Why command "failover active" cannot change active/standby ?

[eigrpy]

Hi We have failover pair ASA 5555(ASA1 and ASA2). After we configured failover, we cannot switch active/standby by command failover active. When I use the command in ASA2(in standby status), it can only change Secondary status into Primary status. When I re-used the command, the Primary change back into Secondary, the standby status in ASA2 remain unchanged. Anyone can explain it ? Thank you

[Maykol Rojas]

Hi Again :) 

Lets say that the primary IP is 1.1.1.x (ASA1) and the secondary IP is 1.1.1.y(ASA2) You connect to 1.1.1.y which is in standby mode, you issue the command "failover active" and it will disconnect your session. 

Now, to verify that it actually worked, you need to connect to 1.1.1.x and you should see that it says 

ASA/sec/act and if you connect to 1.1.1.y (previously ASA2) it should say ASA/pri/sta. 

This behavior is the correct one. If you are seeing something different, let me know. 

[eigrpy]

Thank you so much for your reply. Yes, I got exact same result as you said. In other word, after I used command failover active in ASA2(in standby status), two ASA's pri/sec changed, instead of act/sta. but I remember(not sure)in long time ago, after I used the command "failover active" in ASA2(when it is in standby), the ASA2 show "ASA/sec/act", instead of "ASA/pri/sta". 

[Maykol Rojas · Accepted solution]

That can be the confusing part. I see what you are saying,however, whenever you connect to 1.1.1.x should always take you to the unit that is active, no matter if it is the primary unit or the secondary unit. 

Per your statement, it is working as expected. 

Mike. 

[eigrpy]

Thank you so much. just understood