SysAdmin Lab 4

High Availability with VRRP-A

Version 4.1.0 (12/15/16)
Lab 4 Overview
VRRP-A is the A10 implementation of the High Availability protocol that is distinct from the
industry-standard VRRP. VRRP-A simplifies multi-system redundancy and supports up to 8
ACOS devices to serve as mutual backups for IP addresses.
This exercise implements a 3+2 VRRP-A deployment on the virtual chassis configured in
the previous lab. After confirming the success of the deployment, further exercises
demonstrate heartbeat implementation and system failover.
Lab 4 objectives include
• Become familiar with A10 high availability, as implemented through VRRP-A
• Deploy basic Active/Standby/Standby and Active/Active/Active configurations
• Use priorities to configure preemption and failover
• Implement route tracking and heartbeats and route tracking
• Modify the deployment by adding or removing a VRID
• Deploy 3+2 Active-Standby VRRP-A on the existing aVCS structure

Lab 4 Planning
• Chassis ID assignment: 1
• Device ID assignments: A1: 1 A2: 2 A3: 3
• 3+2 Active-Standby-Standby deployment:
VRID 0: Active (A1) First standby (A2) Second standby (A3)
VRID 1: Active (A2) First standby (A3) Second standby (A1)
VRID 2: Active (A3) First standby (A1) Second standby (A2)
Priority values: Active: 200 First Standby: 180 Second Standby: 160

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Lab 4 Device Preparation
Prepare the devices for this lab by performing the appropriate instruction set.

Continuing from Lab 3: Configuring aVCS

When starting this lab immediately after successfully completing Lab 3, proceed to the
Initial Device Verification section.

Starting from all Other Chassis Conditions

When starting this lab from any other starting point, prepare the devices by opening
Appendix A and proceeding to section Device Preparation: Lab 4 – VRRP-A.

Initial Device Verification

Open an SSH session to the vMaster (1.0.0.10).
Periodically display aVCS status to monitor reload progress.
repeat 5 show vcs summary
The reload is complete when aVCS output is stable for at least 30 seconds. Exit the
repeat command by pressing Control-C.
Verify the configuration with the following commands:
show vcs summary

show vrrp-a

show partition

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Contact your instructor if your output differs significantly from the shown output.

VRRP-A Base Configuration

VRRP-A uses the Set ID and Device ID parameters configured in the aVCS lab exercise.
• The chassis is assigned the set ID of 1
• Device ID assignments: A1: device ID 1, A2: device ID 2, A3: device ID 3
Important: Configuring VRRP-A without aVCS is outside the scope of this lab. Lab exercise
results should be similar when aVCS is not functioning if the set-id and device-id commands
are configured on each device before enabling VRRP-A.

VRRP-A Active/Standby/Standby Configuration

This section uses VRID 0 to deploy Active / Standby / Standby VRRP-A.
1. Open an SSH connection to the aVCS Master (1.0.0.10).
2. Confirm that the VCS Master has the correct planned Device ID and Set ID.
When VCS is active, the cursor displays the device’s Set-ID and Device-ID.
Enabling VRRP-A activates VRID 0 with default priority settings. An Active-Standby-
Standby topology is configured by adjusting these settings.
3. Enable VRRP-A, then display the VRRP-A status.
vrrp-a common
enable
show vrrp-a
The prompt indicates VRRP-A status (A1-Active-vMaster[1/1]#). The default priority
for VRID 0 on each device is 150.
4. Configure VRID 0 into an Active (A1) – Standby (A2) – Standby (A3) VRRP-A structure
by modifying device priorities. Display status of the reconfigured VRRP-A.
vrrp-a vrid 0
blade-parameters
device 1
priority 200
device 2
priority 180
device 3
priority 160
show vrrp-a

VRRP-A Active/Active/Active Configuration

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This section implements an Active / Active / Active VRRP-A configuration by adding two
VRIDs and configuring the priority such that each device is active on one VRID.
5. Create and configure the second VRID (named VRID 1): The active device is A2. The
first and second standby devices are A3 and A1.
vrrp-a vrid 1
blade-parameters
device 1
priority 160
device 2
priority 200
device 3
priority 180
6. Create and configure the third VRID (named VRID 2): The active device is A3. The first
and second standby devices are A1 and A2.
vrrp-a vrid 2
blade-parameters
device 1
priority 180
device 2
priority 160
device 3
priority 200
7. Save the configuration.
8. Confirm the VRRP-A configuration.
show vrrp-a

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VRRP-A Exercises and Additional Configuration
Configuring Tracking Options
VRRP-A provides network service high availability. While the most severe and least
common device failures are covered by default, it is often useful to track other network
failures and configure A10 devices to respond to those events.
9. Enter tracking-options configuration mode for VRID 0
vrrp-a vrid 0
blade-parameters
tracking-options
10. For all devices, configure the tracking options to reduce VRID 0 priority if the device
loses its route to the client network.
device 1
route 110.0.0.0 /24 priority-cost 255
device 2
route 110.0.0.0 /24 priority-cost 255
device 3
route 110.0.0.0 /24 priority-cost 255
11. Verify the tracking options are properly configured.
show running-config | sec vrrp-a vrid 0

