Feature: bird vrf support including bgp, ospf and route leaking by jbemmel · Pull Request #3498 · ipspace/netlab

jbemmel · 2026-06-19T04:17:32Z

Create Linux VRF tables (including any module specific script in initial/bird-clab.j2)
Make BGP and OSPF VRF aware
Add VRF route leaking (including static routes)
Update documentation

Test results:

./device-module-test -d bird -p clab vrf
Pre-test cleanup: 
23:10:18 vrf/01-multi-vrf.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:10:28 vrf/02-multi-vrf-ipv6.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:10:39 vrf/03-multi-vrf-loopback.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:10:43 vrf/04-multi-vrf-loopback-ipv6.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:10:50 vrf/11-multi-vrf-ospf.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:11:12 vrf/12-multi-vrf-bgp.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:12:32 vrf/13-multi-vrf-bgp-loopback.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:12:48 vrf/14-multi-vrf-unnumbered.yml: create(FAIL) 
23:12:49 vrf/15-multi-vrf-mixed.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:13:10 vrf/16-vrf-bgp-community.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:13:20 vrf/21-multi-vrf-ospfv3.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:13:42 vrf/22-multi-vrf-bgp-ipv6.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:13:58 vrf/23-multi-vrf-mixed-ipv6.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:14:21 vrf/31-vrf-common-hosts.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:14:30 vrf/32-vrf-common-hosts-ipv6.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:14:40 vrf/33-vrf-common-ospf.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK
23:15:01 vrf/34-vrf-common-mixed.yml: create(ok) up(ok) config(ok) validate(ok) cleanup(ok) OK

jbemmel · 2026-06-19T04:19:23Z

Test vrf/14-multi-vrf-unnumbered.yml can be fixed once #3475 is merged

ipspace

This will need a significant rework. The hacks like "include everything else in initial.j2" suck.

Also, for all other devices, we configure routing protocol instances within the VRF configuration; here, you do it in the main OSPF/BGP template. While I understand why you went down that route, it will make for an "interesting" experience when someone has to fix this code, and the two similar experiences I already had to go through persuaded me to avoid the third one at all costs 🤷🏻‍♂️

I know you're facing the challenge of doing data-plane configuration and daemon configuration in the same template, and I don't have a good answer for it yet... but it has to be better than this.

jbemmel · 2026-06-20T13:43:31Z

I know you're facing the challenge of doing data-plane configuration and daemon configuration in the same template, and I don't have a good answer for it yet... but it has to be better than this.

Currently, the issue is that a vrf key under daemon_config overrides the ansible/templates/vrf/bird-clab.j2 script - hence the initial hack.

Somehow we need to make the daemon_config namespace distinct from regular module scripts, allowing both

jbemmel · 2026-06-20T19:56:49Z

Rebased from dev to get datapath wait functionality
Refactor FRR VRF datapath script such that BIRD can import as-is
Remove default router role (VRF test cases need fixing: [BUG] VRF integration tests fail to set role 'router' for DUT #3506)
Allow daemon config files to include "@conf" such that they can co-exist with a datapath script for the same module
Refactor BGP, OSPF and VRF config templates separating out the Jinja2 macro's
Align VRF logic with other devices (import BGP/OSPF macros)

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

jbemmel · 2026-06-21T20:45:05Z

Rebased from dev once more to get per-module CP config support for daemons
replaced @conf with -daemon in extra_daemon_config

./device-module-test -d bird -p clab vrf still passes (except vrf-unnumbered)

Copilot

Pull request overview

Adds full VRF support for the BIRD “device” integration, covering per-VRF routing tables, VRF-aware BGP/OSPF instances, and RT-based route leaking (including VRF/inter-VRF static routes), plus documentation and feature-flag updates.

Changes:

Implemented VRF-aware BIRD configuration generation (VRF tables, kernel/direct/static, RT-based pipe leaking, VRF BGP/OSPF).
Refactored BIRD BGP/OSPF templates into reusable macro libraries and updated feature flags for VRF + static route capabilities.
Reused a shared Linux VRF dataplane setup script across FRR/BIRD and updated platform/module docs to reflect new support.

