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Configuration of cluster ECMP by using Cisco Nexus 7000 switch with routing Protocol

September 27, 2025
Contributed by: 
C S

With ECMP over a cluster setup, a NetScaler appliance is able to handle the traffic through a routing protocol. The ECMP mechanism helps in advertising the virtual server IP addresses through all active cluster nodes.

To use ECMP, you must first enable the BGP protocol on the cluster IP address. Bind the interfaces and the spotted IP address (with dynamic routing enabled) to a VLAN. Configure the selected routing protocol and redistribute the kernel routes on the ZebOS by using the VTYSH shell.

Use Case: Cluster ECMP by using Cisco Nexus 7000 switch with routing Protocol

Consider an example of a cluster deployment with a Cisco Nexus 7000 switch:

  • Two NetScaler appliances (Node 1 and Node 2), connected to the Nexus switch (upstream).
  • Two Cisco Nexus 7000 switch.
  • Client and server (drawing HTTP traffic through the Nexus switch). With Hot Standby Router Protocol (HSRP) enabled on the client-side.

Citrix Cisco Nexus 7000

Prerequisites

Consider the following points before configuring cluster nodes on a NetScaler appliance.

  1. All appliances must be of the same platform type.
  2. Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) must be enabled on the cluster nodes.

Configuring by using the CLI on a NetScaler appliance

  1. Log on to an appliance (for example, appliance with NSIP address 1.1.1.1)

  2. To add a cluster node.

    add cluster node 0 1.1.1.2 –state ACTIVE –backplane 0/10/8

  3. To add the cluster IP address

    add ns ip 1.1.1.10 255.255.255.254 –type clip

  4. Save the configuration

    save ns config

  5. Warm reboot the appliance

    reboot -warm

  6. To add node 1 using CLIP

    add cluster node 1 2.2.2.2 –state ACTIVE –backplane 1/10/8

  7. To join a node to the cluster

    join cluster –clip 1.1.1.10 –password nsroot

  8. Perform the following configuration on CLIP

    • enable ns feature bgp ospf DYNAMICROUTING

    • add ns ip 11.1.1.3 255.255.255.254 –dynamicRouting ENABLED –ownerNode 0

    • add ns ip 11.1.1.7 255.255.255.254 –dynamicRouting ENABLED –ownerNode 0

    • add ns ip 11.1.1.5 255.255.255.254 –dynamicRouting ENABLED –ownerNode 1

    • add ns ip 11.1.1.9 255.255.255.254 –dynamicRouting ENABLED –ownerNode 1

On the Cisco Nexus router (11.1.1.2/31 and 11.1.1.4/31), you must perform the following configurations by using the command line:

  • feature ospf
  • feature bgp
  • feature interface-vlan

  • feature hsrp

    >  interface vlan100
    no shutdown
    ip address 50.1.1.1/8
     hsrp 50
      ip 50.50.50.50

>  interface Ethernet 4/15
     ip address 11.1.1.2/31
     no shutdown

>  interface Ethernet 4/19
     ip address 11.1.1.4/31
     no shutdown

>  interface Ethernet 4/22
     switchport
      switchport access vlan 100

On the Cisco Nexus router (11.1.1.6/31 and 11.1.1.8/31), you must perform the following configurations by using the command line:

  • feature ospf
  • feature bgp
  • feature interface-vlan

  • feature hsrp

     >  interface vlan100
     no shutdown
     no ip redirects
     ip address 50.1.1.2/8
      hsrp 50
      ip 50.50.50.50

 >  interface Ethernet 4/13
     ip address 11.1.1.6/31
     no shutdown

 >  interface Ethernet 4/15
     ip address 11.1.1.8/31
     no shutdown

 >  interface Ethernet 4/22
     switchport
     switchport access vlan 100

For the BGP protocol, you must perform the following configurations on CLIP of the NetScaler appliance:

>  vtysh
ns# router bgp 1
 redistribute kernel
 owner-node 0
 neighbor 11.1.1.2 remote-as 2
 neighbor 11.1.1.2 as-origination-interval 1
 neighbor 11.1.1.2 advertisement-interval 0
 neighbor 11.1.1.6 remote-as 2
 neighbor 11.1.1.6 as-origination-interval 1
 neighbor 11.1.1.6 advertisement-interval 0
owner-node 1
 neighbor 11.1.1.4 remote-as 2
 neighbor 11.1.1.4 as-origination-interval 1
 neighbor 11.1.1.4 advertisement-interval 0
 neighbor 11.1.1.8 remote-as 2
 neighbor 11.1.1.8 as-origination-interval 1
 neighbor 11.1.1.8 advertisement-interval 0
exit-owner-node

Perform the following configurations on the Cisco Nexus router (11.1.1.3 and 11.1.1.5)

> ip access-list acl1
  10 permit ip 50.0.0.0/8 any
  route-map test permit
  match ip address acl1
 router bgp 2
  address-family ipv4 unicast
   redistribute direct route-map test
   maximum-paths 2
 neighbor 11.1.1.3 remote-as 1
  address-family ipv4 unicast
  neighbor 11.1.1.5 remote-as 1
 address-family ipv4 unicast

Perform the following configurations on the Cisco Nexus router (11.1.1.7 and 11.1.1.9)

> ip access-list acl1
   10 permit ip 50.0.0.0/8 any
  route-map test permit 1
   match ip address acl1
  router bgp 2
   address-family ipv4 unicast
   redistribute direct route-map test
   maximum-paths 2
  neighbor 11.1.1.7 remote-as 1
   address-family ipv4 unicast
  neighbor 11.1.1.9 remote-as 1
   address-family ipv4 unicast

For the OSPF protocol, you must perform the following configurations on CLIP of the NetScaler appliance:

> vtysh
ns# router osfp 1
redistribute kernel
owner-node 0
 network 15.1.1.2/31 area 0
 network 15.1.1.6/31 area 0
exit-owner-node

owner-node 1
 network 15.1.1.4/31 area 0
 network 15.1.1.8/31 area 0
exit-owner-node

route-map map2 permit 1
set metric 10

On the Cisco Nexus router (11.1.1.2/31 and 11.1.1.4/31), you must perform the following configurations by using the command line:

> route-map- map2 permit 1
   set metric 10

   interface Ethernet4/15
     ip address 15.1.1.2/31
     ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
     no shutdown

   interface Ethernet4/19
     ip address 15.1.1.4/31
     ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
     no shutdown

   router ospf 1
    router-id 1.1.1.1
    redistribute direct route-map map2

On the Cisco Nexus router (11.1.1.7/31 and 11.1.1.9/31), you must perform the following configurations by using the command line:

> route-map- map2 permit 1
    set metric 10

   interface Ethernet4/13
     ip address 15.1.1.6/31
     ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
     no shutdown

    interface Ethernet4/15
     ip address 15.1.1.8/31
     ip router ospf 1 area 0.0.0.0
     no shutdown

    router ospf 1
      router-id 1.1.1.2
      redistribute direct route-map map2
Configuration of cluster ECMP by using Cisco Nexus 7000 switch with routing Protocol
September 27, 2025
Contributed by: 
C S
September 27, 2025
Contributed by: 
C S

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