Activating SD-WAN Edges in High Availability (HA) deployment

Products

• VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN

Issue/Introduction

Most of the Enterprise customers uses HA (High Availability mode). Sometimes it might cause confusions and Issues if Best Practices and Recommendations are not followed while activating or Deploying new HA site.

Environment

VMware VeloCloud SD-WAN

Cause

There could be multiple Reasons for Issue to occur, listing some of them

For example,

• Activating the HA edges with both Active and Standby connected.
• Difference in number of WAN/LAN link on the devices
• Trying to upgrade the Edges before HA gets detected.
• Disrupting cables of HA devices during Activation/Software download
• Flapping the Interfaces either on SD-WAN or on peer devices during Activation/Software download

Resolution

• Always try to Activate the Edge in Standalone mode using usual Activation process https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-SD-WAN/4.2/VMware-SD-WAN-Administration-Guide/GUID-3B409E52-BCB5-413D-9C37-B08522796C31.html 
• Once the Edge is Activated, Wait for Software update to get completed as seen below

 

• After Edge Online and Software Upgrade, enable the HA in VCO (There is no Issue even if HA is already enabled in VCO before Activation)
• Once the HA is enabled wait for Active Edge to detect the HA config and we see the below event

• Make sure Only HA link is connected to Standby device.
• Power on the Standby device and wait for the below event such that Standby gets detected.
• Please note when Standby is connected, You no need to make any changes in VCO neither for Software upgrade nor for Activation.

• After the above event, Standby Edge will upgrade its Software / ATP Signatures as seen below

• Post which Standby will go for the Reboot after Software upgrade.
• After the Reboot Standby will again get detected as Standby and now HA is completely Ready

• Now you can connect LAN and WAN devices on Standby
• Once the links are detected and Edges are Stable.
• Perform the HA fail-over and check the Stability on the site