Irf Merge; Member Priority; Master Election - HP FlexFabric 12500 Series Configuration Manual

To avoid a card removal causing an IRF split, bind physical ports on different cards to an IRF port.
Figure 5 IRF split

IRF merge

IRF merge occurs when two split IRF fabrics reunite or when two independent IRF fabrics are combined,
as shown in
Figure 6 IRF merge
IRF 1
Device A

Member priority

Member priority determines the possibility of a member device to be elected the master. A member with
higher priority is more likely to be elected the master.
The default member priority is 1. You can change the member priority of a device to affect the master
election result.

Master election

Master election is held each time the IRF fabric topology changes, for example, when the IRF fabric is
established, the master device fails or is removed, the IRF fabric splits, or active IRF fabrics merge. Master
election does not occur when two split IRF fabrics merge.
Master election uses the following rules in descending order:
1. Current master, even if a new member has higher priority.
When an IRF fabric is being formed, all member devices consider themselves as the master, and
this rule is skipped.
2. Member with higher priority.
3. Member with the longest system uptime.
Two members are considered starting up at the same time if their startup time difference is equal
to or less than 10 minutes. For these members, the next tiebreaker applies.
4. Member with the lowest CPU MAC address.
The IRF fabric is formed on election of the master.
Figure 6.
IRF 2
+
Device B
XGE1/3/0/1
=
Device A
7
IRF
XGE2/3/0/1
IRF link
Device B