Network stations using the IP protocol need both a physical address and an IP address to transmit a packet. In situations where the station knows only the network host IP address, the network station can use Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) to determine a network host physical address by binding a 32-bit IP address to a 48-bit MAC address. A network station can use ARP across a single network only, and the network hardware must support physical broadcasts. If a network station wants to send a packet to a host but knows only the host IP address, the network station uses ARP to determine the host physical address.
•Enabling or disabling ARP on the brouter port or a VRF instance on page 151
•Enabling or disabling ARP on a VLAN or a VRF instance on page 152
•Viewing and managing ARP on page 153
•Creating static ARP entries on page 154
•Configuring ARP proxy on page 155
Enabling or disabling ARP on the brouter port or a VRF instance
About this task
After you assign the IP address, you can configure ARP. By default, ARP Response is enabled and Proxy ARP is disabled.
Procedure
1. In the Device Physical View tab, select a port.
2. In the navigation tree, open the following folders: Configuration > Edit > Port.
3. Click IP.
4. Click the ARP tab.
5. In the DoProxy box, click enable to enable the Proxy ARP function.
6. In the DoResp box, click enable to configure the system to respond to an ARP. The default is enable.
7. Click Apply.
The ARP function is available only when the port or VLAN is routed; that is, it is assigned an IP address.
ARP field descriptions
Use the data in the following table to use the ARP tab fields.
Name Description
DoProxy Configures the system to respond to an ARP request from a locally attached host or end station for a remote destination. The default value is disable.
DoResp Configures the system to send ARP responses for this IP interface address.
The default value is enable.
Enabling or disabling ARP on a VLAN or a VRF instance
About this task
To prevent dropped ARP packets, you must enable ARP on the VLAN before you enable ARP on the port.
Procedure
1. In the navigation tree, open the following folders: Configuration > VLAN.
2. Click VLANs.
3. Select a VLAN.
4. Click IP.
5. Click the ARP tab.
6. In the DoProxy box, click enable to enable the Proxy ARP function.
7. In the DoResp box, click enable to configure the system to respond to an ARP. The default is enable.
8. In the DoFlood box, click enable to configure the system to flood ARP responses for the Network Load Balancer Virtual MAC on the specified interface. The default is disable.
9. Click Apply.
The ARP dialog box is available only if the port or VLAN is routed; that is, it is assigned an IP address.
ARP field descriptions
Use the data in the following table to use the ARP tab.
Name Description
DoProxy Configures the system to respond to an ARP request from a locally attached host or end station for a remote destination. The default value is disable.
DoResp Configures the system to send ARP responses for this IP interface address.
The default value is enable.
DoFlood Configures the system to flood ARP responses for the Network Load Balancer Virtual MAC on the specified interface. The default is disable.
Viewing and managing ARP
About this task
You can view and manage known MAC address to IP address associations. In addition, you can create or delete individual ARP entries.
Procedure
1. In the navigation tree, open the following folders: Configuration > IP.
2. Click IP.
3. Click the ARP tab.
ARP field descriptions
Use the data in the following table to use the ARP tab.
Name Description
Interface Identifies the router interface for this ARP entry:
• Brouter interfaces are identified by the slot/port number of the brouter port.
• Virtual router interfaces are identified by the brouter slot/port and the name of the VLAN followed by the (VLAN) designation are specified.
Viewing and managing ARP
Name Description
MacAddress Specifies the media-dependent physical address (that is, the Ethernet address).
IpAddress Specifies the IP address corresponding to the media-dependent physical address.
Type Specifies the type of ARP entry:
• local—a locally configured ARP entry
• static—a statically configured ARP entry
• dynamic—a learned ARP entry
Creating static ARP entries
About this task
Use the following procedure to create a static ARP entry.
Procedure
1. In the navigation tree, open the following folders: Configuration > IP.
2. Click IP.
3. Click the ARP tab.
4. Click Insert.
5. Click Port.
OR
Click Port in VLAN
6. In the dialog box, select the interface.
7. Click OK.
8. In the IpAddress box, type the IP address.
9. In the MacAddress box, type the MAC address.
10. Click Insert.
Configuring ARP proxy
About this task
With an ARP proxy, the Virtual Services Platform 9000 can respond to an ARP request from a locally attached host or end station for a remote destination. Proxy ARP does so by sending an ARP response back to the local host with its own MAC address of the router interface for the subnet on which the ARP request was received. The reply is generated only if the system has an active route to the destination network.
Procedure
1. In the navigation tree, open the following folders: Configuration > VLAN.
2. Click VLANs.
3. Choose a VLAN.
4. Click IP.
5. ClickARP tab.
6. SelectDoProxy enable.
7. Click Apply.
Configuring ARP proxy