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dan
dan
Explorer II
March 4, 2022
Question

FGT-61F cluster and FortiLink - does the cluster work when one FortiLink cable is missing?

  • March 4, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 2489 views

I have a FGT-61F (FW 6.4.8) in production which is connected to 5 FortiSwitches via FortiLink A and B.

FortiLink A is directly connected to the FortiSwitch S148FP directly in the same rack on the ground floor, while FortiLink B is directly connected to another FortiSwitch  S148FP on the second floor. 4 FortiSwitches are connectied via FO links in a ring.

This works perfectly. Tested with cable removal, etc.

 

Now I need to turn the FGT-61F into a cluster.

I already have the second FGT-61F ready to deploy.

However, I have one minor (?) issue.

 

I only have one link (copper cable) to the second floor available. Thus I would not be able to connect FortiLink B of the additional FGT-61F to the switch on the second floor.

 

I will get the link eventually, but my question is if the cluster would work nonetheless, for the time being?

 

Non-Cluster:

FGT-61F-1:   

FortiLink A --> sw-eg port 48

FortiLink B --> sw-2og port 48

 

Cluster:

FGT-61F-1:   

FortiLink A --> sw-eg port 48

FortiLink B --> sw-2og port 48

FGT-61F-2:   

FortiLink A --> sw-eg port 47

FortiLink B --> no link exists

 

Thanks for your insights

 

Dan

 

3 replies

A
Anonymous_User
Contributor
March 7, 2022

Hello dan, 

 

Thank you for using the Community Forum. I will seek to get you an answer or help. We will reply to this thread with an update as soon as possible. 

 

Thanks, 

Raja- Fortinet Community Team 

RJ
alif
Staff
alif
Staff
March 7, 2022

Hi Dan,

 

HA Cluster will form eventually even if some ports are down on the secondary unit.

The heartbeat interface should be UP on both units to form HA Cluster.

dan
danAuthor
Explorer II
March 7, 2022

Thanks @alif , I also think the cluster will correctly switch and thus correctly work.

My concern is more about the FortiSwitch management. I would assume that if the cluster switches and FortiLink is active on the A interface (where both 61F are connected), there will be small interrupt. However, if FL B is active, in case of a cluster switch, the new 61F (FGT-2) would first have to recognize it lost connection to the FortiSwitches (due to the missing FL B) and then switch over to FL A which takes some time. 

 

 

03.05.2022-14.13

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