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Luca_55898's avatar
Luca_55898
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May 21, 2012

VLAN Failsafe

I have two BIG-IP 1600 in a HA config.   I need a failover to occur if the active unit looses its network connection to the internal and/or external network.     So i have configured VLAN Fai...
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Kleython_Kell_5's avatar
Kleython_Kell_5
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Mar 06, 2013
Luca, sometimes ago i had a problem with vlan fail safe, I opened a case on F5 support. and the Engineer said:

 

 

" One of the contributing factors to the issue you're experiencing is from your failover settings. Currently unit 1 is set to prefer active, and unit 2 is set to prefer standby. This will cause unit 1 to fight for active status anytime there is no failover condition present. I recommend you set both units to have no failover preference.

 

 

Also, a note about VLAN failsafe: this feature does not just monitor the connection between the F5 and the switch, but the entire VLAN. If the F5 looses connection to that VLAN do to an issue elsewhere in the network, neither unit will be able to be active and they will ping pong. Unless there is a specific reason you need to monitor for VLAN communicate I would strongly recommend you remove VLAN failsafe from your configuration. This feature is only useful in very select circumstances and usually causes failover problems as you've been experiencing "
  • genseek_32178's avatar
    genseek_32178
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    Oct 13, 2014
    In the article - sol12277: How simultaneous failsafe events affect a redundant system it is mentioned - "Beginning in BIG-IP 10.0.0, when both members of a redundant system are simultaneously affected by the same failsafe condition, and the associated failsafe action is set to Failover, both units will go into a standby state. While the failsafe condition is triggered, both units will remain in the standby state" What causes both units to go into standby state? Is the case same for single or multiple VLANs? I thought, if both units had a single vlan, with failsafe action is set to Failover, and if failover event were triggered, devices would surely failover and become standby/active but in case of multiple vlans, they would continue to be standby-standby. Please confirm is this is correct.