BADAsS
A datacenter network architecture exploring modern routing and scalable infrastructure.
01 · Problem
What made this hard
Modern datacenters need predictable routing, tenant isolation, and scalable connectivity — requiring deep understanding of control plane protocols and overlay networking.
02 · Approach
How I solved it
Designed a spine-leaf fabric topology using eBGP for underlay routing, EVPN address families for MAC/VPN learning, and VXLAN encapsulation for Layer 2 extension across the Layer 3 fabric.
03 · Result
What came out of it
A validated datacenter network architecture demonstrating multi-tenant isolation, optimal path selection, and scalable fabric design — all built in simulation.
04 · Highlights
Key technical details
Constraints
- →No physical hardware — full simulation environment
- →Exploring multiple control plane protocols simultaneously
05 · Architecture
How the pieces fit
Fabric Topology
Spine-leaf architecture with redundant BGP sessions between each leaf and all spines for optimal path selection.
EVPN Overlay
EVPN address family over BGP providing MAC/VPN learning and tenant isolation across the fabric.
VXLAN Encapsulation
VXLAN tunnels carrying tenant traffic across the underlay, enabling Layer 2 extension over Layer 3 boundaries.
06 · Decisions
Choices worth naming
- 01
eBGP over iBGP
eBGP with allowas-in simplified path selection and avoided the full-mesh IBGP requirement in the spine-leaf topology.
- 02
EVPN with BGP
EVPN over BGP provided both control plane learning and tenant separation in a single protocol, reducing complexity.
07 · Trade-offs
What I gave up
Focused on protocol understanding and design validation rather than hardware-specific features.
08 · Reflection
Lessons and what's next
Lessons
- ·EVPN control plane simplifies multi-tenant network management significantly
- ·BGP path selection in fabric topologies differs from traditional WAN design
Future
- →Explore VXLAN multicast versus ingress replication
- →Add route reflection for larger scale scenarios
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