MAC Address Management in a PVLAN

Each device that connects to a PVLAN must have a unique MAC address within the PVLAN. Each MAC address learned in a PVLAN requires multiple FDB entries. For example, each MAC address learned in a non-isolated subscriber VLAN requires two FDB entries, one for the subscriber VLAN and one for the network VLAN. The additional FDB entries for a PVLAN are marked with the P flag in the show fdb command display.

The following sections describe the FDB entries created for the PVLAN components and how to estimate the impact of a PVLAN on the FDB table:

Non-Isolated Subscriber VLAN

When a MAC address is learned on a non-isolated subscriber VLAN port, two entries are added to the FDB table:

  • MAC address, non-isolated subscriber VLAN tag, and the port number

  • MAC address, network VLAN tag, port number, and a special flag for tag translation

The network VLAN entry is used when traffic comes in from the network ports destined for an non-isolated port.

Isolated Subscriber VLAN

When a new MAC address is learned on an isolated subscriber VLAN port, two entries are added to the FDB table:

  • MAC address, isolated subscriber VLAN tag, port number, and a flag that indicates that the packet should be dropped

  • MAC address, network VLAN tag, port number, and a special flag for tag translation

Ports in the isolated VLAN do not communicate with one another.

If a port in the isolated VLAN sends a packet to another port in the same VLAN that already has an entry in the FDB, that packet is dropped. You can verify the drop packet status of an FDB entry by using the show fdb command. The D flag indicates that packets destined for the listed address are dropped.

The network VLAN entry is used when traffic comes in from the network ports destined for an isolated port.

Network VLAN

When a new MAC address is learned on a network VLAN port, the following entry is added to the FDB table: MAC address, network VLAN tag, and port number.

For every subscriber VLAN belonging to this PVLAN, the following entry is added to the FDB table: MAC address, subscriber VLAN tag, and port number

Calculating the Total FDB Entries for a PVLAN

The following formula can be used to estimate the maximum number of FDB entries for a PVLAN:

FDBtotal = [(MACnon-iso + MACiso) * 2 + (MACnetwork * (VLANnon-iso + VLANiso + 1))]

The formula components are as follows:
  • MACnon-iso = number of MAC addresses learned on all the non-isolated subscriber VLANs
  • MACiso = number of MAC addresses learned on all the isolated subscriber VLANs
  • MACnetwork = number of MAC addresses learned on the network VLAN
  • VLANnon-iso = number of non-isolated subscriber VLANs
  • VLANiso = number of isolated subscriber VLANs
Note

Note

The formula above estimates the worst-case scenario for the maximum number of FDB entries for a single PVLAN. If the switch supports additional PVLANs, apply the formula to each PVLAN and add the totals for all PVLANs. If the switch also support standard VLANs, there will also be FDB entries for the standard VLANs.
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