IRF and configuration synchronization

[marti28]

Hello everyone,

I have one doubt regarding IRF and configuration synchronization between its members.

Let's imagine I have an IRF with 2 switches involved. I want to replace member 2 (with lower priority than member 1). If I just configure the IRF part, the new member 2 would retrieve all the configuration (vlans, routes, LACPs) from the master?
On the other hand, if I wanted to replace the member 1 (the master, as it has higher priority), would the new member 1 retrieve the whole configuration from the member 2?

If this is not how it works, I understand you have to fully configure the switch separately then form the IRF with the rest of the switches.

I am currently working with HPE FF 5700 series switch.

Thanks a lot for you help!

Best regards,
Marti.

[parnassus]

In answering you let me cite what is stated on various IRF configuration guides:

"The member switches in an IRF virtual device work in 1:N redundancy. One IRF member switch works as the Master to manage and maintain the entire IRF virtual device. All other remaining IRF member switches process services as well as back up the Master. As soon as the IRF Member with IRF Master role fails, all other IRF member switches elect a new IRF Master among them to prevent service interruption."

This should clarify what will happen if the IRF member switch with IRF Master role suddenly fails (a new Master election starts) or if you plan to force a switchover in order to start maintenance on a IRF Member that, before said switchover, was the IRF Master.

With regard to configuration synchronization this can be said:

"IRF uses a strict configuration file synchronization mechanism to ensure that all switches in an IRF virtual device can work as a single node on the network, and to ensure that after the master fails, the other switches can operate normally.

When a subordinate switch starts up, it automatically gets and runs the master's configuration file. If all switches in an IRF virtual device start up simultaneously, the subordinate switches get and run the master's startup configuration file.

Any configuration you made on the IRF virtual device is stored on the master and synchronized in real time to each member switch. When you save the current configuration to the startup configuration file of the master by using the save command, all subordinate switches execute the same saving operation.

This real-time configuration synchronization ensures that all the IRF member switches keep the same configuration file. If the master fails, all the other switches can still operate with the same configuration file."