Configuring Gre; Overview; Gre Encapsulation Format - HP 5920 Series Configuration Manual

Configuring GRE

Overview

Generic Routing Encapsulation (GRE) is a tunneling protocol that can encapsulate multiple network layer
protocols into virtual point-to-point tunnels over an IP network. Packets are encapsulated at one tunnel
end and de-encapsulated at the other tunnel end.

GRE encapsulation format

Figure 78 GRE encapsulation format
As shown in
Payload packet—Original packet. The protocol type of the payload packet is called the passenger
•
protocol.
GRE header—After GRE receives a payload packet, it adds a GRE header to the payload packet
•
to change the payload packet to a GRE packet. GRE is called the encapsulation protocol.
Delivery header—Transport protocol used to transfer the GRE packet. The system adds a transport
•
protocol header to the GRE packet to deliver it to the tunnel end.
For example, to transfer an IPv6 packet over an IPv4 network through a GRE tunnel, the system
encapsulates the IPv6 packet in the format shown in
encapsulation protocol is GRE, and the transport protocol is IPv4.
Figure 79 Format of a GRE-encapsulated packet
Depending on the transport protocol, GRE tunnels fall into the following types:
GRE over IPv4—The transport protocol is IPv4, and the passenger protocol is any network layer
•
protocol.
• GRE over IPv6—The transport protocol is IPv6, and the passenger protocol is any network layer
protocol.
Figure 78, a GRE-tunneled packet comprises the following parts:
Figure 79. The passenger protocol is IPv6, the
178