Configuring the integration of MetalLB and FRR-K8s - Load balancing with MetalLB | Networking

Activating the integration of MetalLB and FRR-K8s
FRR configurations
Configuring the FRRConfiguration CRD
How FRR-K8s merges multiple configurations
- Configuration conflicts
- Merging

The FRRConfiguration custom resource is a Technology Preview feature only. Technology Preview features are not supported with Red Hat production service level agreements (SLAs) and might not be functionally complete. Red Hat does not recommend using them in production. These features provide early access to upcoming product features, enabling customers to test functionality and provide feedback during the development process.

For more information about the support scope of Red Hat Technology Preview features, see Technology Preview Features Support Scope.

FRRouting (FRR) is a free, open source internet routing protocol suite for Linux and UNIX platforms. FRR-K8s is a Kubernetes based DaemonSet that exposes a subset of the FRR API in a Kubernetes-compliant manner. As a cluster administrator, you can use the FRRConfiguration custom resource (CR) to configure MetalLB to use FRR-K8s as the backend. You can use this to avail of FRR services, for example, receiving routes. If you run MetalLB with FRR-K8s as a backend, MetalLB generates the FRR-K8s configuration corresponding to the MetalLB configuration applied.

Activating the integration of MetalLB and FRR-K8s

The following procedure shows you how to activate FRR-K8s as the backend for MetalLB.

Prerequisites

You have a cluster installed on bare-metal hardware.
You have installed the OpenShift CLI (oc).
You have logged in as a user with cluster-admin privileges.

Procedure

Set the bgpBackend field of the MetalLB CR to frr-k8s as in the following example:

apiVersion: metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: MetalLB
metadata:
  name: metallb
  namespace: metallb-system
spec:
  bgpBackend: frr-k8s

FRR configurations

You can create multiple FRRConfiguration CRs to use FRR services in MetalLB. MetalLB generates an FRRConfiguration object which FRR-K8s merges with all other configurations that all users have created.

For example, you can configure FRR-K8s to receive all of the prefixes advertised by a given neighbor. The following example configures FRR-K8s to receive all of the prefixes advertised by a BGPPeer with host 172.18.0.5:

Example FRRConfiguration CR

apiVersion: frrk8s.metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: FRRConfiguration
metadata:
 name: test
 namespace: metallb-system
spec:
 bgp:
   routers:
   - asn: 64512
     neighbors:
     - address: 172.18.0.5
       asn: 64512
       toReceive:
        allowed:
            mode: all

You can also configure FRR-K8s to always block a set of prefixes, regardless of the configuration applied. This can be useful to avoid routes towards the pods or ClusterIPs CIDRs that might result in cluster malfunctions. The following example blocks the set of prefixes 192.168.1.0/24:

Example MetalLB CR

apiVersion: metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: MetalLB
metadata:
  name: metallb
  namespace: metallb-system
spec:
  bgpBackend: frr-k8s
  frrk8sConfig:
    alwaysBlock:
    - 192.168.1.0/24

You can set FRR-K8s to block the Cluster Network CIDR and Service Network CIDR. You can view the values for these CIDR address specifications by running the following command:

$ oc describe network.config/cluster

Configuring the FRRConfiguration CRD

The following section provides reference examples that use the FRRConfiguration custom resource (CR).

The routers field

You can use the routers field to configure multiple routers, one for each Virtual Routing and Forwarding (VRF) resource. For each router, you must define the Autonomous System Number (ASN).

You can also define a list of Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) neighbors to connect to, as in the following example:

Example FRRConfiguration CR

apiVersion: frrk8s.metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: FRRConfiguration
metadata:
  name: test
  namespace: frr-k8s-system
spec:
  bgp:
    routers:
    - asn: 64512
      neighbors:
      - address: 172.30.0.3
        asn: 4200000000
        ebgpMultiHop: true
        port: 180
      - address: 172.18.0.6
        asn: 4200000000
        port: 179

The toAdvertise field

By default, FRR-K8s does not advertise the prefixes configured as part of a router configuration. In order to advertise them, you use the toAdvertise field.

