The NOC asks whether enabling VXLAN means the civic fabric can drop underlay routing between leaves and spines. What is the correct separation of roles?
Select an answer to reveal the explanation.
Short Explanation
VXLAN is the tunnel stickers on the trucks; underlay routing is still the road map. Turn off the roads and the stickers go nowhere. Overlay and underlay are partners, not substitutes.
Full Explanation
VXLAN encapsulates overlay traffic and relies on underlay IP reachability between VTEPs. Enabling VXLAN does not remove the need for leaf-spine underlay routing, nor does it demote spines to VLAN tag switches. STP is not a substitute underlay control plane for an IP fabric. Keep overlay and underlay responsibilities distinct in operations and design reviews.