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15-90

Catalyst 6500 Series Switch Software Configuration Guide—Release 8.7

OL-8978-04

Chapter 15 Configuring Access Control

Configuring Policy-Based Forwarding

Policy-based forwarding (PBF) is an extension of VACL redirection that is supported by the PFC2 and

PFC3A/PFC3B/PFC3BXL. PBF is particularly beneficial in any flat Layer 2 network that is used for

transparent bridging where a limited amount of inter-VLAN communication is required and in server

farms or demilitarized zones (DMZs) where bridging devices (like server load-balancing appliances) are

involved or where firewall load balancing is performed.

Note Software release 7.5(1) and later releases have PBF enhancements that simplify the process of setting

and committing the security ACLs and adjacency information. For more information, see the “Enhancements

to PBF Configuration (Software Releases 7.5(1) and Later)” section on page 15-102.

Note Software release 8.3(1) and later releases have further PBF enhancements that simplify the process of

setting and committing the security ACLs and adjacency information. For more information, see the

“Enhancements to the PBF Configuration (Software Releases 8.3(1) and Later)” section on page 15-105.

Note PBF does not support IPX and multicast traffic.

Note PBF does not work with 802.1Q tunnel traffic. PBF is supported on the Layer 3 IP unicast traffic; it is

not applicable to the Layer 2 traffic. At the intermediate (PBF) switch, all 802.1Q tunnel traffic appears

as Layer 2 traffic.

Note PBF may require some configuration on the attached hosts. When a router is not present in the network,

the ARP table entries have to be statically added on each host participating in PBF.

PBF is described in these sections:

• Understanding How PBF Works, page 15-91

• PBF Hardware and Software Requirements, page 15-91

• Configuring PBF from the CLI, page 15-92

• PBF Configuration Example, page 15-100

• Enhancements to PBF Configuration (Software Releases 7.5(1) and Later), page 15-102

• Enhancements to the PBF Configuration (Software Releases 8.3(1) and Later), page 15-105

• Enhancements to PBF Configuration (Software Releases 8.6(1) and Later), page 15-110

Cisco WS-C6506 User Manual

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