What is the first-hop protocol feature recommended for a VSX L3 gateway in Aruba CX configurations?

What is the first-hop protocol feature recommended for a VSX L3 gateway in Aruba CX configurations?

• A. Active Gateway
• B. Active-Active VRRP
• C. SVI with vsx-sync
• D. VRRP

Answer: (A)

In a VSX L3 gateway setup, the first-hop path for subnets should be definite and predictable. The Active Gateway feature designates one member of the VSX pair as the primary gateway for a given subnet, making its IP the active default route and the only device that responds to ARP for that gateway. The other VSX member stays ready to take over immediately if the primary fails, providing fast, seamless failover without the complexity of balancing a gateway across both devices. This approach prevents multiple gateways from claiming the same default route and avoids potential path instability. Other options don’t fit as well because VRRP can introduce dual-active behavior and more complex failover scenarios within a VSX pair, which can lead to unpredictable traffic flow if not carefully managed. SVI with vsx-sync focuses on synchronizing state between the VSX peers rather than selecting a single active first hop. Active-Active VRRP would allow more than one gateway to be active simultaneously, which can cause ARP and routing ambiguities for the default route. Active Gateway specifically reinforces a single, authoritative first-hop gateway while preserving rapid failover.

In a VSX L3 gateway setup, the first-hop path for subnets should be definite and predictable. The Active Gateway feature designates one member of the VSX pair as the primary gateway for a given subnet, making its IP the active default route and the only device that responds to ARP for that gateway. The other VSX member stays ready to take over immediately if the primary fails, providing fast, seamless failover without the complexity of balancing a gateway across both devices. This approach prevents multiple gateways from claiming the same default route and avoids potential path instability.

Other options don’t fit as well because VRRP can introduce dual-active behavior and more complex failover scenarios within a VSX pair, which can lead to unpredictable traffic flow if not carefully managed. SVI with vsx-sync focuses on synchronizing state between the VSX peers rather than selecting a single active first hop. Active-Active VRRP would allow more than one gateway to be active simultaneously, which can cause ARP and routing ambiguities for the default route. Active Gateway specifically reinforces a single, authoritative first-hop gateway while preserving rapid failover.