What is the function of ARP load-sharing in active/active HA configurations?

ARP load-sharing in active/active high availability (HA) configurations is designed to allow multiple firewalls to share a single IP address, which is crucial for ensuring high availability and effective traffic management. In this setup, multiple firewalls can be actively processing traffic simultaneously while presenting a single virtual IP address to the outside world. This method allows load distribution among the firewalls, ensuring that each device can handle a portion of the traffic load without overloading any single machine.

When multiple firewalls share the same IP address, they respond to Address Resolution Protocol (ARP) requests in a way that balances the load between them. This facilitates better resource utilization and improves redundancy, as the failure of one firewall will not significantly impact connectivity; other firewalls will continue handling traffic seamlessly.

The other options do not align with the primary function of ARP load-sharing. Increasing firewall workload does not reflect the purpose of load-sharing, which aims to optimize resource use. Handling inter-firewall traffic and encrypting data between firewalls are specific tasks that may occur within a network but do not relate directly to the concept of ARP load-sharing in the context of HA configurations. Thus, the ability of multiple firewalls to effectively share a single virtual IP address is the essence of AR