NP session offloading in HA active-active configuration

Network processors can improve network performance in active-active (load balancing) high availability (HA) configurations, even though traffic deviates from general offloading patterns, involving more than one network processor, each in a separate FortiGate unit. No additional offloading requirements apply.

Once the primary FortiGate unit’s main processing resources send a session key to its network processor(s), network processor(s) on the primary unit can redirect any subsequent session traffic to other cluster members, reducing traffic redirection load on the primary unit’s main processing resources.

As subordinate units receive redirected traffic, each network processor in the cluster assesses and processes session offloading independently from the primary unit. Session key states of each network processor are not part of synchronization traffic between HA members.