This document outlines the steps for basic VRF (Virtual Routing and Forwarding) configuration, including entering VRF mode, creating a route distinguisher, and associating routes with an interface. It provides example commands for setting up interfaces and VRFs on Cisco devices, along with instructions for verifying the configuration using ping and routing table checks. Additionally, it emphasizes maintaining consistent IP addresses across router interfaces while setting up VRFs.

1. VRF Configuration
For some very basic VRF configuration follow the steps:
1. Enters VRF configuration mode and assigns a VRF name.
Router(config)#ip vrf vrf-name
2. Creates a VPN route distinguisher (RD) following one of the 16bit-ASN:32bit-number or 32bit-
IP:16bit-number explained above
Router(config-vrf)#rd route-distinguisher
3. Creates a list of import and/or export route target communities for the specified VRF.
Router(config-vrf)# route-target {import | export | both} route-distinguisher
4. (Optional step) Associates the specified route map with the VRF.
Router(config-vrf)# import map route-map
5. Specifies an interface and enters interface configuration mode.
Router(config)# interface type number
Figure 1 Basic VRF Configuration

2. VRF Configuration
6. Associates a VRF with an interface or subinterface.
Router(config-vrf)# ip vrf forwarding vrf-name
To check your configuration, you can use ping or traceroute tools under Cisco CLI, but remember
that you have to use “vrf vrf-name” parameter:
Router# ping vrf vrf-name IP-address
Also you can check the virtual routing table:
Router# show ip route vrf vrf-name
(Note: The RD / RT is a 8-byte (64-bits) number which can be written down as follow:
- 16-bit AS number: your 32-bit number
(e.g.) 65000:100
or
-32-bit IP address: your 16-bit number
(e.g) 192.168.0.1:10)

3. VRF Configuration
Example
R1>enable
R1#config t
R1(config)#ip vrf R2
R1(config)#rd 2:2
R1(config)#ip vrf R3
R1(config)#rd 3:3
R1(config)#ip vrf R4
R1(config)#rd 4:4
R1(config)#ip vrf R5
R1(config)#rd 5:5
R1(config)#interface f0/0
R1(config-if)#ip vrf forwarding R2
Figure 2 Topology

4. VRF Configuration
R1(config)#ip vrf forwarding R2
R1(config)#ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.252
R1(config-if)#interface f0/1
R1(config-if)#ip vrf forwarding R3
R1(config-if)#ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.252
R1(config-if)#no shutdown
R1(config)#interface f1/0
R1(config-if)#no switchport
R1(config-if)#ip vrf forwarding R4
R1(config-if)#ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.252
R1(config-if)#no shutdown
R1(config)#interface f1/1
R1(config-if)#no switchport
R1(config-if)#ip vrf forwarding R5
R1(config-if)#ip address 192.168.1.1 255.255.255.252
R1(config-if)#no shutdown
For R2, R3, R4, R5 – Just configure the ip address and you are done . :)
R2(config)#interface FastEthernet0/0
R2(config)#ip address 192.168.1.2 255.255.255.252
R2(config)#no shutdown
(Note: IP address on all routers interfaces on Company End i.e. R2, R3, R4, R5 remain same.)
Now try to ping R1 or PE from all CE routers, it should give successful reply.
R2#ping 192.168.1.1
Type escape sequence to abort.
Sending 5, 100-byte ICMP Echos to 192.168.1.1, timeout is 2 seconds:
!!!!!
Now, we will going to check vrf route using below command
R1#show ip route vrf R2
Routing Table: R2
Codes: C - connected, S - static, R - RIP, M - mobile, B - BGP
D - EIGRP, EX - EIGRP external, 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

5. VRF Configuration
i - IS-IS, su - IS-IS summary, L1 - IS-IS level-1, L2 - IS-IS level-2
ia - IS-IS inter area, * - candidate default, U - per-user static route
o - ODR, P - periodic downloaded static route
Gateway of last resort is not set
192.168.1.0/30 is subnetted, 1 subnets
C 192.168.1.0 is directly connected, FastEthernet0/0