maas creates separate fabrics for each interface on a rack controller

[Jason Hobbs]

After installing a single node combined region/rack controller on a node with 4 interfaces but only one configured, MAAS has created separate fabrics for each interface. However, all of my interfaces are in reality on the same fabric, so this is incorrect.

According to the docs [1], a fabric is a namespace for vlans. The drawing shows rack controllers existing within only single fabrics. It seems exceedingly unlikely that a single rack controller would have interfaces in multiple fabrics and this doesn't make sense as a default assumption.

Therefore, all of the interfaces on a single rack controller should be considered part of the same fabric, unless there is some strong indication (user input) otherwise.

This is with MAAS 2.4.0~alpha1-6573-g12ee2331b-0ubuntu1.

[1] https://docs.maas.io/2.3/en/intro-concepts#fabrics

[Jason Hobbs (jason-hobbs)]

here is another example:

https://pastebin.canonical.com/p/jv22Sm8BFq/

All of the fabrics/vlans in that dump were created automatically.

All of the vlans belong to the same fabric - we don't reuse vlan ID's in
our organization, so we have no need for vlan namespaces. They are all
connected to the same set of switches.

[Andres Rodriguez (andreserl)]

Jason,

Can you provide e/n/i or netplan, as well as the output of “ip addr show”.

Thanks.

On Thu, Mar 29, 2018 at 5:55 PM Jason Hobbs <email address hidden>
wrote:

> here is another example:
>
> https://pastebin.canonical.com/p/jv22Sm8BFq/
>
> All of the fabrics/vlans in that dump were created automatically.
>
> All of the vlans belong to the same fabric - we don't reuse vlan ID's in
> our organization, so we have no need for vlan namespaces. They are all
> connected to the same set of switches.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to MAAS.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1754484
>
> Title:
> maas creates separate fabrics for each interface on a rack controller
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/maas/+bug/1754484/+subscriptions
>
> Launchpad-Notification-Type: bug
> Launchpad-Bug: product=maas; status=New; importance=Undecided;
> assignee=None;
> Launchpad-Bug-Tags: cdo-qa foundations-engine
> Launchpad-Bug-Information-Type: Public
> Launchpad-Bug-Private: no
> Launchpad-Bug-Security-Vulnerability: no
> Launchpad-Bug-Commenters: jason-hobbs
> Launchpad-Bug-Reporter: Jason Hobbs (jason-hobbs)
> Launchpad-Bug-Modifier: Jason Hobbs (jason-hobbs)
> Launchpad-Message-Rationale: Subscriber (MAAS)
> Launchpad-Message-For: andreserl
>
--
Andres Rodriguez (RoAkSoAx)
Ubuntu Server Developer
MSc. Telecom & Networking
Systems Engineer

[Andres Rodriguez (andreserl)]

@Mike,

What other data do we use to parse the interfaces ? Can you please request
that data.

On Thu, Mar 29, 2018 at 6:12 PM, Andres Rodriguez <email address hidden>
wrote:

> Jason,
>
> Can you provide e/n/i or netplan, as well as the output of “ip addr show”.
>
> Thanks.
>
> On Thu, Mar 29, 2018 at 5:55 PM Jason Hobbs <email address hidden>
> wrote:
>
>> here is another example:
>>
>> https://pastebin.canonical.com/p/jv22Sm8BFq/
>>
>> All of the fabrics/vlans in that dump were created automatically.
>>
>> All of the vlans belong to the same fabric - we don't reuse vlan ID's in
>> our organization, so we have no need for vlan namespaces. They are all
>> connected to the same set of switches.
>>
>> --
>> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to MAAS.
>> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1754484
>>
>> Title:
>> maas creates separate fabrics for each interface on a rack controller
>>
>> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
>> https://bugs.launchpad.net/maas/+bug/1754484/+subscriptions
>>
>> Launchpad-Notification-Type: bug
>> Launchpad-Bug: product=maas; status=New; importance=Undecided;
>> assignee=None;
>> Launchpad-Bug-Tags: cdo-qa foundations-engine
>> Launchpad-Bug-Information-Type: Public
>> Launchpad-Bug-Private: no
>> Launchpad-Bug-Security-Vulnerability: no
>> Launchpad-Bug-Commenters: jason-hobbs
>> Launchpad-Bug-Reporter: Jason Hobbs (jason-hobbs)
>> Launchpad-Bug-Modifier: Jason Hobbs (jason-hobbs)
>> Launchpad-Message-Rationale: Subscriber (MAAS)
>> Launchpad-Message-For: andreserl
>>
> --
> Andres Rodriguez (RoAkSoAx)
> Ubuntu Server Developer
> MSc. Telecom & Networking
> Systems Engineer
>

--
Andres Rodriguez (RoAkSoAx)
Ubuntu Server Developer
MSc. Telecom & Networking
Systems Engineer

[Jason Hobbs (jason-hobbs)]

Here is /e/n/i. BTW, This comment and #2 come from a maas 2.3.1 install - this is not a 2.4 specific issue.

https://pastebin.canonical.com/p/Rm4pJXzfjd/

[Adam Collard (adam-collard)]

This bug has not seen any activity in the last 6 months, so it is being automatically closed.

If you are still experiencing this issue, please feel free to re-open.

MAAS Team

[Blake Rouse (blake-rouse)]

MAAS uses network probing to determine which interfaces are on which fabrics. Being that the other 3 interfaces are not configured MAAS has no way to determine that they are similar. Saying "It seems exceedingly unlikely that a single rack controller would have interfaces in multiple fabrics and this doesn't make sense as a default assumption." is really based on your experience and others can have different experiences where this is true.

MAAS really doesn't have a better way to solve this problem, other then telling MAAS what it should know.

Only other case I could think of is if those interfaces are also disconnected with no network link at all, in that case MAAS should not create a fabric/vlan for those interfaces.

[Jason Hobbs (jason-hobbs)]

I still disagree here. MAAS can just assume that interfaces on the same rack controller are on the same fabric, and that will be true 99% of the time. That's good enough to make it default behavior, and if people really do have interfaces on different fabrics, they can correct that afterwards.

[Igor Gnip (igorgnip)]

Hello, need to resurrect this and approach if from different angle.
If maas autodetects fabrics - once maas rack is registered, is it possible to modify the autodetected configuration to suit our needs ?
In addition, can it be also done in case maas rack has a bonded interfaces configuration ?

[Ginder Innokentiy (iaginde1)]

Really MaaS may see only untagged vlan.

If I have one server with four via vlan tagged interfaces then MaaS creates 4 fabrics.
If I have a chassis with 10 blades each with four vlan via tagged interfaces, then MaaS will create 40 fabrics
It's a total nightmare!

MaaS 3.1 from snap