cisco.nxos.nxos_l2_interfaces for port channels

[oraclek76]

SUMMARY

Can we add a feature to allow for port channels for this? Trying to create a port channel as layer 2. Maybe there is a better way to do it.

ISSUE TYPE

• Feature Idea

COMPONENT NAME

cisco.nxos.nxos_l2_interfaces

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

When I use the command for port channels it is a layer 2 port channel and I need it to be a layer 3 port channel for it to be a peer-link for vpc.

[oraclek76]

Created in error. This can be closed out. I had my syntax wrong.

[oraclek76]

Actually this one only works if I manually enter 'switchport' on the command line. Is there a way to use this to configure a port channel as layer 2? Or a way to use the lacp module to create it as a switchport/layer 2? I can open an issue under that module if it is better to do that.

[dwebr]

Actually this one only works if I manually enter 'switchport' on the command line. Is there a way to use this to configure a port channel as layer 2? Or a way to use the lacp module to create it as a switchport/layer 2? I can open an issue under that module if it is better to do that.

Hey @oraclek76 I have had a lot of frustration with setting up port-channels or lags as well using the cisco.nexus modules. The work-around is to use "mode: layer2" with the cisco.nxos.nxos_interfaces module.

This is what I found works for port-channels.

First setup some variables, I placed them into a interfaces.yaml file in each device folder in host_vars.

interfaces:
  - name: port-channel4001
    description: CR0x-L2/L3-4001
    mode: layer2
    enabled: true

lag_interfaces:
  - name: port-channel4001
    members:
      - member: Ethernet1/53
      - member: Ethernet1/54

lag_l2_interfaces:
  - name: port-channel4001
    mode: trunk
    trunk:
      allowed_vlans: 3000-3999

Then use those variables as input to the appropriate cisco_nxos modules. In the example below, the role_action is set to merged. I think only merged and rendered work correctly. I'm using a "interfaces" role so these are just tasks in that role but you could just place them into a playbook under tasks I think.

- name: NXOS - Configure Interfaces
  cisco.nxos.nxos_interfaces:
    config: "{{ interfaces }}"
    state: "{{ role_action }}"
  register: results
  when: interfaces | length > 0

- name: NXOS - Configure Port-Channel LAG Interfaces
  cisco.nxos.nxos_lag_interfaces:
    config: "{{ lag_interfaces }}"
    state: "{{ role_action }}"
  register: lag_results
  when: lag_interfaces | length > 0

- name: NXOS - Configure L2 Port-Channel Interfaces
  cisco.nxos.nxos_l2_interfaces:
    config: "{{ lag_l2_interfaces }}"
    state: "{{ role_action }}"
  register: lag_results
  when: lag_l2_interfaces | length > 0
  

I have no idea if this is how Cisco intends customers to build solutions with the cisco.nexus ansible collection, but this worked for me even if it is a hacky cludge. Good Luck!

[NilashishC]

@oraclek76 This can be easily be done through the nxos_interfaces module, which deals with interface base parameters like description, speed, admin state, mode (L2/L3), etc. Please refer to the following playbook. Note that this works for both new and existing port-channels.

---
- hosts: nxos
  gather_facts: no
  tasks:
    - name: Mode for port-channels
      cisco.nxos.nxos_interfaces:
        config:
          - name: Port-Channel10
            mode: layer2
        state: merged

With that, I'm closing this ticket. If you have more questions on this topic, please feel free to re-open this. Thank you!