You can advertise a subset of the prefixes, as in the following example:

Example FRRConfiguration CR

apiVersion: frrk8s.metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: FRRConfiguration
metadata:
  name: test
  namespace: frr-k8s-system
spec:
  bgp:
    routers:
    - asn: 64512
      neighbors:
      - address: 172.30.0.3
        asn: 4200000000
        ebgpMultiHop: true
        port: 180
        toAdvertise:
          allowed:
            prefixes: (1)
            - 192.168.2.0/24
      prefixes:
        - 192.168.2.0/24
        - 192.169.2.0/24

1	Advertises a subset of prefixes.

The following example shows you how to advertise all of the prefixes:

Example FRRConfiguration CR

apiVersion: frrk8s.metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: FRRConfiguration
metadata:
  name: test
  namespace: frr-k8s-system
spec:
  bgp:
    routers:
    - asn: 64512
      neighbors:
      - address: 172.30.0.3
        asn: 4200000000
        ebgpMultiHop: true
        port: 180
        toAdvertise:
          allowed:
            mode: all (1)
      prefixes:
        - 192.168.2.0/24
        - 192.169.2.0/24

1	Advertises all prefixes.

The toReceive field

By default, FRR-K8s does not process any prefixes advertised by a neighbor. You can use the toReceive field to process such addresses.

You can configure for a subset of the prefixes, as in this example:

Example FRRConfiguration CR

apiVersion: frrk8s.metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: FRRConfiguration
metadata:
  name: test
  namespace: frr-k8s-system
spec:
  bgp:
    routers:
    - asn: 64512
      neighbors:
      - address: 172.18.0.5
          asn: 64512
          port: 179
          toReceive:
            allowed:
              prefixes:
              - prefix: 192.168.1.0/24
              - prefix: 192.169.2.0/24
                ge: 25 (1)
                le: 28 (1)

1	The prefix is applied if the prefix length is less than or equal to the `le` prefix length and greater than or equal to the `ge` prefix length.

The following example configures FRR to handle all the prefixes announced:

Example FRRConfiguration CR

apiVersion: frrk8s.metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: FRRConfiguration
metadata:
  name: test
  namespace: frr-k8s-system
spec:
  bgp:
    routers:
    - asn: 64512
      neighbors:
      - address: 172.18.0.5
          asn: 64512
          port: 179
          toReceive:
            allowed:
              mode: all

The bgp field

You can use the bgp field to define various BFD profiles and associate them with a neighbor. In the following example, BFD backs up the BGP session and FRR can detect link failures:

Example FRRConfiguration CR

apiVersion: frrk8s.metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: FRRConfiguration
metadata:
  name: test
  namespace: frr-k8s-system
spec:
  bgp:
    routers:
    - asn: 64512
      neighbors:
      - address: 172.30.0.3
        asn: 64512
        port: 180
        bfdProfile: defaultprofile
    bfdProfiles:
      - name: defaultprofile

The nodeSelector field

By default, FRR-K8s applies the configuration to all nodes where the daemon is running. You can use the nodeSelector field to specify the nodes to which you want to apply the configuration. For example:

Example FRRConfiguration CR

apiVersion: frrk8s.metallb.io/v1beta1
kind: FRRConfiguration
metadata:
  name: test
  namespace: frr-k8s-system
spec:
  bgp:
    routers:
    - asn: 64512
  nodeSelector:
    labelSelector:
    foo: "bar"

The fields for the FRRConfiguration custom resource are described in the following table:

