Route leaking between multiple VRFs

In this example, routing leaking between three VRFs in a star topology is configured. This allows the solution to be scaled to more VRFs without building full mesh, one-to-one connections between each pair of VRFs. VLAN subinterfaces are created on VDOM links to connect each VRF to the central VRF, allowing routes to be leaked from a VRF to the central VRF, and then to the other VRFs. Static routes are used for route leaking in this example.

For instructions on creating route leaking between two VRFs, see Route leaking between VRFs with BGP.

Physical topology:

Logical topology:

In this example, a specific route is leaked from each of the VRFs to each of the other VRFs. VLAN subinterfaces are created based on VDOM links to connect each VRF to the core VRF router.

Multi-VDOM mode is enabled so that NP VDOM links can be used. The setup could be configured without enabling multi-VDOM mode by manually creating non‑NP VDOM links, but this is not recommended as the links are not offloaded to the NPU.

After VDOMs are enabled, all of the configuration is done in the root VDOM.

To configure the FortiGate:

1. Enable multi-VDOM mode:

   config system global
       set vdom-mode multi-vdom
   end

   If the FortiGate has an NP, the VDOM links will be created:

   # show system interface
   config system interface
       ...
       edit "npu0_vlink0"
           set vdom "root"
           set type physical
       next
       edit "npu0_vlink1"
           set vdom "root"
           set type physical
       next
       ...
   end

   If multi-VDOM mode is not used, the VDOM links can be manually created:

   config system vdom-link
       edit <name of vdlink>
       next
   end

2. Allow interface subnets to use overlapping IP addresses:

   config vdom
       edit root
           config system settings
               set allow-subnet-overlap enable
           end

3. Configure the inter-connecting VLAN subinterfaces between VRF based on VDOM-LINK:

   config system interface
       edit "vlink0_Vlan_10"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 10
           set ip 10.1.1.1 255.255.255.252
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "vlink0_Vlan_10"
           set role lan
           set interface "npu0_vlink0"
           set vlanid 10
       next
       edit "vlink1_Vlan_10"
           set vdom "root" 
           set vrf 31
           set ip 10.1.1.2 255.255.255.252
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "vlink1_Vlan_10"
           set role lan
           set interface "npu0_vlink1"
           set vlanid 10
       next
       edit "vlink0_Vlan_11"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 11
           set ip 11.1.1.1 255.255.255.252
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "vlink0_Vlan_11"
           set role lan
           set interface "npu0_vlink0"
           set vlanid 11
       next
       edit "vlink1_Vlan_11"
           set vdom "root" 
           set vrf 31
           set ip 11.1.1.2 255.255.255.252
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "vlink1_Vlan_11"
           set role lan
           set interface "npu0_vlink1"
           set vlanid 11
       next
       edit "vlink0_Vlan_12"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 12
           set ip 12.1.1.1 255.255.255.252
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "vlink0_Vlan_12"
           set role lan
           set interface "npu0_vlink0"
           set vlanid 12
       next
       edit "vlink1_Vlan_12"
           set vdom "root" 
           set vrf 31
           set ip 12.1.1.2 255.255.255.252
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "vlink1_Vlan_12"
           set role lan
           set interface "npu0_vlink1"
           set vlanid 12
       next
   end

4. Configure a zone to allow intrazone traffic between VLANs in the central VRF:

   config system zone
       edit "Core-VRF-Router"
           set intrazone allow
           set interface "vlink1_Vlan_10" "vlink1_Vlan_11" "vlink1_Vlan_12"
       next
   end

5. Add allow policies for the VRF31 core router:

   config firewall policy
       edit 0
           set name "any_to_core_vrf31"
           set srcintf "any"
           set dstintf "Core-VRF-Router"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
       next
       edit 0
           set name "core_vrf31_to_any"
           set srcintf "Core-VRF-Router"
           set dstintf "any"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
       next
   end

