Forwarding traffic flow in intelligent resilient framework system

A member device in an Intelligent Resilient Framework (IRF) system, comprising:

• at least one control board and multiple interface boards;
• wherein each control board is shared by multiple virtual devices, each interface board is allocated to a virtual device among the multiple virtual devices, and at least one stack link is configured for each virtual device in order to connect interface boards between the member device and another member device in the IRF system;
• and
• each of the multiple interface boards is to receive a service message of the virtual device to which that interface board corresponds, and forward the service message via the at least one stack link configured for the virtual device to which that interface board corresponds if it is determined according to a forwarding entry of the interface board that the service message is to be transmitted to the another member device.

An Intelligent Resilient Framework (IRF) system, comprising:

• at least two member devices;
• wherein each member device is allocated to at least two virtual devices, and interface boards of different member devices are connected by at least one stack link for each virtual device;
• and
• one of the member devices is to forward a service message to be transmitted to another member device via the at least one stack link of an interface board corresponding to a particular virtual device sending the service message.