Solved: ACE Bridge-mode: How to do FT?

ciscocsoc · ‎09-17-2007

Dear All,

I've set up a test user context in Bridge mode on an ACE blade and now want to set up FT to a second blade. The manuals have confused me slightly and most of the examples I have seen relate to routed mode.

In my topology I have Router1 connected to Router2 which has the ACE blade. Router1 is also connected to Router3 which is in turn connected to Router4 which contains a second ACE blade.

Do I create an identical configuration for the context on the second blade and how to I define the FT vlan?

The current configuration and toplogy are attached. Any pointers would be much appreciated.

Thank you

Cathy

Gilles Dufour · ‎09-17-2007

FT is configured in the Admin context.

Follow the instructions @ http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/modules/ps2706/products_configuration_guide_chapter09186a0080683a15.html

The fact that you use bridge mode does not matter.

All you need on the standby device is the ft config. Once the FT config is ok on the standby, it will synch the full config with the active ACE.

Gilles.

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Gilles Dufour · ‎09-17-2007

FT is configured in the Admin context.

Follow the instructions @ http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/modules/ps2706/products_configuration_guide_chapter09186a0080683a15.html

The fact that you use bridge mode does not matter.

All you need on the standby device is the ft config. Once the FT config is ok on the standby, it will synch the full config with the active ACE.

Gilles.

ciscocsoc · ‎09-17-2007

Thank you Gilles,

I now have a config that replicates across the network. There was a scary moment when I missed out the priority command in the ft group definition on the standby ACE. Somehow I managed to synchronise an empty configuration over my active configuration.

Perhaps the next version of the manual could be more explicit about the precursor steps needed to set up a redundant ACE?

I still have a small problem that I cannot failover to the standby ACE using the "ft switchover" command. I suspect that this is more likely to be a network infrastructure issue (ARP?).

Thank you

Cathy

Gilles Dufour · ‎09-18-2007

Cathy,

glad you could make the FT config working.

Indeed, it is possible to synch an empty config - it also happened to me in the past. :-)

For the switchover, try the command 'ft switchover force'

Gilles

ciscocsoc · ‎09-18-2007

Gilles,

The Admin Guide warns about the use of the force option (7-20) - and the command itself warns of possible network disruption.

Without the force option these are the states of the two blades:

ace1/Admin# sh ft gro 1 de

FT Group : 1

Configured Status : in-service

Maintenance mode : MAINT_MODE_OFF

My State : FSM_FT_STATE_ACTIVE

My Config Priority : 200

My Net Priority : 200

My Preempt : Enabled

Peer State : FSM_FT_STATE_STANDBY_HOT

Peer Config Priority : 100

Peer Net Priority : 100

Peer Preempt : Enabled

Peer Id : 1

Last State Change time : Tue Sep 18 08:10:30 2007

No. of Contexts : 1

Context Name : Test

Context Id : 2

ace2/Admin# sh ft gro 1 de

FT Group : 1

Configured Status : in-service

Maintenance mode : MAINT_MODE_OFF

My State : FSM_FT_STATE_STANDBY_HOT

My Config Priority : 100

My Net Priority : 100

My Preempt : Enabled

Peer State : FSM_FT_STATE_ACTIVE

Peer Config Priority : 200

Peer Net Priority : 200

Peer Preempt : Enabled

Peer Id : 1

Last State Change time : Tue Sep 18 08:10:29 2007

No. of Contexts : 1

Context Name : Test

Context Id : 1

switchover

ace1/Admin# sh ft gro 1 de

FT Group : 1

Configured Status : in-service

Maintenance mode : MAINT_MODE_OFF

My State : FSM_FT_STATE_STANDBY_BULK

My Config Priority : 200

My Net Priority : 200

My Preempt : Disabled

Peer State : FSM_FT_STATE_ACTIVE

Peer Config Priority : 100

Peer Net Priority : 100

Peer Preempt : Enabled

Peer Id : 1

Last State Change time : Tue Sep 18 09:31:20 2007

No. of Contexts : 1

Context Name : Test

Context Id : 2

ace2/Admin# sh ft gro 1 de

FT Group : 1

Configured Status : in-service

Maintenance mode : MAINT_MODE_OFF

My State : FSM_FT_STATE_ACTIVE

My Config Priority : 100

My Net Priority : 100

My Preempt : Enabled

Peer State : FSM_FT_STATE_STANDBY_HOT

Peer Config Priority : 200

Peer Net Priority : 200

Peer Preempt : Disabled

Peer Id : 1

Last State Change time : Tue Sep 18 09:31:33 2007

No. of Contexts : 1

Context Name : Test

Context Id : 1

I can ping my PC from the standby blade, but a traceroute to the VIP for the webservers still shows it going to the router housing the primary ACE blade even though the context on the standby blade is active.

Thanks

Cathy

Gilles Dufour · ‎09-18-2007

Cathy,

that could be normal.

Check with a sniffer trace if your traceroute is then sent from the active MSFC to the active ACE.

The MSFC and the ACE module are not linked.

So you can have one MSFC active in one chassis and the ACE active in the other chassis.

Gilles.

ciscocsoc · ‎09-18-2007

Now working. I'd forgotten to add a peer IP address to the BVI interface.

Thank you for all your help.

Cathy

David Niemann · ‎10-16-2013

Can you post your final FT config for the bridge mode? I'm trying to do this on a pair of ACE30s and am confused a bit. Did you only have to configure the peer and alias under the BVI interface? What did you use for tracking?