6. Configure VRF10, VRF11, and VRF12 on the Internal and WAN VLAN sub-interfaces:

   config system interface
       edit "Internal_VRF10"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 10
           set ip 172.16.10.1 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "Internal_VRF10"
           set role lan
           set interface "internal"
           set vlanid 10
       next
       edit "Internal_VRF11"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 11
           set ip 172.16.11.1 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "Internal_VRF11"
           set role lan
           set interface "internal"
           set vlanid 11
       next
       edit "Internal_VRF12"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 12
           set ip 172.16.12.1 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess ping https ssh http
           set alias "Internal_VRF12"
           set role lan
           set interface "internal"
           set vlanid 12
       next
       edit "wan1_VRF10"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 10
           set ip 202.100.10.1 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess ping
           set alias "wan1_VRF10"
           set role wan
           set interface "wan1"
           set vlanid 10
       next
       edit "wan1_VRF11"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 11
           set ip 202.100.11.1 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess ping
           set alias "wan1_VRF11"
           set role wan
           set interface "wan1"
           set vlanid 11
       next
       edit "wan1_VRF12"
           set vdom "root"
           set vrf 12
           set ip 202.100.12.1 255.255.255.0
           set allowaccess ping
           set alias "wan1_VRF12"
           set role wan
           set interface "wan1"
           set vlanid 12
       next
   end

7. Configure static routing and route leaking between each VRF and Core-VRF-Router:

   config router static
       edit 1
           set dst 172.16.10.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 10.1.1.1
           set device "vlink1_Vlan_10"
           set comment "VRF31_Core_Router"
       next
       edit 2
           set dst 172.16.11.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 11.1.1.1
           set device "vlink1_Vlan_11"
           set comment "VRF31_Core_Router"
       next
       edit 3
           set dst 172.16.12.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 12.1.1.1
           set device "vlink1_Vlan_12"
           set comment "VRF31_Core_Router"
       next
       edit 4
           set dst 172.16.11.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 10.1.1.2
           set device "vlink0_Vlan_10"
           set comment "VRF10_Route_Leaking"
       next 
       edit 5
           set dst 172.16.12.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 10.1.1.2
           set device "vlink0_Vlan_10"
           set comment "VRF10_Route_Leaking"
       next
       edit 6
           set dst 172.16.10.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 11.1.1.2
           set device "vlink0_Vlan_11"
           set comment "VRF11_Route_Leaking"
       next
       edit 7
           set dst 172.16.12.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 11.1.1.2
           set device "vlink0_Vlan_11"
           set comment "VRF11_Route_Leaking"
       next
       edit 8
           set dst 172.16.10.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 12.1.1.2
           set device "vlink0_Vlan_12"
           set comment "VRF12_Route_Leaking"
       next 
       edit 9
           set dst 172.16.11.0 255.255.255.0
           set gateway 12.1.1.2
           set device "vlink0_Vlan_12"
           set comment "VRF12_Route_Leaking"
       next
       edit 10
           set gateway 202.100.10.254
           set device "wan1_VRF10"
           set comment "VRF10_Default_Route"
       next
       edit 11
           set gateway 202.100.11.254
           set device "wan1_VRF11"
           set comment "VRF11_Default_Route"
       next
       edit 12
           set gateway 202.100.12.254
           set device "wan1_VRF12"
           set comment "VRF12_Default_Route"
       next
   end

   In the GUI, go to Network > Static Routes to view the static routes:

   

8. Configure firewall policies for VRF10, VRF11, and VRF12

   config firewall policy
       edit 6
           set name "VRF10_to_Internet_Policy"
           set srcintf "Internal_VRF10"
           set dstintf "wan1_VRF10"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
           set nat enable
       next
       edit 7
           set name "VRF10_to_VRF_Leaking_Route"
           set srcintf "Internal_VRF10"
           set dstintf "vlink0_Vlan_10"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
       next
       edit 8
           set name "VRF_Leaking_Route_to_VRF10"
           set srcintf "vlink0_Vlan_10"
           set dstintf "Internal_VRF10"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
       next
       edit 9
           set name "VRF11_to_Internet_Policy"
           set srcintf "Internal_VRF11"
           set dstintf "wan1_VRF11"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
           set nat enable
       next
       edit 10
           set name "VRF11_to_VRF_Leaking_Route"
           set srcintf "Internal_VRF11"
           set dstintf "vlink0_Vlan_11"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
       next
       edit 11
           set name "VRF_Leaking_Route_to_VRF11"
           set srcintf "vlink0_Vlan_11"
           set dstintf "Internal_VRF11"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
       next
       edit 12
           set name "VRF12_to_Internet_Policy"
           set srcintf "Internal_VRF12"
           set dstintf "wan1_VRF12"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
           set nat enable
       next
       edit 13
           set name "VRF12_to_VRF_Leaking_Route"
           set uuid 92bccf8e-b27b-51eb-3c56-6d5259af6299
           set srcintf "Internal_VRF12"
           set dstintf "vlink0_Vlan_12"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
       next
       edit 14
           set name "VRF_Leaking_Route_to_VRF12"
           set srcintf "vlink0_Vlan_12"
           set dstintf "Internal_VRF12"
           set srcaddr "all"
           set dstaddr "all"
           set action accept
           set schedule "always"
           set service "ALL"
           set logtraffic all
       next
   end

