Intelligent Resilient Framework

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
This technology was originally developed by 3Com and released in 2003 as XRN (eXpandable Resilient Networking).<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2">2</a> When <a href="/facts/HP_Inc./68EHIDIa">HP Inc.</a> purchased 3Com in April 2010,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3">3</a> the technology was renamed to IRF.

<h2 id="overview">Overview</h2>
An IRF <a href="/facts/Virtual_device/kbyb08lR">virtual device</a> appears as a <a href="/facts/Node_(networking)/LBp2vNcJ">node</a> on the <a href="/facts/Computer_network/3w5RM99p">network</a>, which can be connected to in order to manage all members of the virtual device. The IRF is designed to combine the cost-effective benefits of box-type devices with the reliability of chassis-based devices. IRF proponents claim that an IRF-based network increases network resilience, performance, and availability, while also reducing the operating complexity.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4">4</a> In simulated tests, IRF was found to be resilient to severe induced failures.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5">5</a> 

<h2 id="devices-which-support-irf">Devices which support IRF</h2>
Currently, this technology is specific to <a href="/facts/HP_Inc./68EHIDIa">HP Inc.</a> products and solutions.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6">6</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7">7</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8">8</a>

<ul><li>HPE FlexNetwork HSR6800 Router Series</li>
<li>HPE FlexFabric 5700 Switch Series</li>
<li>HPE 5900 Switch Series<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9">9</a></li>
<li>HPE 5920 Switch Series<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10">10</a></li>
<li>HPE 5940 Switch Series<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11">11</a></li>
<li>HPE 6125XLG Ethernet Blade Switch<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12">12</a></li>
<li>HPE FlexFabric 12900E Switch Series<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13">13</a></li></ul>
<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/IEEE_802.1aq/xslEBCKB">IEEE 802.1aq</a> (Shortest Path Bridging)</li>
<li><a href="/facts/H3C/Btwf1I4W">H3C</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Hewlett_Packard_Enterprise/d9NbClDt">HPE</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Huawei/Qwu0tbnL">Huawei</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/Link_aggregation/3BE3qHDT">Link aggregation</a></li>
<li><a href="/facts/TRILL/7lHM52Xe">TRILL</a> (Transparent Interconnection of Lots of Links)</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1">"H3C - Products & Solutions - IRF2.0 Technology White Paper". Archived from the original on 2010-10-05. Retrieved 2010-12-15. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20101005184935/http://h3c.com/portal/Products___Solutions/Technology/IRF/Technology_White_Paper/200901/624932_57_0.htm" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20101005184935/http://h3c.com/portal/Products___Solutions/Technology/IRF/Technology_White_Paper/200901/624932_57_0.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:2">David Newman (3 March 2003). "XRN Interconnect architecture". Retrieved 26 June 2014. <a href="https://www.networkworld.com/article/895292/lan-wan-xrn-interconnect-architecture.html" target="_blank">https://www.networkworld.com/article/895292/lan-wan-xrn-interconnect-architecture.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:3">Stricker, Ben (April 12, 2010). "HP Completes Acquisition of 3Com Corporation, Accelerates Converged Infrastructure Strategy". www.investor.hp.com. <a href="https://investor.hp.com/news-events/news/news-details/2010/HP-Completes-Acquisition-of-3Com-Corporation-Accelerates-Converged--Infrastructure-Strategy/default.aspx" target="_blank">https://investor.hp.com/news-events/news/news-details/2010/HP-Completes-Acquisition-of-3Com-Corporation-Accelerates-Converged--Infrastructure-Strategy/default.aspx</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:4">"Buyer's Guide: HP's Intelligent Resilient Framework (IRF) put to the test | Computer Weekly". ComputerWeekly.com. Retrieved 2024-08-11. <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Buyers-Guide-HPs-Intelligent-Resilient-Framework-IRF-put-to-the-test" target="_blank">https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Buyers-Guide-HPs-Intelligent-Resilient-Framework-IRF-put-to-the-test</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:5">"Buyer's Guide: HP's Intelligent Resilient Framework (IRF) put to the test | Computer Weekly". ComputerWeekly.com. Retrieved 2024-08-11. <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Buyers-Guide-HPs-Intelligent-Resilient-Framework-IRF-put-to-the-test" target="_blank">https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Buyers-Guide-HPs-Intelligent-Resilient-Framework-IRF-put-to-the-test</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:6">"Buyer's Guide: HP's Intelligent Resilient Framework (IRF) put to the test | Computer Weekly". ComputerWeekly.com. Retrieved 2024-08-11. <a href="https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Buyers-Guide-HPs-Intelligent-Resilient-Framework-IRF-put-to-the-test" target="_blank">https://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Buyers-Guide-HPs-Intelligent-Resilient-Framework-IRF-put-to-the-test</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:7">[1] [bare URL PDF] <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160804054300/http://h17007.www1.hpe.com/docs/reports/irf.pdf" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160804054300/http://h17007.www1.hpe.com/docs/reports/irf.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:8">only on models with fixed or optional 10G ports <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:9">HPE 5900 Switch Series, HPE <a href="https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA3-8996ENW.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA3-8996ENW.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:10">HPE 5920 Switch Series, HPE <a href="https://h50146.www5.hpe.com/products/networking/datasheet/4AA4-0018ENW.pdf" target="_blank">https://h50146.www5.hpe.com/products/networking/datasheet/4AA4-0018ENW.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:11">HPE 5940 Switch Series, HPE <a href="https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA6-6465ENN.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.hpe.com/h20195/v2/GetPDF.aspx/4AA6-6465ENN.pdf</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:12">HPE 6125XLG Ethernet Blade Switch, HPE <a href="https://www.hpe.com/uk/en/product-catalog/servers/server-interconnects/pip.hpe-6125xlg-ethernet-blade-switch.5404492.html" target="_blank">https://www.hpe.com/uk/en/product-catalog/servers/server-interconnects/pip.hpe-6125xlg-ethernet-blade-switch.5404492.html</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
<li id="fn:13">HPE FlexFabric 12900E Switch Series, HPE <a href="https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00061726en_us&docLocale=en_US" target="_blank">https://support.hpe.com/hpesc/public/docDisplay?docId=a00061726en_us&docLocale=en_US</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></li>
</ol>

Intelligent Resilient Framework open-in-new

Intelligent Resilient Framework