Eirf Operating Mechanisms - HP FlexFabric 5700 series Configuration Manual

On the parent fabric, you must assign the PEX physical interfaces for one PEX to the same PEX port. On
a PEX, you must connect all its PEX physical interfaces to the physical interfaces in the same PEX port.
Table 4 describes the states of PEX physical interfaces.
Table 4 PEX physical interface states
State
Forwarding
Down
Blocked
Virtual slot number
Each PEX is identified by a unique virtual slot number in an eIRF system.
After a PEX joins an eIRF system, the first segment in its interface numbers changes to the virtual slot
number assigned to the PEX. For example, a PEX has an interface numbered 1/0/1 before it is added
to an eIRF system. After it is added to an eIRF system as slot 100, the interface number changes to
100/0/1.

eIRF operating mechanisms

eIRF membership establishment
After you complete PEX configuration for a PEX, the master device monitors the PEX physical interfaces
for the slot number request from the PEX. The PEX uses the following process to join the eIRF system:
1. Virtual slot assignment:
a. At startup, the PEX sends a slot number request to the master device.
b. The master device assigns the user-configured slot number to the PEX.
2. Software loading and PEX registration:
a. The PEX checks the local storage medium for valid startup images.
b. If the local startup images are valid, the PEX verifies their compatibility with the running
software images on the master device:
−
−
c. The PEX sends a startup software request to the master device.
Description
The PEX physical interface is operating correctly and can forward data traffic.
The physical link is disconnected. The PEX physical interface cannot forward any
packets.
The PEX physical interface cannot forward any packets except for eIRF packets. The
Blocked state is a transitional state between Forwarding and Down. A PEX physical
interface changes to the Blocked state in the following situations:
•
Incorrect physical connection:
The PEX has PEX links to more than one PEX port on the parent fabric.
The PEX port on the parent fabric contains physical links to more than one PEX.
•
The data link is forced to the Blocked state. In the startup phase, the PEX blocks a
PEX physical interface if the interface's physical link is up, but it is not used for
loading startup software.
•
The physical state of the interface is up, but the PEX link to the parent fabric has been
disconnected. The PEX and the parent fabric cannot receive eIRF heartbeat packets
from each other.
If all the images are compatible, the PEX starts up with the local startup images.
If any incompatibility exists, the PEX goes to step c.
47