   In the GUI, go to Policy & Objects > Firewall Policy to view the policies.

To check the results:

1. On the FortiGate, check the routing table to see each VRF:

   # get router info routing-table all 
   Codes: K - kernel, C - connected, S - static, R - RIP, B - BGP
          O - OSPF, IA - OSPF inter area
          N1 - OSPF NSSA external type 1, N2 - OSPF NSSA external type 2
          E1 - OSPF external type 1, E2 - OSPF external type 2
          i - IS-IS, L1 - IS-IS level-1, L2 - IS-IS level-2, ia - IS-IS inter area
          * - candidate default
   
   Routing table for VRF=0
   C       10.6.30.0/24 is directly connected, mgmt
   
   Routing table for VRF=10
   S*      0.0.0.0/0 [10/0] via 202.100.10.254, wan1_VRF10
   C       10.1.1.0/30 is directly connected, vlink0_Vlan_10
   C       172.16.10.0/24 is directly connected, Internal_VRF10
   S       172.16.11.0/24 [10/0] via 10.1.1.2, vlink0_Vlan_10
   S       172.16.12.0/24 [10/0] via 10.1.1.2, vlink0_Vlan_10
   C       202.100.10.0/24 is directly connected, wan1_VRF10
   
   Routing table for VRF=11
   S*      0.0.0.0/0 [10/0] via 202.100.11.254, wan1_VRF11
   C       11.1.1.0/30 is directly connected, vlink0_Vlan_11
   S       172.16.10.0/24 [10/0] via 11.1.1.2, vlink0_Vlan_11
   C       172.16.11.0/24 is directly connected, Internal_VRF11
   S       172.16.12.0/24 [10/0] via 11.1.1.2, vlink0_Vlan_11
   C       202.100.11.0/24 is directly connected, wan1_VRF11
   
   Routing table for VRF=12
   S*      0.0.0.0/0 [10/0] via 202.100.12.254, wan1_VRF12
   C       12.1.1.0/30 is directly connected, vlink0_Vlan_12
   S       172.16.10.0/24 [10/0] via 12.1.1.2, vlink0_Vlan_12
   S       172.16.11.0/24 [10/0] via 12.1.1.2, vlink0_Vlan_12
   C       172.16.12.0/24 is directly connected, Internal_VRF12
   C       202.100.12.0/24 is directly connected, wan1_VRF12
   
   Routing table for VRF=31
   C       10.1.1.0/30 is directly connected, vlink1_Vlan_10
   C       11.1.1.0/30 is directly connected, vlink1_Vlan_11
   C       12.1.1.0/30 is directly connected, vlink1_Vlan_12
   S       172.16.10.0/24 [10/0] via 10.1.1.1, vlink1_Vlan_10
   S       172.16.11.0/24 [10/0] via 11.1.1.1, vlink1_Vlan_11
   S       172.16.12.0/24 [10/0] via 12.1.1.1, vlink1_Vlan_12