Table 1. MetalLB FRRConfiguration custom resource
Field	Type	Description
`spec.bgp.routers`	`array`	Specifies the routers that FRR is to configure (one per VRF).
`spec.bgp.routers.asn`	`integer`	The autonomous system number to use for the local end of the session.
`spec.bgp.routers.id`	`string`	Specifies the ID of the `bgp` router.
`spec.bgp.routers.vrf`	`string`	Specifies the host vrf used to establish sessions from this router.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors`	`array`	Specifies the neighbors to establish BGP sessions with.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.asn`	`integer`	Specifies the autonomous system number to use for the local end of the session.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.address`	`string`	Specifies the IP address to establish the session with.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.port`	`integer`	Specifies the port to dial when establishing the session. Defaults to 179.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.password`	`string`	Specifies the password to use for establishing the BGP session. `Password` and `PasswordSecret` are mutually exclusive.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.passwordSecret`	`string`	Specifies the name of the authentication secret for the neighbor. The secret must be of type "kubernetes.io/basic-auth", and in the same namespace as the FRR-K8s daemon. The key "password" stores the password in the secret. `Password` and `PasswordSecret` are mutually exclusive.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.holdTime`	`duration`	Specifies the requested BGP hold time, per RFC4271. Defaults to 180s.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.keepaliveTime`	`duration`	Specifies the requested BGP keepalive time, per RFC4271. Defaults to `60s`.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.connectTime`	`duration`	Specifies how long BGP waits between connection attempts to a neighbor.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.ebgpMultiHop`	`boolean`	Indicates if the BGPPeer is multi-hops away.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.bfdProfile`	`string`	Specifies the name of the BFD Profile to use for the BFD session associated with the BGP session. If not set, the BFD session is not set up.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.allowed`	`array`	Represents the list of prefixes to advertise to a neighbor, and the associated properties.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.allowed.prefixes`	`string array`	Specifies the list of prefixes to advertise to a neighbor. This list must match the prefixes that you define in the router.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.allowed.mode`	`string`	Specifies the mode to use when handling the prefixes. You can set to `filtered` to allow only the prefixes in the prefixes list. You can set to `all` to allow all the prefixes configured on the router.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.withLocalPref`	`array`	Specifies the prefixes associated with an advertised local preference. You must specify the prefixes associated with a local preference in the prefixes allowed to be advertised.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.withLocalPref.prefixes`	`string array`	Specifies the prefixes associated with the local preference.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.withLocalPref.localPref`	`integer`	Specifies the local preference associated with the prefixes.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.withCommunity`	`array`	Specifies the prefixes associated with an advertised BGP community. You must include the prefixes associated with a local preference in the list of prefixes that you want to advertise.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.withCommunity.prefixes`	`string array`	Specifies the prefixes associated with the community.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toAdvertise.withCommunity.community`	`string`	Specifies the community associated with the prefixes.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toReceive`	`array`	Specifies the prefixes to receive from a neighbor.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toReceive.allowed`	`array`	Specifies the information that you want to receive from a neighbor.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toReceive.allowed.prefixes`	`array`	Specifies the prefixes allowed from a neighbor.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.toReceive.allowed.mode`	`string`	Specifies the mode to use when handling the prefixes. When set to `filtered`, only the prefixes in the `prefixes` list are allowed. When set to `all`, all the prefixes configured on the router are allowed.
`spec.bgp.routers.neighbors.disableMP`	`boolean`	Disables MP BGP to prevent it from separating IPv4 and IPv6 route exchanges into distinct BGP sessions.
`spec.bgp.routers.prefixes`	`string array`	Specifies all prefixes to advertise from this router instance.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles`	`array`	Specifies the list of bfd profiles to use when configuring the neighbors.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles.name`	`string`	The name of the BFD Profile to be referenced in other parts of the configuration.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles.receiveInterval`	`integer`	Specifies the minimum interval at which this system can receive control packets, in milliseconds. Defaults to `300ms`.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles.transmitInterval`	`integer`	Specifies the minimum transmission interval, excluding jitter, that this system wants to use to send BFD control packets, in milliseconds. Defaults to `300ms`.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles.detectMultiplier`	`integer`	Configures the detection multiplier to determine packet loss. To determine the connection loss-detection timer, multiply the remote transmission interval by this value.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles.echoInterval`	`integer`	Configures the minimal echo receive transmission-interval that this system can handle, in milliseconds. Defaults to `50ms`.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles.echoMode`	`boolean`	Enables or disables the echo transmission mode. This mode is disabled by default, and not supported on multihop setups.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles.passiveMode`	`boolean`	Mark session as passive. A passive session does not attempt to start the connection and waits for control packets from peers before it begins replying.
`spec.bgp.bfdProfiles.MinimumTtl`	`integer`	For multihop sessions only. Configures the minimum expected TTL for an incoming BFD control packet.
`spec.nodeSelector`	`string`	Limits the nodes that attempt to apply this configuration. If specified, only those nodes whose labels match the specified selectors attempt to apply the configuration. If it is not specified, all nodes attempt to apply this configuration.
`status`	`string`	Defines the observed state of FRRConfiguration.

How FRR-K8s merges multiple configurations

In a case where multiple users add configurations that select the same node, FRR-K8s merges the configurations. Each configuration can only extend others. This means that it is possible to add a new neighbor to a router, or to advertise an additional prefix to a neighbor, but not possible to remove a component added by another configuration.

Configuration conflicts

Certain configurations can cause conflicts, leading to errors, for example:

different ASN for the same router (in the same VRF)
different ASN for the same neighbor (with the same IP / port)
multiple BFD profiles with the same name but different values

When the daemon finds an invalid configuration for a node, it reports the configuration as invalid and reverts to the previous valid FRR configuration.

Merging

When merging, it is possible to do the following actions:

Extend the set of IPs that you want to advertise to a neighbor.
Add an extra neighbor with its set of IPs.
Extend the set of IPs to which you want to associate a community.
Allow incoming routes for a neighbor.

Each configuration must be self contained. This means, for example, that it is not possible to allow prefixes that are not defined in the router section by leveraging prefixes coming from another configuration.

If the configurations to be applied are compatible, merging works as follows:

FRR-K8s combines all the routers.
FRR-K8s merges all prefixes and neighbors for each router.
FRR-K8s merges all filters for each neighbor.

A less restrictive filter has precedence over a stricter one. For example, a filter accepting some prefixes has precedence over a filter not accepting any, and a filter accepting all prefixes has precedence over one that accepts some.