Configure VRRP+

VRRP+ is an extension to the VRRP standard that uses SureLink network probing to monitor connections through VRRP-enabled devices and adjust devices' VRRP priority based on the status of the SureLink tests.

This section describes how to configure VRRP+ on a IX15 device.

Required configuration items

Both master and backup devices:
- A configured and enabled instance of VRRP. See Configure VRRP for information.
- Enable VRRP+.
- WAN interfaces to be monitored by using VRRP+.
  Note SureLink is enabled by default on all WAN interfaces, and should not be disabled on the WAN interfaces that are being monitored by VRRP+.
  If multiple WAN interfaces are being monitored on the same device, the VRRP priority will be adjusted only if all WAN interfaces fail SureLink tests.
- The amount that the VRRP priority will be modified when SureLink determines that the VRRP interface is not functioning correctly.
- Configure the VRRP interface's DHCP server to use a custom gateway that corresponds to one of the VRRP virtual IP addresses.
Backup devices only:
- Enable and configure SureLink on the VRRP interface.
- Set the IP gateway to the IP address of the VRRP interface on the master device.

Additional configuration items

For backup VRRP devices, enable the ability to monitor the VRRP master, so that a backup device can increase its priority when the master device fails SureLink tests.

 Web

Log into Digi Remote Manager, or log into the local Web UI as a user with full Admin access rights.
Access the device configuration:
Remote Manager:
1. Locate your device as described in Use Digi Remote Manager to view and manage your device.
2. Click the Device ID.
3. Click Settings.
4. Click to expand Config.
Local Web UI:
1. On the menu, click System. Under Configuration, click Device Configuration.
  The Configuration window is displayed.
Click Network > VRRP.
Create a new VRRP instance, or click to expand an existing VRRP instance.
See Configure VRRP for information about creating a new VRRP instance.
Click to expand VRRP+.
Click Enable.
Add interfaces to monitor:
1. Click to expand Monitor interfaces.
2. Click  to add an interface for monitoring.
3. For Interface, select the local interface to monitor. Generally, this will be a cellular or WAN interface.
4. (Optional) Click  again to add additional interfaces.
(Optional) For backup devices, click to enable Monitor VRRP+ master.
This parameter allows a backup VRRP device to monitor the master device, and increase its priority when the master device is failing SureLink tests. This can allow a device functioning as a backup device to promote itself to master.
For Priority modifier, type or select the amount that the device's priority should be decreased due to SureLink connectivity failure, and increased when SureLink succeeds again.
Along with the priority settings for devices in this VRRP pool, the amount entered here should be large enough to automatically demote a master device when SureLink connectivity fails. For example, if the VRRP master device has a priority of 100 and the backup device has a priority of 80, then the Priority modifier should be set to an amount greater than 20 so that if SureLink fails on the master, it will lower its priority to below 80, and the backup device will assume the master role.
Configure the VRRP interface. The VRRP interface is defined in the Interface parameter of the VRRP configuration, and generally should be a LAN interface:
To configure the VRRP interface:
1. Click to expand Network > Interfaces.
2. Click to expand the appropriate VRRP interface (for example, LAN1).
3. For backup devices, for Default Gateway, type the IP address of the VRRP interface on the master device.
4. Configure the VRRP interface's DHCP server to use a custom gateway that corresponds to one of the VRRP virtual IP addresses:
  1. Click to expand DHCP Server > Advanced settings.
  2. For Gateway, select Custom.
  3. For Custom gateway, enter the IP address of one of the virtual IPs used by this VRRP instance.
5. For backup devices, enable and configure SureLink on the VRRP interface. Generally, this should be a LAN interface; VRRP+ will then monitor the LAN using SureLink to determine if the interface has network connectivity and promote a backup to master if SureLink fails.
  1. Click to expand IPv4 > SureLink.
  2. Click Enable.
  3. For Interval, type a the amount of time to wait between connectivity tests. To guarantee seamless internet access for VRRP+ purposes, SureLink tests should occur more often than the default of 15 minutes.
    Allowed values are any number of weeks, days, hours, minutes, or seconds, and take the format number{w|d|h|m|s}. For example, to set Interval to five seconds, enter 5s.
  4. Click to expand Test targets > Test target.
  5. Configure the test target. For example, to configure SureLink to verify internet connectivity on the LAN by pinging https://remotemanager.digi.com:
    1. For Test Type, select Ping test.
    2. For Ping host, type https://remotemanager.digi.com.
Click Apply to save the configuration and apply the change.

 Command line

Select the device in Remote Manager and click Actions > Open Console, or log into the IX15 local command line as a user with full Admin access rights.
Depending on your device configuration, you may be presented with an Access selection menu. Type admin to access the Admin CLI.
At the command line, type config to enter configuration mode:
```
> config
(config)>
```
Create a new VRRP instance, or edit an existing one. See Configure VRRP for information about creating a new VRRP instance.

