Floating IPs and failover
A floating IP is an address not tied to one machine. Move it to a healthy server and traffic follows — the basis of fast failover without touching DNS.
Why not just change DNS
DNS failover works but it is slow: clients and resolvers cache records for the TTL, so some traffic keeps hitting the dead address for minutes. A floating IP moves at the network layer in seconds, so a standby can take over an address almost immediately. The two complement each other.
How the move propagates
When the address moves to a new server, the network has to learn its new location — usually by the new host announcing it so routers and switches update their tables. We set this up so the failover is clean on our network; your side just needs to bring the service up on the standby. It pairs naturally with high availability and a load balancer.
Know the limits
A floating IP redirects an address; it does not move your data or your state — the standby still needs its own copy, kept in sync. And both machines must be able to hold the address, so plan it with your address plan. For addresses that follow you between providers entirely, see bring your own IP.
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