LTM Connection to Dual Switches

Techgeeeg: Unfortunately I cant open your drawings here - is it possible for you to publish them on bayimg.com or similar (and post links)?

 

 

If you have F5_2 as current active and server2 dies this is a non issue since F5_2 will be able to reach server1 since the flow will then be: F5_2 -> switch2 -> switch1 -> server1, sure non-optimal but still functional. Not until switch2 fails there is a need to (in this case) perform a failover so F5_1 becomes active.

 

 

Setting up failover can, depending on surrounding design, get you into one or another trap. CARP (as example) often doesnt failover at all if none of the machines in the failover-cluster have 100% reachability for the hosts the boxes monitor. This is why you should think twice when you setup failover along with which monitors to use along with in which scenarios to failover. Even if F5 have statesync there is always a posibility of lost packets in the network when failover occurs so a rule of thumb is often to not failover unless your really need to.