Enable VRRP+:

(config)> network vrrp VRRP_test vrrp_plus enable true
(config)>

Add interfaces to monitor. Generally, this will be a cellular or WAN interface.
1. Use the ? to determine available interfaces:
1. Set the interface, for example:
```
(config)> add network vrrp VRRP_test vrrp_plus monitor_interface end /network/interface/modem
(config)>
```
2. (Optional) Repeat for additional interfaces.
Set the amount that the device's priority should be decreased or increased due to SureLink connectivity failure or success:
```
(config)> network vrrp VRRP_test vrrp_plus weight value
(config)>
```
where value is an integer between 1 and 254. The default is 10.
Along with the priority settings for devices in this VRRP pool, the amount entered here should be large enough to automatically demote a master device when SureLink connectivity fails. For example, if the VRRP master device has a priority of 100 and the backup device has a priority of 80, then weight should be set to an amount greater than 20 so that if SureLink fails on the master, it will lower its priority to below 80, and the backup device will assume the master role.
(Optional) For backup devices, enable the ability for the device to monitor the master device. This allows a backup VRRP device to monitor the master device, and increase its priority when the master device is failing SureLink tests. This can allow a device functioning as a backup device to promote itself to master.
```
(config)> network vrrp VRRP_test vrrp_plus monitor_master true
(config)>
```
Configure the VRRP interface:
1. Configure the VRRP interface's DHCP server to use a custom gateway that corresponds to one of the VRRP virtual IP addresses:
  1. Set the DHCP server gateway type to custom:
```
(config)> network interface eth ipv4 dhcp_server advanced gateway custom
(config)>
```
  2. Determine the VRRP virtual IP addresses:
```
(config)> show network vrrp VRRP_test virtual_address
0 192.168.3.3
1 10.10.10.1

(config)>
```
  3. Set the custom gateway to one of the VRRP virtual IP addresses. For example:
```
(config)> network interface eth ipv4 dhcp_server advanced gateway_custom 192.168.3.3
(config)>
```
2. For backup devices, set the default gateway to the IP address of the VRRP interface on the master device. For example:
```
(config)> network interface eth ipv4 gateway 192.168.3.1
(config)>
```
3. For backup devices, enable and configure SureLink on the VRRP interface.
  1. Determine the VRRP interface. Generally, this should be a LAN interface; VRRP+ will then monitor the LAN using SureLink to determine if the interface has network connectivity and promote a backup to master if SureLink fails.
```
(config)> show network vrrp VRRP_test interface
/network/interface/eth
(config)>
```
  2. Enable SureLink on the interface:
```
(config)> network interface eth ipv4 surelink enable true
(config)>
```
  3. Set the amount of time to wait between connectivity tests:
```
(config)> network interface eth ipv4 surelink interval value 
(config)>
```
    where value is any number of weeks, days, hours, minutes, or seconds, and takes the format number{w|d|h|m|s}.
    For example, to set interval to ten minutes, enter 5s:
```
(config)> network interface eth ipv4 surelink interval 5s
(config)> 
```
  4. Create a SureLink test target:
```
(config)> add network interface eth ipv4 surelink target end
(config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
```
  5. Configure the type of test for the test target:
```
(config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)> test value
(config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
```
    where value is one of:
    - ping: Tests connectivity by sending an ICMP echo request to a specified hostname or IP address.
      - Specify the hostname or IP address:
        (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)> ping_host host (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
      - (Optional) Set the size, in bytes, of the ping packet:
        (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)> ping_size [num] (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
    - dns: Tests connectivity by sending a DNS query to the specified DNS server.
      - Specify the DNS server. Allowed value is the IP address of the DNS server.
        (config network interface eth ipv4 surelinktarget 0)> dns_server ip_address (config network interface eth ipv4 surelinktarget 0)>
    - dns_configured: Tests connectivity by sending a DNS query to the DNS servers configured for this interface.
    - http: Tests connectivity by sending an HTTP or HTTPS GET request to the specified URL.
      - Specify the url:
        (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)> http_url value (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
        where value uses the format http[s]://hostname/[path]
    - interface_up: The interface is considered to be down based on the interfaces down time, and the amount of time an initial connection to the interface takes before this test is considered to have failed.
      - (Optional) Set the amount of time that the interface can be down before this test is considered to have failed:
        (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)> interface_down_time value (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
        where value is any number of weeks, days, hours, minutes, or seconds, and takes the format number{w|d|h|m|s}.
        For example, to set interface_down_time to ten minutes, enter either 10m or 600s:
        (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)> interface_down_time 600s (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
      - (Optional) Set the amount of time to wait for an initial connection to the interface before this test is considered to have failed:
        (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)> interface_timeout value (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
        where value is any number of weeks, days, hours, minutes, or seconds, and takes the format number{w|d|h|m|s}.
        For example, to set interface_timeout to ten minutes, enter either 10m or 600s:
        (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)> interface_timeout 600s (config network interface eth ipv4 surelink target 0)>
        The default is 60 seconds.
Save the configuration and apply the change.
```
(config)> save
Configuration saved.
>
```
Type exit to exit the Admin CLI.
Depending on your device configuration, you may be presented with an Access selection menu. Type quit to disconnect from the device.