layer 2 Connect
The Layer 2 Connect service allows you to establish a direct Layer 2 Ethernet path between two or more DC Ports within the Wanscale Platform. This enables seamless, transparent connectivity for extending VLANs across different physical locations without the need for Layer 3 routing.
By utilizing Layer 2 Connect, you can maintain the same broadcast domain across multiple datacenters, making it ideal for stretched clusters, legacy application requirements, or simplified workload migrations.
Prerequisites
Before deploying a Layer 2 Connect, ensure you have:
- Two or more DC Ports available to facilitate the connection. See DC Port.
Provisioning Workflow
The diagram below outlines the lifecycle of creating a Layer 2 Connect:
flowchart LR
A(Order DC Ports) --> B(Create Layer 2 Connect in Portal) --> C(Assign DC Ports and VLANs) --> D(Deploy Changes) --> E(Link active)
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Ordering a Layer 2 Connect
- Navigate to the Home page of the Wanscale Platform.
- Click the Add Service button.
- Select L2 Connect from the service list.
- Click Go to service form.
- Complete the following fields in the service form:
- Label: Enter a unique name for the Layer 2 Connect service.
- Tags (Optional): Add metadata for internal organization.
- Interface Speed: Set the speed for the Layer 2 Connect
- MTU Size: Set the MTU size for the Layer 2 Connect
- QinQ: Toggle this setting if you are going to use Vlans within this Layer 2 Connect. (802.1ad)
- Redundancy Mode: Select the redundancy mode for the Layer 2 Connect
- Single: You can only select DC Ports from Availability Zone A
- Port Assignment: Select the DC Ports from Availability Zone A that will participate in this Layer 2 path.
- Redundant: You can select DC Ports from Availability Zone A and B
- Port Assignment: Select the DC Ports from Availability Zone A that will participate in this Layer 2 path.
- Redundancy ports: Select the DC Ports from Availability Zone B that will participate in this Layer 2 path.
- Single: You can only select DC Ports from Availability Zone A
- VLAN Configuration:
- Specify the VLAN ID if you require tagged traffic (dot1q).
- Leave empty or select Untagged if the traffic should pass without tags.
- Click Submit.
Technical Considerations
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Topology | Point-to-Point or Multi-Point |
| Encapsulation | dot1q or QinQ supported |
| MTU | Supports Jumbo Frames (up to 9000 bytes) |
| Latency | Dependent on the physical distance between DC Ports |
Tip
Layer 2 Connect is transparent to higher-level protocols. You can run IPv4, IPv6 across the established path.
Note
Applying Changes: Like all networking services in the portal, your new Layer 2 Connect will not be active until you deploy the changes. See Workflows and Applying Changes.