carp:tldr:9509b

The command "carp" is a computer networking protocol used for automatic failover in a network environment. "CARP" stands for "Common Address Redundancy Protocol."

Essentially, CARP allows multiple computers or network devices to share the same IP address, where one device is the master and the others are backups. If the master device fails, one of the backup devices will automatically take over and assume the master role, ensuring uninterrupted connectivity.

The "carp" command is typically used to configure and manage CARP on a Unix-like operating system, such as FreeBSD. It allows system administrators to set up CARP virtual IP addresses, assign interfaces to CARP groups, and control various parameters and behaviors of the CARP protocol.

By implementing CARP, organizations can increase the reliability and availability of network services by eliminating single points of failure. It is particularly useful in environments where high availability and fault tolerance are critical, such as server clusters, firewalls, and load balancers.