Reviewed changes

Copilot reviewed 16 out of 16 changed files in this pull request and generated 3 comments.

Show a summary per file

File	Description
netsim/daemons/bird/vrf-daemon.j2	New VRF table + protocol definitions, VRF static routes, RT-based leaking, and per-VRF OSPF/BGP rendering.
netsim/daemons/bird/protocols.j2	Excludes VRF interfaces from the global `direct` protocol.
netsim/daemons/bird/ospf.macros.j2	New OSPF rendering macro with VRF-aware table/import/export handling.
netsim/daemons/bird/ospf.j2	Refactored to use `ospf.macros.j2`.
netsim/daemons/bird/bgp.macros.j2	New BGP rendering macros, including VRF-aware sessions.
netsim/daemons/bird/bgp.j2	Refactored to use `bgp.macros.j2`.
netsim/daemons/bird.yml	Advertises new BIRD VRF + routing.static (vrf/inter_vrf) feature support.
netsim/ansible/templates/vrf/frr.vrf.j2	New shared script that creates Linux VRFs and assigns interfaces to them.
netsim/ansible/templates/vrf/frr.j2	Refactored to include the shared VRF script.
netsim/ansible/templates/vrf/bird.j2	Uses the shared VRF script for BIRD VRF dataplane setup.
docs/platforms.md	Marks BIRD VRF support in platform capability matrix.
docs/module/vrf.md	Documents BIRD VRF support and VRF protocol support.
docs/module/routing.md	Updates routing module support table to include BIRD static routes.
docs/module/routing-static.txt	Adds BIRD to static routing support table.
docs/module/bgp.md	Updates BIRD BGP feature support table.
docs/caveats.md	Clarifies BIRD router-id behavior for BGP/OSPF instances.

+{% for l in netlab_interfaces if l.vrf is defined %}
+  interface -"{{ l.ifname }}";
+{% endfor %}


+{%       if vrf_name and vrf_data.import|default([]) %}
+      if netlab_vrf_rt ~ [ {% for rt in vrf_data.import %}{{ rt_value(rt) }}{% if not loop.last %}, {% endif %}{% endfor %} ] then {
+        ospf_metric2 = 20;
+        accept;
+      }
+{%       endif %}


* Shebang in the top-level file * No dependence on variables set in included files * Renamed DP template to reflect what it does

The sysctl used in debian/trixie cannot figure out how to handle the interfaces with dots (for example, ethX.Y). The workaround is to use slashes in the sysctl parameter. Works on FRR and Bird.

jbemmel · 2026-06-24T15:51:26Z

 # Move interfaces and loopbacks to vrfs
 {% for i in interfaces if i.vrf is defined %}
-sysctl -qw net.ipv6.conf.{{ i.ifname }}.keep_addr_on_down=1
+sysctl -qw net/ipv6/conf/{{ i.ifname }}/keep_addr_on_down=1


Similar issue in

netlab/netsim/ansible/templates/vlan/frr.j2

Line 27 in cfd0fae

sysctl -w net.ipv6.conf.{{ i.ifname }}.addr_gen_mode=3

?

That's not a problem (not saying it should not be fixed) because SVI interface names don't have dots in them.

ipspace · 2026-06-24T15:53:41Z

Looks like we're almost there. I ran the whole set of integration tests, and (no surprise there) a few unexpected ones failed. When doing a large change, it's worth testing beyond the immediate feature you think you implemented.

bgp.session/04-default-originate is failing the VRF part because the VRF default route is missing.
VRF Lite with VLANs test (vlan/52) had a problem with sysctl on ethX.Y interfaces. Fixed.
Inter-VRF static routes work (routing/22-static-inter-vrf), but the VRF-to-default ones do not.

I'm perfectly OK disabling BGP default route functionality for the moment (obviously it never worked as it should), documenting a caveat on VRF-to-global static routes and merge this.

Thoughts?

jbemmel · 2026-06-24T16:02:40Z

Thoughts?

