Description

Enhance your network security and traffic management with specialized procedures for configuring MAC (Media Access Control) Access Control Lists (ACLs) on network switches. This set of features is designed to filter network traffic at Layer 2, utilizing MAC address information to control non-IP traffic within the same VLAN.

Key Features

• MAC ACL Creation: Easily create ACLs with rules based on source and destination MAC addresses. Utilize wildcard masks for precise matching and assign sequence numbers for orderly rule evaluation.
• Rule Management: Modify ACL rules seamlessly by deleting, replacing, and resequencing them as needed for optimal management.
• Application Versatility: Apply MAC ACLs to Layer 2 Ethernet and port-channel interfaces. Use them as port ACLs or VLAN ACLs (VACLs), specifying ingress or egress direction.

Traffic Control

• Non-IP Traffic Filtering: Effectively filter non-IPv4/IPv6 traffic, such as ARP, to manage communication between hosts within the same VLAN.
• Implicit Deny Rule: Unmatched traffic is automatically denied, enhancing security at Layer 2.

Device Compatibility

• Supported Platforms: Compatible with various switch models, including Cisco NX-OS and SLX series. Note that the behavior of 'deny' and 'hard-drop' actions may vary by device and traffic direction.
• No Licensing Required: Cisco NX-OS users benefit from no licensing requirements for MAC ACLs.

Configuration and Monitoring

• Command-Line Interface: Configure and manage MAC ACLs using CLI commands. Save configurations for persistence and monitor ACL performance with commands like show mac access-lists.
• Statistics Management: Enable global statistics for packet matching, clear counters, and monitor ACL effectiveness.

Maintenance

• Easy Removal: Remove or modify MAC ACLs using CLI commands. Copy configurations between running and startup states to ensure continuity.

Best Practices

• Unique Naming: Ensure ACL names are unique, up to 63 characters, and start with a letter or number.
• Rule Order: Pay attention to rule order, as the first matching rule is applied.

Use Cases

• Traffic Restriction: Restrict non-IP traffic between hosts within the same VLAN to enforce security policies.
• Network Segmentation: Segment traffic based on MAC addresses for compliance and operational needs.

This comprehensive toolset empowers network administrators to enforce security policies effectively at the MAC layer, providing robust control over intra-VLAN traffic and enhancing overall network integrity.