Irf Fabric Configuration Task List - HP A7503 Configuration Manual

topology database to determine whether the leaving switch is the master. If yes, the member switch starts
a master election and updates its IRF topology database. If the leaving switch is not a master, the member
switch directly updates its IRF topology database.
NOTE:
An IRF port goes down only when all its physical IRF ports are down.
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, such as 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 and
handle collisions. MAD provides the following functions:
Detection
1.
MAD detects active IRF fabrics with the same Layer 3 global configuration by extending the Link
Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) or the Bidirectional Forwarding Detection (BFD) protocol. For more
information, see
Collision handling
2.
If multiple identical active IRF fabrics are detected, only the IRF fabric that has the lowest master ID can
operate in active state and forward traffic normally. MAD sets all other IRF fabrics in recovery (disabled)
state and shuts down all physical ports but the console and physical IRF ports and other ports you have
specified with the mad exclude interface command.
Failure recovery
3.
An IRF link failure triggers IRF fabric partition and causes multi-active collision. In this case, repair the
failed IRF link to make the collided IRF fabrics merge into one and recover the failure. If the IRF fabric in
recovery state fails before the failure is recovered, repair both the failed IRF fabric and the failed IRF link,
and then the collided IRF fabrics can merge into one and the failure is recovered. If the IRF fabric in the
active state fails before the failure is recovered, enable the IRF fabric in recovery state at the CLI to make
it take over the active IRF fabric and protect the services from being affected. Then, recover the MAD
failure.
NOTE:
For information about LACP, see
•
For information about BFD, see
•

IRF fabric configuration task list

IRF port, member ID, and member priority are three key elements for an IRF fabric. Configure them in one
of the following methods:
Pre-configure the three parameters when the switch operates in standalone mode. These
•
configurations do not affect the operation of the switch and take effect after the switch switches to
IRF mode. Adopt this method to configure the IRF fabric before establishing it. To enable switches
operating in standalone mode to form an IRF fabric, you must pre-configure their member IDs and
switch their operating modes. If you configure the priority for a switch as the greatest value when the
switch operates in standalone mode, this switch can win the role election and become the master
after an IRF fabric is formed for the first time. If you configure IRF ports for member switches that
operate in standalone mode, they can directly form an IRF fabric with other switches after their
"Configuring MAD detection."
Layer 2 — LAN Switching Configuration Guide
High Availability Configuration Guide
10
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