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To test the tracking options, disable various interfaces and verify the resulting priority. In
the following steps, repeat the show vrrp-a command until the changes appear.
12. Disable Ethernet 1 on device 2 (A2), then view VRRP-A
interface ethernet 2/1
disable
show vrrp-a
In VRID 0, the device 2 priority is reduced to 1.
13. Disable Ethernet 1 on device 1 (A1).
interface ethernet 1/1
disable
show vrrp-a
In VRID 0, priority on devices 1 and 2 priority is reduced to 1, resulting in device 3
becoming the active device.
14. Enable Ethernet 1 on device 2 (A2), then view VRRP-A.
interface ethernet 2/1
enable
show vrrp-a
In VRID 0, original device 2 priority is restored and device 2 becomes active.
15. Enable Ethernet 1 on device 1 (A1), then view VRRP-A.
interface ethernet 1/1
enable
show vrrp-a
VRID 0 original priorities are restored; device 1 resumes the active role.
16. Configure Route Tracking Option for VRID 1 and VRID-2, then confirm the
configuration.
vrrp-a vrid 1
blade-parameters
tracking-options
device 1
route 110.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 priority-cost 255
device 2
route 110.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 priority-cost 255
device 3
route 110.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 priority-cost 255
vrrp-a vrid 2
blade-parameters

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 tracking-options
device 1
route 110.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 priority-cost 255
device 2
route 110.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 priority-cost 255
device 3
route 110.0.0.0 255.255.255.0 priority-cost 255
show running-config | sec vrrp-a
17. Save the configuration to the startup profile.
write memory

Testing VRRP-A High Availability

Some A10 features leverage VRRP-A Floating-IP address. Training pod routers are
configured to use the floating IP address. This exercise displays that connectivity.
18. Open a BASH window and use tracevid to record attempts to reach 210.0.0.11.
[student: ~] tracevrid 210.0.0.11
Initial attempts to reach the address fail.
19. Add floating IP addresses 100.0.0.10 and 200.0.0.10 to VRID 0.
vrrp-a vrid 0
floating-ip 100.0.0.10
floating-ip 200.0.0.10
Tracevrid utility successfully displays the route to 210.0.0.11, which includes 100.0.0.1.

20. Force VRID 0 fail over from A1 to A2 by disabling Ethernet interface 1/1, then verify
the active member of the VRID is device 2 (A2).
interface ethernet 1/1
disable
show vrrp-a
The route displayed by Tracevrid includes 100.0.0.2 instead of 100.0.0.1
21. Enable interface Ethernet 1/1.
The route that includes 100.0.0.1 is restored.
22. Save the configuration to the startup profile.
23. Terminate tracevrid (type Ctrl-c).
Important: The current device configuration, as saved, is used in Lab 5. Do not save the
configuration after subsequent exercises in this lab. A reload command at the end of this
lab restores the configuration for the next lab.
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Controlling interfaces used for VRRP-A Heartbeat
By default, VRRP-A sends heartbeat multicasts on all available interfaces. VRRP-A provides
an option to exclude specified interfaces for transmitting these multicasts.
This section displays the effect of excluding an interface for sending heartbeats.
24. Clear VRRP-A statistics and view the VRRP-A details.
clear vrrp-a
show vrrp-a detail
25. Prevent device A1 from using Ethernet 1 interfaces for VRRP-A heartbeat multicasts.
Run the show vrrp-a detail command multiple times.
vrrp-a interface ethernet 1/1
no-heartbeat
show vrrp-a detail
Notice the counter at the bottom of the output for Sent from port 1 for VRID 0 is no
longer increasing.
26. Prevent device A2 and A3 from using Ethernet 1 interfaces for VRRP-A heartbeat
multicasts. Run the show vrrp-a detail command multiple times.
vrrp-a interface ethernet 2/1
no-heartbeat
vrrp-a interface ethernet 3/1
no-heartbeat
show vrrp-a detail
Notice the counters for Port 1: received are no longer increasing.
27. Restore the heartbeat transmission interfaces.
no vrrp-a interface ethernet 1/1
no vrrp-a interface ethernet 2/1
no vrrp-a interface ethernet 3/1

Force Active VRRP-A VRID for troubleshooting

To force a device to become Active for a specified VRID, adjust the device’s priority.
28. Make host A2 the active host for VRID 2 by increasing its priority to 220.
show running-config | sec vrid 2
vrrp-a vrid 2
blade-parameters
device 2
priority 220
show vrrp-a

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VRRP-A Advanced Configuration
Removing and Disabling VRRP-A VRID
VRID disabling and deletion methods depend on the specific VRID. All VRIDs except VRID 0
are disabled with no vrrp-a vrid. Disabling these VRIDs also deletes their configuration.
The no vrrp-a vrid 0 command reverts VRID 0 to its initial state. Disabling this VRID
requires a specific command. Disabling VRID 0 without reverting its configuration to the
initial state, allows the restoration of its configured state when it is re-enabled.
29. Attempt to disable the three VRIDs using no vrrp-a vrid. View VRRP-A status.
no vrrp-a vrid 0
no vrrp-a vrid 1
no vrrp-a vrid 2
show vrrp-a
VRID 0 is the only functioning VRID. Notice that its device priorities are reset to their
default values.
30. Disable the default VRID.
vrrp-a common
disable-default-vrid
show vrrp-a
All VRIDs are disabled.
31. Restore the VRIDs by reloading the device
Important: Do Not Save the configuration before reloading or when prompted.
device 1
vcs vmaster-maintenance 300
do reload

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