HP 5900 Series Configuration Manual page 81

Figure 22 Virtual MAC address assignment
Virtual MAC: 000f-e2ff-0011
Virtual IP address:10.1.1.1/24
Gateway IP: 10.1.1.1/24
2. When an ARP request arrives, the master (Router A) selects a virtual MAC address based on the
load balancing algorithm to answer the ARP request. In this example, Router A returns the virtual
MAC address of itself in response to the ARP request from Host A, and returns the virtual MAC
address of Router B in response to the ARP request from Host B. See
Figure 23 Answering ARP requests
Virtual MAC: 000f-e2ff-0011
Virtual IP address:10.1.1.1/24
ARP request
Target IP: 10.1.1.1/24
Gateway IP: 10.1.1.1/24
3. Each host sends packets to the returned MAC address. As shown in
packets to Router A and Host B sends packets to Router B.
Router A
Master
Allocate Virtual MAC
000f-e2ff-0012 to Router B
Host A
Router A
Master
ARP reply
Target MAC: 000f-e2ff-0011
Host A
75
Network
Router B
Backup
Network
Router B
Backup
ARP request
Target IP: 10.1.1.1/24
Virtual MAC: 000f-e2ff-0012
Virtual IP address:10.1.1.1/24
Gateway IP: 10.1.1.1/24
Host B
Figure 23.
Virtual MAC: 000f-e2ff-0012
Virtual IP address:10.1.1.1/24
ARP reply
Target MAC: 000f-e2ff-0012
Gateway IP: 10.1.1.1/24
Host B
Figure 24, Host A sends