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Flexfabric 5800 - IRF - 3 Switch Stack Across 3 Sites Via Fiber

 
userJBWH
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Flexfabric 5800 - IRF - 3 Switch Stack Across 3 Sites Via Fiber

Hello:

We currently have 3 5800 switches that we would like to use in an IRF stack.   1 switch would reside at each site, which is connected via a dark fiber ring (3 sites total).   The issue we are seeing in our testing is that if we simulate a power outage at a site that happens to be the master we get into a split brain scenario.  When the site returns to connectivity that was the master originally the IRF stack sees two master switches, elects a master switch and reboots the stack.   Unfortunately this isnt what we want.   Is there some configuration that will allow the IRF stack to not reboot?   Rebooting two functional sites just isnt an acceptable solution and I am not completely clear on some of the options to help with us.    Any guidance or help would be appreciated.    

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parnassus
Honored Contributor

Re: Flexfabric 5800 - IRF - 3 Switch Stack Across 3 Sites Via Fiber

You should follow and understand what is described on the 5800 IRF Configuration Guide thus a MAD (Multi-Active Detection) mechanism to better manage a Split Brain scenario should be implemented, consider that an IRF Master (re)election - under some circumstances - is not avoidable (as example if current Master goes down).

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userJBWH
Member

Re: Flexfabric 5800 - IRF - 3 Switch Stack Across 3 Sites Via Fiber

If I understand correctly reading about MAD it requires a seperate connection via LACP between switches (which essentially means a dedicated fiber run for this between sites) which in our case isn't an option due to the cost of adding another fiber to the ring.   We are trying to avoid using STP and thought IRF would be a better option for this.   We also have a set of 5700 Flex Fabrics at each site that support TRILL.   Would TRILL be a better way of handling this?   Even though it is unlikely we would lose fiber connectivity at a site to the ring (having a east and west connection) a power outage would probably be more likely and bringing down the whole ring when a site would return online isn't what we'd consider acceptable.    Any guidance would be appreciated.

parnassus
Honored Contributor

Re: Flexfabric 5800 - IRF - 3 Switch Stack Across 3 Sites Via Fiber

TRILL and IRF are two different things...you can go with TRILL or with IRF, IRF requires (is strongly recommended) to use a MAD Mechanism (BDF, LACP or ARP...as examples), each one has specific physical interconnection requirements as you understood.


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