Configuring irdp, Response to path state changes, Disabling or re-enabling load sharing – Brocade TurboIron 24X Series Configuration Guide User Manual

Page 511: Changing the maximum number of load sharing paths

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Brocade TurboIron 24X Series Configuration Guide

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Configuring IP parameters – Layer 3 Switches

Response to path state changes

If one of the load-balanced paths to a cached destination becomes unavailable, or the IP route
table receives a new equal-cost path to a cached destination, the software removes the
unavailable path from the IP route table. Then the software selects a new path.

Disabling or re-enabling load sharing

To disable IP load sharing, enter the following commands.

TurboIron(config)#no ip load-sharing

Syntax: [no] ip load-sharing

Changing the maximum number of load sharing paths

By default, IP load sharing allows IP traffic to be balanced across up to four equal paths. You can
change the maximum number of paths the Layer 3 Switch supports to a value from 2 – 8.

For optimal results, set the maximum number of paths to a value at least as high as the maximum
number of equal-cost paths your network typically contains. For example, if the Layer 3 Switch you
are configuring for IP load sharing has six next-hop routers, set the maximum paths value to six.

NOTE

If the setting for the maximum number of paths is lower than the actual number of equal-cost paths,
the software does not use all the paths for load sharing.

To change the number of IP load sharing paths, enter a command such as the following.

TurboIron(config)#ip load-sharing 6

Syntax: [no] ip load-sharing [<num>]

The <num> parameter specifies the number of paths and can be from 2 – 8.

Configuring IRDP

The ICMP Router Discovery Protocol (IRDP) is used by Layer 3 Switches to advertise the IP
addresses of its router interfaces to directly attached hosts. IRDP is disabled by default. You can
enable the feature on a global basis or on an individual port basis:

If you enable the feature globally, all ports use the default values for the IRDP parameters.

If you leave the feature disabled globally but enable it on individual ports, you also can
configure the IRDP parameters on an individual port basis.

NOTE

You can configure IRDP parameters only an individual port basis. To do so, IRDP must be
disabled globally and enabled only on individual ports. You cannot configure IRDP parameters
if the feature is globally enabled.

When IRDP is enabled, the Layer 3 Switch periodically sends Router Advertisement messages out
the IP interfaces on which the feature is enabled. The messages advertise the Layer 3 Switch IP
addresses to directly attached hosts who listen for the messages. In addition, hosts can be
configured to query the Layer 3 Switch for the information by sending Router Solicitation messages.

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