Identifying The Master Switch And Planning Irf Member Ids; Planning Irf Topology And Connections; Identifying Physical Irf Ports On The Member Switches; Installing Irf Member Switches - HP FlexFabric 12900 series Installation Manual

Identifying the master switch and planning IRF member IDs

Determine which switch you want to use as the master for managing all member switches in the IRF
fabric.
An IRF fabric has only one master switch. You configure and manage all member switches in the IRF
fabric at the CLI of the master. IRF member switches will automatically elect a master. You can affect the
election result by assigning a high member priority to the intended master switch. For more information
about master election, see HP FlexFabric 12900 Switch Series IRF Configuration Guide.
Prepare an IRF member ID assignment scheme. An IRF fabric uses member IDs to uniquely identify and
manage its members, and you must assign each IRF member switch a unique member ID.

Planning IRF topology and connections

Connect the IRF member switches through IRF ports, the logical interfaces for the connections between
IRF member switches. Each IRF member switch has two IRF ports: IRF-port 1 and IRF-port 2. To use an IRF
port, you must bind at least one physical port to it.
When connecting two neighboring IRF member switches, you must connect the physical ports of IRF-port
1 on one switch to the physical ports of IRF-port 2 on the other switch.
A two-member IRF fabric must use the daisy chain topology.
If the system software version you are using supports more than two IRF members, you can create an IRF
fabric that comprises more than two members in daisy chain topology, or more reliably, ring topology.
In ring topology, the failure of one IRF link does not cause the IRF fabric to split as in daisy chain topology.
Rather, the IRF fabric changes to a daisy chain topology without interrupting network services.

Identifying physical IRF ports on the member switches

Identify the physical IRF ports on the member switches according to your topology and connection
scheme.
On HP FlexFabric 12900 switches, only 10-GE/40-GE ports can be used for IRF connection.
The HP FlexFabric 12900 switches support multi-card link aggregation for IRF ports. You can bind up to
eight physical ports to one IRF port.

Installing IRF member switches

Step
1. Prepare the installation site.
2. Mount the IRF member switches to racks.
3. Install modules on IRF member switches.
Reference
Chapter
Chapter
Chapter
35
"Preparing for installation"
"Installing the switch"
"Installing FRUs"