2. From the FW10-PC:

   # ifconfig ens32
   ens32: flags=4163<UP,BROADCAST,RUNNING,MULTICAST>  mtu 1500
           inet 172.16.10.100  netmask 255.255.255.0  broadcast 172.16.10.255
           inet6 fe80::dbed:c7fe:170e:e61c  prefixlen 64  scopeid 0x20<link>
           ether 00:0c:29:2a:3a:17  txqueuelen 1000  (Ethernet)
           RX packets 1632  bytes 160001 (156.2 KiB)
           RX errors 0  dropped 52  overruns 0  frame 0
           TX packets 2141  bytes 208103 (203.2 KiB)
           TX errors 0  dropped 0 overruns 0  carrier 0  collisions 0

   # route -n
   Kernel IP routing table
   Destination     Gateway         Genmask         Flags Metric Ref    Use Iface
   0.0.0.0         172.16.10.1     0.0.0.0         UG    100    0        0 ens32
   172.16.10.0     0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     100    0        0 ens32
   192.168.122.0   0.0.0.0         255.255.255.0   U     0      0        0 virbr0

   1. Ping a public IP address through VRF10:

      # ping 8.8.8.8
      PING 8.8.8.8 (8.8.8.8) 56(84) bytes of data.
      64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=1 ttl=113 time=4.33 ms
      64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=2 ttl=113 time=4.17 ms
      64 bytes from 8.8.8.8: icmp_seq=3 ttl=113 time=4.04 ms
      ^C
      --- 8.8.8.8 ping statistics ---
      3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0% packet loss, time 2002ms
      rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 4.049/4.188/4.336/0.117 ms

   2. Ping the internet gateway through VRF10:

      # ping 202.100.10.254
      PING 202.100.10.254 (202.100.10.254) 56(84) bytes of data.
      64 bytes from 202.100.10.254: icmp_seq=1 ttl=254 time=0.294 ms
      64 bytes from 202.100.10.254: icmp_seq=2 ttl=254 time=0.225 ms
      64 bytes from 202.100.10.254: icmp_seq=3 ttl=254 time=0.197 ms
      ^C
      --- 202.100.10.254 ping statistics ---
      3 packets transmitted, 3 received, 0% packet loss, time 2000ms
      rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.197/0.238/0.294/0.044 ms

   3. Ping the FW11-PC on VRF11 from VRF10:

      # ping 172.16.11.100
      PING 172.16.11.100 (172.16.11.100) 56(84) bytes of data.
      64 bytes from 172.16.11.100: icmp_seq=1 ttl=61 time=0.401 ms
      64 bytes from 172.16.11.100: icmp_seq=2 ttl=61 time=0.307 ms
      64 bytes from 172.16.11.100: icmp_seq=3 ttl=61 time=0.254 ms
      64 bytes from 172.16.11.100: icmp_seq=4 ttl=61 time=0.277 ms
      64 bytes from 172.16.11.100: icmp_seq=5 ttl=61 time=0.262 ms
      ^C
      --- 172.16.11.100 ping statistics ---
      5 packets transmitted, 5 received, 0% packet loss, time 3999ms
      rtt min/avg/max/mdev = 0.254/0.300/0.401/0.054 ms

3. On the FortiGate, sniff traffic between VRF10 and VRF11:

   # diagnose sniffer packet any "icmp and host 172.16.11.100" 4 l 0
   interfaces=[any]
   filters=[icmp and host 172.16.11.100]
   10.086656 Internal_VRF10 in 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   10.086705 vlink0_Vlan_10 out 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   10.086706 npu0_vlink0 out 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   
   10.086711 vlink1_Vlan_10 in 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   10.086739 vlink1_Vlan_11 out 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   10.086740 npu0_vlink1 out 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   
   10.086744 vlink0_Vlan_11 in 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   10.086929 Internal_VRF11 out 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   10.086930 internal out 172.16.10.100 -> 172.16.11.100: icmp: echo request
   
   10.087053 Internal_VRF11 in 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   10.087061 vlink0_Vlan_11 out 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   10.087062 npu0_vlink0 out 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   
   10.087066 vlink1_Vlan_11 in 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   10.087071 vlink1_Vlan_10 out 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   10.087072 npu0_vlink1 out 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   
   10.087076 vlink0_Vlan_10 in 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   10.087176 Internal_VRF10 out 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   10.087177 internal out 172.16.11.100 -> 172.16.10.100: icmp: echo reply
   ^C
   20 packets received by filter
   0 packets dropped by kernel