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Configure a Mesh WAN Topology (SSR Only)

Use a mesh WAN topology when latency is a concern.

Overview

The mesh topology in WAN Assurance lets you form direct peer connections with multiple other Juniper Session Smart Router (SSR) routers. The advantage of forming a mesh is that, because each node is directly connected to every other node in the mesh. (From a topological point of view, you can think of the SSRs as being a node, or a device, or in the terminology of SSR WAN Edge routers, as a being a location.)

Configuration

Building the WAN Mesh in the Mist dashboard is straightforward. You need to have, or create, a WAN Edge Template, and in that template, have, or create, a WAN interface that you will configure for the mesh.

Note:

The interface(s) you use must have a static IP address, must not be a part of another topology such as a hub and spoke, and must be reachable by other members of the mesh.

You start by creating what is essentially a label, called the Mesh Overlay Endpoints, that you will use in the WAN Edge template. This is described below.

Set Up A WAN Mesh Topology:

  1. From the Mist menu, select Organization|WAN>WAN Topology.

  2. Click the Create button in the WAN Topologies page that opens.

  3. Give the mesh a name, typically something that indicates its role in the mesh.

  4. Click the Add Mesh Overlay Endpoint button and also give the path a name. This is essentially a label for the logical overlay of WAN interfaces participating in the mesh. You’ll add this later to the WAN interface configuration of the WAN Edge template or device WAN Edge device page.

  5. Post your changes by clicking the blue check mark that appears, and then the Save button at the top of the page.

    Figure 1: WAN Mesh WAN Mesh

Configure The WAN Edge Template

  1. In the Mist menu, select Organization | WAN > WAN Edge Templates and then the template with the WAN interface(s) you want to use in the mesh.

  2. Scroll down to the WAN section of the configuration page and select a WAN interface.

    Figure 2: WAN Edge Template Configuration WAN Edge Template Configuration

  3. Assign a Static IP address, netmask, and gateway if the interface doesn’t already have one.

  4. In the Overlay Mesh Endpoints (SSR Only) field, click Mesh Name and choose the mesh you just named from the drop-down list.

  5. Do the same for Path.

  6. Choose the Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) profile you want to use for failure detection on the link, Broadband or LTE.

  7. Click Save to post your settings, and then Save again, at the top of the template configuration page, to push the updates to the device you are editing.

Verification

You can see the mesh you just configured on the WAN Edge page. For additional details, open the Topology Details by clicking Hub/Mesh, as shown in Figure 3, or opening the WAN Edge Insights page.

Figure 3: WAN Edge WAN Edge