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You connect the IRF member switches through IRF ports, the logical interfaces for the connections
between IRF member switches. Each IRF member switch has two IRF ports: IRF-port 1 and IRF-port
2. To use an IRF port, you must bind a minimum of one physical port to it.
When connecting two neighboring IRF member switches, you must connect the physical ports of
IRF-port 1 on one switch to the physical ports of IRF-port 2 on the other switch.
The switch can form an IRF fabric only with switches from the same switch series. For the physical
ports that can be used for IRF connections on each switch model and the restrictions for using the
ports, see
. The IRF physical ports can set up IRF connections only when operating at their
highest speeds. For example, a 10-GE port must operate at 10 Gbps. A GE port must operate at 1
Gbps.
and
show the topologies of an IRF fabric made up of three S5130S-52S-HI
switches. The IRF port connections in the two figures are for illustration only, and more connection
methods are available.
Figure 4-2 IRF fabric in daisy chain topology
Figure 4-3 IRF fabric in ring topology
Identifying IRF physical ports on the member switches
Identify the IRF physical ports on the member switches according to your topology and connection
scheme.
shows the physical ports that can be used for IRF connection and the port use restrictions.
IRF-port1
IRF-port2
IRF-port1
IRF-port2
1
2
3
1
2
3
1
2
3
IRF-port1
IRF-port2
IRF-port1
IRF-port1
IRF-port2
IRF-port2
1
2
3
