Virtual Wire Subinterfaces
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Virtual Wire Subinterfaces

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Virtual Wire Subinterfaces

You can create subinterfaces on a virtual wire and then apply different policies to different traffic zones based on VLAN tags. You can further separate traffic using IP classifiers based on a source IP address, range, or subnet.
Virtual wire deployments can use virtual wire subinterfaces to separate traffic into zones. Virtual wire subinterfaces provide flexibility in enforcing distinct policies when you need to manage traffic from multiple customer networks. The subinterfaces allow you to separate and classify traffic into different zones (the zones can belong to separate virtual systems, if required) using the following criteria:
  • VLAN tags
    —The example in Virtual Wire Deployment with Subinterfaces (VLAN Tags only) shows an ISP using virtual wire subinterfaces with VLAN tags to separate traffic for two different customers.
  • VLAN tags in conjunction with IP classifiers (address, range, or subnet)
    —The following example shows an ISP with two separate virtual systems on a firewall that manages traffic from two different customers. On each virtual system, the example illustrates how virtual wire subinterfaces with VLAN tags and IP classifiers are used to classify traffic into separate zones and apply relevant policy for customers from each network.
Virtual Wire Subinterface Workflow
  • Configure two Ethernet interfaces as type virtual wire, and assign these interfaces to a virtual wire.
  • Create subinterfaces on the parent Virtual Wire to separate CustomerA and CustomerB traffic. Make sure that the VLAN tags defined on each pair of subinterfaces that are configured as virtual wire(s) are identical. This is essential because a virtual wire does not switch VLAN tags.
  • Create new subinterfaces and define IP classifiers. This task is optional and only required if you wish to add additional subinterfaces with IP classifiers for further managing traffic from a customer based on the combination of VLAN tags and a specific source IP address, range or subnet.
You can also use IP classifiers for managing untagged traffic. To do so, you must create a sub-interface with the vlan tag “0”, and define subinterface(s) with IP classifiers for managing untagged traffic using IP classifiers.
IP classification may only be used on the subinterfaces associated with one side of the virtual wire. The subinterfaces defined on the corresponding side of the virtual wire must use the same VLAN tag, but must not include an IP classifier.
Virtual Wire Deployment with Subinterfaces (VLAN Tags only)
Virtual Wire Deployment with Subinterfaces (VLAN Tags only) depicts CustomerA and CustomerB connected to the firewall through one physical interface, ethernet1/1, configured as a Virtual Wire; it is the ingress interface. A second physical interface, ethernet1/2, is also part of the Virtual Wire; it is the egress interface that provides access to the internet.
For CustomerA, you also have subinterfaces ethernet1/1.1 (ingress) and ethernet1/2.1 (egress). For CustomerB, you have the subinterface ethernet1/1.2 (ingress) and ethernet1/2.2 (egress). When configuring the subinterfaces, you must assign the appropriate VLAN tag and zone in order to apply policies for each customer. In this example, the policies for CustomerA are created between Zone1 and Zone2, and policies for CustomerB are created between Zone3 and Zone4.
When traffic enters the firewall from CustomerA or CustomerB, the VLAN tag on the incoming packet is first matched against the VLAN tag defined on the ingress subinterfaces. In this example, a single subinterface matches the VLAN tag on the incoming packet, hence that subinterface is selected. The policies defined for the zone are evaluated and applied before the packet exits from the corresponding subinterface.
The same VLAN tag must not be defined on the parent virtual wire interface and the subinterface. Verify that the VLAN tags defined on the Tag Allowed list of the parent virtual wire interface (
Network
Virtual Wires
) are not included on a subinterface.
Virtual Wire Deployment with Subinterfaces (VLAN Tags and IP Classifiers) depicts CustomerA and CustomerB connected to one physical firewall that has two virtual systems (vsys), in addition to the default virtual system (vsys1). Each virtual system is an independent virtual firewall that is managed separately for each customer. Each vsys has attached interfaces/subinterfaces and security zones that are managed independently.
Virtual Wire Deployment with Subinterfaces (VLAN Tags and IP Classifiers)
Vsys1 is set up to use the physical interfaces ethernet1/1 and ethernet1/2 as a virtual wire; ethernet1/1 is the ingress interface and ethernet1/2 is the egress interface that provides access to the Internet. This virtual wire is configured to accept all tagged and untagged traffic with the exception of VLAN tags 100 and 200 that are assigned to the subinterfaces.
CustomerA is managed on vsys2 and CustomerB is managed on vsys3. On vsys2 and vsys3, the following vwire subinterfaces are created with the appropriate VLAN tags and zones to enforce policy measures.
Customer
Vsys
Vwire Subinterfaces
Zone
VLAN Tag
IP Classifier
A
2
e1/1.1 (ingress)
e1/2.1 (egress)
Zone3
Zone4
100
100
None
2
e1/1.2 (ingress)
e1/2.2 (egress)
Zone5
Zone6
100
100
IP subnet
192.1.0.0/16
2
e1/1.3 (ingress)
e1/2.3 (egress)
Zone7
Zone8
100
100
IP subnet
192.2.0.0/16
B
3
e1/1.4 (ingress)
e1/2.4 (egress)
Zone9
Zone10
200
200
None
When traffic enters the firewall from CustomerA or CustomerB, the VLAN tag on the incoming packet is first matched against the VLAN tag defined on the ingress subinterfaces. In this case, for CustomerA, there are multiple subinterfaces that use the same VLAN tag. Hence, the firewall first narrows the classification to a subinterface based on the source IP address in the packet. The policies defined for the zone are evaluated and applied before the packet exits from the corresponding subinterface.
For return-path traffic, the firewall compares the destination IP address as defined in the IP classifier on the customer-facing subinterface and selects the appropriate virtual wire to route traffic through the accurate subinterface.
The same VLAN tag must not be defined on the parent virtual wire interface and the subinterface. Verify that the VLAN tags defined on the Tag Allowed list of the parent virtual wire interface (
Network
Virtual Wires
) are not included on a subinterface.

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