Hi, Provider networks means that networks have to be somehow configured also by Your provider (DC) - so it is vlan or flat network. But You have to specify network type for any network and that's why there is this parameter in the Neutron API. Various network types are explained well in this old blog post https://assafmuller.com/2018/07/23/tenant-provider-and-external-neutron-netw... Dnia środa, 28 lutego 2024 16:17:09 CET 韩光宇 pisze:

Hi,

In neutron install doc[1], I got the concept of Provider network and Self-service network.

And I got that: - Provider network bridges virtual networks to physical networks and relies on physical network infrastructure for layer-3 (routing) services - Self-service network routes virtual networks to physical networks using Network Address Translation (NAT)

So I understand: Flat/Vlan network are Provide network and vxlan/gre network are Self-service network.

But, in openstack cmd, I found that all network types are classified as provider network types.

``` openstack network create --help ... --provider-network-type <provider-network-type> The physical mechanism by which the virtual network is implemented. For example: flat, geneve, gre, local, vlan, vxlan. ```

I am confused, why do vxlan and gre appear in the **provider network type**? According to the installation doc[1], overlay networks should not all be self-service networks

Or is the provider network in cmd not the same as the provider network in the installation document, the provider network here is only different from the tenant network?

Can someone help me distinguish between these concepts, or suggest questions that I can read: why vxlan is provider network

I will appreciate for any help.

Best wishes, Han Guangyu

[1] https://docs.openstack.org/neutron/latest/install/controller-install-obs.htm...

-- Slawek Kaplonski Principal Software Engineer Red Hat