Endpoints have one default gateway. If that router dies, every host loses connectivity. FHRPs put two routers behind one virtual IP so failover is invisible to hosts. This chapter compares HSRP, VRRP, and GLBP.
A PC has one default gateway IP. If the router behind that IP fails, the PC has no alternative — even though a redundant router may sit on the same VLAN, the PC has no way to use it. FHRPs solve this by giving the two routers a shared virtual IP and MAC, so the host is unaware of which physical router is currently master.
| Protocol | Standard | Roles | Virtual MAC |
|---|---|---|---|
| VRRP | IETF open (RFC 5798) | 1 master, rest backup | 0000.5e00.01XX |
| HSRP | Vendor-proprietary | 1 active, rest standby | 0000.0c07.acXX |
| GLBP | Vendor-proprietary | Multiple active forwarders (load-balanced) | 0007.b400.XXYY |
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