Reducing failover times
You can do the following to help reduce failover times:
• Keep the network configuration as simple as possible with as few as possible network connections to the cluster.
• If possible operate the cluster in Transparent mode.
• Use high-performance switches to that the switches failover to interfaces connected to the new primary unit as quickly as possible.
• Use accelerated FortiGate interfaces. In some cases accelerated interfaces will reduce failover times.
• Make sure the FortiGate unit sends multiple gratuitous arp packets after a failover. In some cases, sending more gratuitous arp packets will cause connected network equipment to recognize the failover sooner. To send 10 gratuitous arp packets:
config system ha
set arps 10
end
• Reduce the time between gratuitous arp packets. This may also caused connected network equipment to recognize the failover sooner. To send 50 gratuitous arp packets with 1 second between each packet:
config system ha
set arp 50
set arps-interval 1
end
• Reduce the number of lost heartbeat packets and reduce the heartbeat interval timers to be able to more quickly detect a device failure. To set the lost heartbeat threshold to 3 packets and the heartbeat interval to 100 milliseconds:
config system ha
set hb-interval 3
set hb-lost-threshold 1
end
• Reduce the hello state hold down time to reduce the amount of the time the cluster waits before transitioning from the hello to the work state. To set the hello state hold down time to 5 seconds:
config system ha
set helo-holddown 5
end
• Enable sending a link failed signal after a link failover to make sure that attached network equipment responds a quickly as possible to a link failure. To enable the link failed signal:
config system ha
set link-failed-signal enable
end