Shared Gateways Overview
Shared Gateways, also known as Multi-Tenant Gateway Edges (MTGEs), are high-performance gateway devices that host multiple tenants on a single hardware platform. Each tenant receives fully isolated networking resources while sharing the same physical infrastructure.
What Is a Shared Gateway?
A Shared Gateway runs VPP (Vector Packet Processing) on dedicated hardware and uses VRF isolation to keep each tenant's traffic completely separate. Every tenant assigned to a Shared Gateway gets:
- Separate routing tables -- no cross-tenant route leakage
- Dedicated WireGuard instances -- unique tunnel endpoints per tenant
- Independent NAT rules -- tenant-specific address translation
- Isolated ACL policies -- per-tenant firewall rules
This architecture allows service providers to serve many tenants from a single device without compromising security or performance.
When to Use a Shared Gateway
| Scenario | Recommended Device |
|---|---|
| Service provider hosting multiple tenants at one site | Shared Gateway (MTGE) |
| Single-tenant site needing maximum throughput | Dedicated Edge |
| Branch office or remote site with modest bandwidth | Connector |
Shared Gateways are designed for multi-tenant service providers who need to consolidate tenant connectivity onto shared infrastructure while maintaining strict isolation.
Shared Gateways Page
The Shared Gateways page is organized into two tabs:
- Active -- Approved, operational MTGEs currently serving tenants
- Pending -- Newly registered MTGEs awaiting bootstrap and approval
Stat Cards
At the top of the page, four stat cards provide a quick summary:
| Card | Description |
|---|---|
| Total MTGEs | Total number of registered Shared Gateways |
| Online | Gateways currently connected and reporting |
| Offline | Gateways that have stopped reporting |
| Tenants Hosted | Total tenant assignments across all gateways |
Table Columns
| Column | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Display name assigned during registration |
| Serial | Unique serial number identifying the device |
| Status | Current state: online, offline, or pending |
| Tenants | Number of tenants currently assigned |
| Capacity | Visual bar showing tenant slots used out of the configured maximum |
| Last Seen | Timestamp of the most recent heartbeat |
Capacity Model
Each Shared Gateway has a configurable number of tenant slots (default: 10). The capacity bar on the list page shows how many slots are in use. When a gateway reaches full capacity, no additional tenants can be assigned until a slot is freed.
Click on any Shared Gateway row to open its detail page, where you can view device information, manage tenant assignments, and monitor status.