VRRP virtual MAC address

The VRRP virtual MAC address (or virtual router MAC address) is a shared MAC address adopted by the VRRP master. If the master fails the same virtual MAC master fails over to the new master. As a result, all packets for VRRP routers can continue to use the same virtual MAC address. 

Each VRRP router is associated with its own virtual MAC address. The last part of the virtual MAC depends on the VRRP virtual router ID using the following format:

00-00-5E-00-01-<VRID_hex>

Where <VRID_hex> is the VRRP virtual router ID in hexadecimal format in internet standard bit-order. For more information about the format of the virtual MAC see RFC 3768.

Some examples:

·        If the VRRP virtual router ID is 10 the virtual MAC w/ould be 00-00-5E-00-01-0a.

·        If the VRRP virtual router ID is 200 the virtual MAC would be 00-00-5E-00-01-c8.

Virtual Router MAC Address

The virtual router MAC address associated with a virtual router is an IEEE 802 MAC Address in the following format:

00-00-5E-00-01-{VRID} (in hex in internet standard bit-order) The first three octets are derived from the IANA’s OUI. The next two

octets (00-01) indicate the address block assigned to the VRRP protocol. {VRID} is the VRRP Virtual Router Identifier. This

mapping provides for up to 255 VRRP routers on a network.