# Services fail after Virtual System failover in Maestro dual-site environment using the Same Virtual MAC feature

**Product:** Maestro HyperScale Firewall  
**Version:** R81.10 (EOS), R81.20, R82  
**OS:** Gaia  
**Platform:** 16000  
**Last Modified:** 2026-02-18

## Symptoms

- After moving Virtual System (VS) from Chassis1 to Chassis2, all services behind the VS fail. This issue occurs consistently during multiple failover attempts.  
- No return traffic is observed from the destination when the VS is active on Chassis2, although traffic reaches the VS interface. Returning the VS to Chassis1 restores normal service.  
- Cluster status, policy, and logs appear normal; no drops are found.  
- When the VS is active on Chassis2 or distributed across both sites, traffic slowness, VPN session drops, and inconsistent traffic flow are observed.  
- Debug logs show repeated errors:
  > `fw_inspect_ghtab_bl_ld_sync: invalid FW_INSPECT_GHTAB_BL_LD_SYNC_TABLE_ID`  
- The environment uses the Same Virtual MAC (VMAC) address on both sites.

## Cause

A Check Point code change caused Forwarding Database (FDB) entries in the Virtual Switch (VSW) to be set as _static_ instead of _dynamic_ when using the Same Virtual MAC (VMAC) address in a Virtual System Load Sharing (VSLS) Maestro dual-site environment.

When a Virtual System fails over to another site, the Virtual Switch ignores Gratuitous Address Resolution Protocol (GARP) updates. The FDB table retains the old MAC-to-port mapping, preventing correct traffic forwarding between sites.

Both sites use the same MAC address on data ports, but static FDB entries do not update during failover as expected.

## Solution

This problem was fixed. The fix is included in:

- [Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator for R82](https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/Jumbo_HFA/R82/Default.htm) starting from Take 73  
- [Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator for R81.20](https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/Jumbo_HFA/R81.20/Default.htm) starting from Take 122  
- [Jumbo Hotfix Accumulator for R81.10](https://sc1.checkpoint.com/documents/Jumbo_HFA/R81.10/Default.htm) starting from Take 183

If you choose not to upgrade, Check Point can supply a **Hotfix**. [Contact Check Point Support](https://www.checkpoint.com/support-services/contact-support/) to get a Hotfix for this issue.

A Support Engineer will make sure the Hotfix is compatible with your environment before providing the Hotfix.

For faster resolution and verification, please collect [CPinfo files](http://supportcontent.checkpoint.com/solutions?id=sk92739) from the Security Management Server and Security Gateways involved in the case.

**Hotfix installation instructions:**

Refer to [sk168597 - How to install a Hotfix](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk168597).

#### NOTE

This solution has been verified for the specific scenario, described by the combination of Product, Version and Symptoms. It may not work in other scenarios.

## Article Properties

**Access Level:** General  
**Status:** Approved by TAC  
**Date Created:** 2025-09-15  
**Last Modified:** 2026-02-18