Using the Keep-Alive VLAN

Cluster Control and Reachability Report (CCRR) messages are used to exchange information between peer devices. When the CCP is up, CCRR messages are sent over the CCP. When the CCP client cannot be reached or the ICL is down, you can use the keep-alive-vlan command under the cluster context so CCRR messages are periodically sent over the keep-alive VLAN. Only one VLAN can be configured as a keep-alive VLAN. The keep-alive VLAN cannot be a member VLAN of the MCT, and this VLAN can be tagged or untagged.

device(config-cluster-ICX))# keep-alive-vlan 10

When the CCP is down, the following results occur.

• If the keep-alive VLAN is configured, CCRR messages are sent every second over that VLAN.
• When CCP is down and a keep-alive VLAN is configured, active/standby selection is based on the following criteria:
  • If one device’s CCEPs are up and the peer’s CCEPs are down, the peer with the local CCEPs down becomes the standby.
  • Otherwise, the device with the higher RBridge ID becomes the standby.
• If no packets are received from the peer device for a period of three seconds, the peer is considered down.
• If a keep-alive VLAN is not configured and both the peer devices are up, both peers keep forwarding traffic independently.