Irf Merge; Member Priority; Master Election; Irf Multi-Active Detection - HPE FlexNetwork HSR6800 Configuration Manual

IRF merge

IRF merge occurs when two split IRF fabrics reunite or when you configure and connect two
independent IRF fabrics to be one, as shown in
Figure 5 IRF merge
IRF 1
Device A

Member priority

Member priority determines the possibility of a member device to be elected the master. A member
with higher priority is more likely to be elected the master.
The default member priority is 1. You can change the member priority of a member device to affect
the master election result.

Master election

Master election is held each time the IRF fabric topology changes, for example, when the IRF fabric
is established, the master device fails or is removed, the IRF fabric splits, or IRF fabrics merge.
Master election does not occur when two split IRF fabrics merge.
Master election uses the following rules in descending order:
1. Current master, even if a new member has higher priority.
When an IRF fabric is being formed, all member devices consider themselves as the master,
and this rule is skipped.
2. Member with higher priority.
3. Member with the longest system uptime.
4. Member with the lowest bridge MAC address.
The IRF fabric is formed on election of the master.
During an IRF merge, the devices of the IRF fabric that fails the master election must reboot to rejoin
the IRF fabric that wins the election. The reboot can be automatically performed or manually
performed, depending on the configuration. See
After a master election, all subordinate devices reboot with the configuration on the master. Their
original configuration, even if it has been saved, does not take effect. The configuration files on these
subordinate devices do not take effect in IRF mode. After the operating mode is converted to
standalone, their configuration files continue to take effect.

IRF multi-active detection

An IRF link failure causes an IRF fabric to split in two IRF fabrics operating with the same Layer 3
configurations, including the same IP address. To avoid IP address collision and network problems,
IRF uses multi-active detection (MAD) mechanisms to detect the presence of multiple identical IRF
fabrics, handle collisions, and recover from faults.
IRF 2
+ =
Device B
Figure 5.
IRF
XGE1/3/0/1
XGE2/3/0/1
IRF link
Device A
"Enabling IRF auto
6
Device B
merge."