Advanced Neutron Features
Advanced Neutron Features (Testable in Lab Setup)
Feature | Description | Lab Suitability |
---|---|---|
1. Provider Networks | Direct VMs to external networks using flat or VLAN-type networking | ![]() |
2. Self-Service (Tenant) Networks | Allow users to create isolated VXLAN-based networks | ![]() |
3. Floating IPs | Map public IPs to private VM IPs | ![]() |
4. DHCP Agent | Automatic IP allocation for VMs via Neutron-managed DHCP | ![]() |
5. L3 Routing Agent | Enable routing between tenant networks and external network | ![]() |
6. Security Groups | Virtual firewalls applied to VM interfaces | ![]() |
7. Metadata Service | Provide instance config data via Neutron for cloud-init | ![]() |
8. Layer 3 High Availability (L3HA) | Redundant L3 agents for external connectivity failover | ![]() |
9. Distributed Virtual Routing (DVR) | Decentralized L3 routing at compute nodes for east-west traffic | ![]() |
10. VLAN Trunking | Attach VLAN-tagged sub-interfaces to VMs for advanced networking | ![]() |
11. Port Security Extensions | Block spoofing/MAC flooding, enforce security group policies | ![]() |
12. QoS (Quality of Service) | Bandwidth rate limits, DSCP marking | ![]() |
13. SR-IOV / PCI Passthrough | Direct NIC access to VMs for high performance | ![]() |
14. Load Balancer as a Service (LBaaS) | Distribute traffic to VM pools | ![]() |
15. Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) | Tenant-level virtual firewalls (deprecated in newer versions) | ![]() |
16. DNS Integration | DNS-as-a-Service with Designate + Neutron integration | ![]() |
17. IPv6 Support | Dual-stack networks, SLAAC or DHCPv6 | ![]() |
18. Routed Provider Networks | Advanced DC networking with multiple L2 segments routed together | ![]() |
19. VNF / NFV Networking (SFC) | Service Function Chaining for virtualized network functions | ![]() |
20. Neutron Trunk Ports | Attach multiple subnets via one port (for NFV/VLAN use cases) | ![]() |
Switch & NIC Requirements for Advanced Neutron Networking
If testing:
- VLAN provider networks: Your switch must support 802.1Q VLAN tagging.
- DVR or L3 HA: At least 3 nodes, with separate internal and external networks.
- QoS & SR-IOV: Your NIC must support offloading and SR-IOV features, and BIOS/firmware must allow passthrough.
Typical Neutron Lab Topology (2–3 Nodes)
+---------------------+ +---------------------+
| Controller Node | | Compute Node(s) |
|---------------------| |---------------------|
| Neutron Server | | Neutron Agents |
| L3, DHCP, Metadata | | OVS/LinuxBridge |
| OVS or LinuxBridge |<---------->| OVS/LinuxBridge |
+---------------------+ VXLAN +---------------------+
| |
Management Net (eth0) Management Net (eth0)
| |
+---------+------------------- ----------+----------+
| Gigabit L2 Switch (VLAN-capable) |
+----------------------------- ---------------------+
|
External/Provider Net (eth1)
Recommended Agents/Plugins to Use
Component | Recommendation |
---|---|
ML2 Plugin | Use with OVS or LinuxBridge |
L2 Agent | openvswitch-agent or linuxbridge-agent |
L3 Agent | One per controller (or per compute if DVR) |
DHCP Agent | One or more (HA supported) |
Metadata Agent | Must be present for cloud-init |
Extension Drivers | Enable QoS, Port Security, Trunk |
Testing Plan Suggestions
Here’s what you can actually do in your lab:
- ๐ง Create multiple isolated VXLAN networks (per tenant)
Connect them to the external network with floating IPs
Use security groups and test ICMP, SSH access
Try DVR or centralized routing (with L3 agent)
Apply QoS limits to different VMs
Use VLANs on provider networks (with proper switch config)
Attach multiple networks to a VM (multi-homing)
Test L3 failover with L3 HA if you add a 4th node
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