Advanced Neutron Features

 

 Advanced Neutron Features (Testable in Lab Setup)

FeatureDescriptionLab Suitability
1. Provider NetworksDirect VMs to external networks using flat or VLAN-type networking✅ Yes
2. Self-Service (Tenant) NetworksAllow users to create isolated VXLAN-based networks✅ Yes
3. Floating IPsMap public IPs to private VM IPs✅ Yes
4. DHCP AgentAutomatic IP allocation for VMs via Neutron-managed DHCP✅ Yes
5. L3 Routing AgentEnable routing between tenant networks and external network✅ Yes
6. Security GroupsVirtual firewalls applied to VM interfaces✅ Yes
7. Metadata ServiceProvide instance config data via Neutron for cloud-init✅ Yes
8. Layer 3 High Availability (L3HA)Redundant L3 agents for external connectivity failover⚠️ Needs 3+ nodes
9. Distributed Virtual Routing (DVR)Decentralized L3 routing at compute nodes for east-west traffic✅ With 3+ nodes
10. VLAN TrunkingAttach VLAN-tagged sub-interfaces to VMs for advanced networking✅ With VLAN-capable switch
11. Port Security ExtensionsBlock spoofing/MAC flooding, enforce security group policies✅ Yes
12. QoS (Quality of Service)Bandwidth rate limits, DSCP marking✅ Yes
13. SR-IOV / PCI PassthroughDirect NIC access to VMs for high performance⚠️ Hardware dependent
14. Load Balancer as a Service (LBaaS)Distribute traffic to VM pools✅ With Octavia setup
15. Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)Tenant-level virtual firewalls (deprecated in newer versions)⚠️ Limited support
16. DNS IntegrationDNS-as-a-Service with Designate + Neutron integration✅ Optional
17. IPv6 SupportDual-stack networks, SLAAC or DHCPv6✅ Yes
18. Routed Provider NetworksAdvanced DC networking with multiple L2 segments routed together⚠️ Complex setup
19. VNF / NFV Networking (SFC)Service Function Chaining for virtualized network functions❌ Complex, not lab-suited
20. Neutron Trunk PortsAttach multiple subnets via one port (for NFV/VLAN use cases)✅ Yes with VLANs

🔌 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

ComponentRecommendation
ML2 PluginUse with OVS or LinuxBridge
L2 Agentopenvswitch-agent or linuxbridge-agent
L3 AgentOne per controller (or per compute if DVR)
DHCP AgentOne or more (HA supported)
Metadata AgentMust be present for cloud-init
Extension DriversEnable QoS, Port Security, Trunk

🧪 Testing Plan Suggestions

Here’s what you can actually do in your lab:

  1. 🖧 Create multiple isolated VXLAN networks (per tenant)
  2. 🌍 Connect them to the external network with floating IPs
  3. 🔒 Use security groups and test ICMP, SSH access
  4. 🚀 Try DVR or centralized routing (with L3 agent)
  5. 📦 Apply QoS limits to different VMs
  6. 📶 Use VLANs on provider networks (with proper switch config)
  7. 🔁 Attach multiple networks to a VM (multi-homing)
  8. 🧪 Test L3 failover with L3 HA if you add a 4th node

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