What is difference between IRF and IRF lite ?

[temuri426]

hello,

please explain someone what is difference between normal IRF and IRF LITE ..

for example switch A3600sl supports Automatic stacking with irf and A3600el supports irf automated stack and switching fabric setup ,  what is difference between them?

Also interested if there is any restriction in using switch ports for forming irf? can i use any regular port to implement IRF?

thaks ahead

[showneek]

Hi,

I'm not entirely sure about difference between normal IRF and IRF lite, but think that IRF lite works only on 1Gbs links (A3100, A3600, A5120SI) and normal IRF works on 10Gb ports.

Generally, there is no restriction in using switch ports to forming IRF. IRF can be formed with regular 1Gb or 10Gb ports but on some models there are some limitations of combining front ports with ports on interface modules to make aggregate IRF links. This is always described in operation manual to the specific switch.

Regards,

Jan

[temuri426]

showneek

thanks for answering and helping to solve this headache

But ,   :) 

     A3600ei and A3600sl doesn't support 10GB ports, only 1GB SFP can be mounted..

    In my product bulletin and also in hp networking web page you can see that A3600ei supports IRF (normal one) and A3600sl supports IRF LITE.

 so The question remains still unanswered.... 

Spoiler

[showneek]

Yes you are right. As I said it depends on the switch family which ports can be used.

A3100, A3600 and A5120-SI can do IRF only on 1Gbs link (lets say IRF lite based on my meaning).

A5120-EI, A5500, A58xx, A7500, A9500, A12500 can do IRF on 10Gbs links and think that for all of these on 10Gbs links only.

Regards,

Jan

[showneek]

... and to IRF and IRF lite, OK maybe it is not related to 1Gbs/10Gbs ports. I see some description of A3600 EI and SI version in the IRIS configurator and maybe the difference between IRF and IRF lite is based on some features support related to IRF stack functionality.

The EI version (IRF) supports Single IP management, Distributed link aggregation and Distributed resillient routing. The SI version (IRF lite) only first two features.

I'm not hundred percent sure about this. I usually offer and configure solution with IRF on higher switches suitable for server connection, aggregation or core with 10Gb links which makes more sense here.

Regards,

Jan

[temuri426]

But A3600ei and A3600sl doesn't have 10 gb ports, but they support different IRF configuration...irf and irf lite

[temuri426]

showneek

thank you very much, maybe you are right about it, it is possible that  in IRF LITE there is some limitation in L3 routing.

hope to find more exact differences :) 

[temuri426]

Well. i've found very good document about those differences: http://www.assetel.com/jpanel_data/documents/En-S3600-Broc-H3C%20S3600%20Ethernet%20switch%20Brochur-V1_00_200607.pdf

showneek

you were right about distributed routing, management and aggregation, many thanks again..

[pombeii]

IRF can work on both GE ports and 10-GE ports, depending on your device type.   

IRF differs from the so-called "IRF Lite" not because of port type, but because their functions differ.

I think reading the configuration guide for the switch can help you with the feature.  

[Fred_Mancen_1]

IRF function do provide the real stacking feature: distributed link-aggregation in the whole stack, a single IP to manage the entire stack where one console shows all the ports in the stack identifying unit/module/port and synchronizes the config files when you change the settings and save, among other functions.

At the other hand, the IRF Lite is a limited function that actually doesn't provide the real stacking feature. It helps on saving IP addresses, really, but does not provide single management console to the whole stack. Actually, the IRF Lite just create a "cluster-stack", where the master responds to telnet and SSH, for example, but when you need to change the port settings in one of the slave members you need to enter a command in order to go to the member console to proceed the changes, save it and return to the master console. The stack config files are not sync'ed.