I saw your sysctl patch and found other places in the codebase where this might be a problem. It tends to be in areas of combinations of features that we currently don't test ( e.g. VRFs with VLANs and IPv6 )

I'm ok with documenting the tests that currently fail, and then fixing those in follow-up PRs (instead of trying to fix them all in this one big PR)

jbemmel mentioned this pull request Jun 19, 2026

Bird: add bgp/evpn support with vxlan and anycast gateway #3475

Open

ipspace marked this pull request as draft June 20, 2026 13:28

ipspace requested changes Jun 20, 2026

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jbemmel force-pushed the feature/bird-vrf-support branch from 4088875 to 7160c8b Compare June 20, 2026 15:40

jbemmel marked this pull request as ready for review June 20, 2026 19:52

jbemmel marked this pull request as draft June 20, 2026 20:02

jbemmel marked this pull request as ready for review June 20, 2026 20:27

jbemmel marked this pull request as draft June 21, 2026 17:18

jbemmel and others added 19 commits June 21, 2026 12:20

Add BIRD VRF support

3c2dd55

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Fix BIRD VRF OSPF router IDs

eb856f8

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Fix BIRD VRF mixed redistribution

e90f047

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Add BIRD VRF route leaking

5333171

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Fix BIRD VRF OSPF route leaking

50f44c5

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Use VRF names in BIRD VRF objects

5e56910

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Advertise BIRD static VRF support

17fc1f9

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Use VRF names in BIRD routing protocols

5c122dc

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Document BIRD VRF feature support

3c053ec

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Support BIRD VRF BGP imports

c6d6e9d

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Fix BIRD VRF BGP router IDs

12eb5e6

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Rename BIRD VRF template for config mapping.

6ca1ebd

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Split BIRD containerlab config markers.

0f1d5bc

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Update BIRD daemon VRF config mapping.

2589b36

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Handle BIRD config suffix during cleanup.

224bd77

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Run BIRD VRF dataplane template in container.

90a7e6f

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Share VRF setup template between FRR and BIRD.

5fee997

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Move BIRD VRF protocol rendering into VRF config.

2739d69

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Remove unused BIRD initial marker.

49c62ee

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

jbemmel and others added 7 commits June 21, 2026 12:22

Align daemon config cleanup comment.

e079c6b

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Keep BIRD OSPF macro instance-only.

0826a30

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Use selected interface for BIRD BGP local address.

365c397

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Split BIRD protocol macros into templates.

3f7e3fe

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Document BIRD VRF template macros.

fbafbf3

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Inline BIRD VRF BGP rendering.

9e2cba8

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Restore dev versions after rebase.

1ce59db

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

jbemmel force-pushed the feature/bird-vrf-support branch from 5dbb382 to 1ce59db Compare June 21, 2026 17:25

jbemmel and others added 2 commits June 21, 2026 12:30

Update BIRD daemon VRF handling.

cb49ff9

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

Remove BIRD EVPN bridge patch.

e0db20c

Co-authored-by: Cursor <cursoragent@cursor.com>

jbemmel marked this pull request as ready for review June 21, 2026 20:57

ipspace requested a review from Copilot June 24, 2026 05:43

Copilot started reviewing on behalf of ipspace June 24, 2026 05:44 View session

Copilot AI reviewed Jun 24, 2026

View reviewed changes

Cleanup shell config templates

e7681d2

* Shebang in the top-level file * No dependence on variables set in included files * Renamed DP template to reflect what it does

ipspace added a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 24, 2026

Initial BIRD tests for #3498

46cc39c

Fix: Use /-based path in sysctl

a1136c2

The sysctl used in debian/trixie cannot figure out how to handle the interfaces with dots (for example, ethX.Y). The workaround is to use slashes in the sysctl parameter. Works on FRR and Bird.

jbemmel commented Jun 24, 2026

View reviewed changes

ipspace added a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 24, 2026

Updated BIRD test results for #3498

5f19d7e

ipspace added a commit that referenced this pull request Jun 24, 2026

BIRD static route tests for the final fixes in #3498

50b0aba

Fix: Use shared static route config in VRF and Routing

9b74343

ipspace merged commit 6f1399a into ipspace:dev Jun 24, 2026
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Feature: bird vrf support including bgp, ospf and route leaking#3498

Feature: bird vrf support including bgp, ospf and route leaking#3498
ipspace merged 31 commits into
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jbemmel:feature/bird-vrf-support

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