Study first, then lab¶
This is the theory track. Read it in order before you touch the lab — it builds the mental model so the lab configs mean something instead of being commands you paste.
Each lesson is short and ends with a couple of check-yourself questions. When you can answer those, move on.
The path¶
| # | Lesson | You'll be able to explain… |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Why VXLAN-EVPN? | What problem it solves that plain VLANs can't |
| 2 | Underlay vs overlay | The two-layer model everything rests on |
| 3 | VXLAN data plane | VTEP, VNI, and how a frame is encapsulated |
| 4 | EVPN control plane | How VTEPs learn who's where, without flooding |
| 5 | EVPN route types | Type-2 / Type-3 / Type-5 and when each appears |
| 6 | Packet walk | Exactly what happens when host A pings host B |
Then → the Lab, where you build all of this by hand and watch
each concept appear in real show output.
Also here¶
- Interview questions — a self-test bank organised by topic, from fundamentals to design and troubleshooting. Answers are collapsed so you can quiz yourself first.
- Verification cheatsheet — the
showcommands, grouped by layer.
One mental model to carry through everything¶
VXLAN is the tunnel. EVPN is the brain. VXLAN moves L2 frames across an L3 network. EVPN is the control plane that tells every switch where each host lives, so those tunnels are built from knowledge instead of flooding.
Keep that sentence in your head. Every lesson is a detail hanging off it.