Connecting IRF physical interfaces

When you connect two neighboring IRF members, connect the physical interfaces of IRF-port 1 on one member to the physical interfaces of IRF-port 2 on the other (see Figure 10).

For example, you have four chassis: A, B, C, and D. IRF-port 1 and IRF-port 2 are represented by A1 and A2 on chassis A, represented by B1 and B2 on chassis B, and so on. To connect the four chassis into a ring topology of A-B-C-D(A), the IRF link cabling scheme must be one of the following:

• A1-B2, B1-C2, C1-D2, and D1-A2.

• A2-B1, B2-C1, C2-D1, and D2-A1.

	IMPORTANT: No intermediate devices are allowed between neighboring members.

Connect the devices into a daisy-chain topology or a ring topology. A ring topology is more reliable (see Figure 11). In ring topology, the failure of one IRF link does not cause the IRF fabric to split as in daisy-chain topology. Rather, the IRF fabric changes to a daisy-chain topology without interrupting network services.