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Layer-3 switches

6.0.0
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Layer-3 switches

After a failover, the new primary unit sends gratuitous ARP packets to refresh the MAC forwarding tables of the switches connected to the cluster. If the cluster is connected using layer-2 switches, the MAC forwarding tables (also called arp tables) are refreshed by the gratuitous ARP packets and the switches start directing packets to the new primary unit.

In some configurations that use layer-3 switches, after a failover, the layer-3 switches may not successfully re-direct traffic to the new primary unit. The possible reason for this is that the layer-3 switch might keep a table of IP addresses and interfaces and may not update this table for a relatively long time after the failover (the table is not updated by the gratuitous ARP packets). Until the table is updated, the layer‑3 switch keeps forwarding packets to the now failed cluster unit. As a result, traffic stops and the cluster does not function.

As of the release date of this document, Fortinet has not developed a workaround for this problem. One possible solution would be to clear the forwarding table on the layer-3 switch.

The config system ha link-failed-signal command described in Updating MAC forwarding tables when a link failover occurs can be used to resolve link failover issues similar to those described here.

Layer-3 switches

After a failover, the new primary unit sends gratuitous ARP packets to refresh the MAC forwarding tables of the switches connected to the cluster. If the cluster is connected using layer-2 switches, the MAC forwarding tables (also called arp tables) are refreshed by the gratuitous ARP packets and the switches start directing packets to the new primary unit.

In some configurations that use layer-3 switches, after a failover, the layer-3 switches may not successfully re-direct traffic to the new primary unit. The possible reason for this is that the layer-3 switch might keep a table of IP addresses and interfaces and may not update this table for a relatively long time after the failover (the table is not updated by the gratuitous ARP packets). Until the table is updated, the layer‑3 switch keeps forwarding packets to the now failed cluster unit. As a result, traffic stops and the cluster does not function.

As of the release date of this document, Fortinet has not developed a workaround for this problem. One possible solution would be to clear the forwarding table on the layer-3 switch.

The config system ha link-failed-signal command described in Updating MAC forwarding tables when a link failover occurs can be used to resolve link failover issues similar to those described here.