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Configuring an EX3300 Virtual Chassis (CLI Procedure)

You must interconnect EX3300 switches using uplink ports configured as Virtual Chassis ports (VCPs). Uplink ports 2 and 3 on an EX3300 switch are configured as VCPs by default. You do not have to configure these interfaces to connect EX3300 switches together in a Virtual Chassis.

The uplink ports configured as VCPs are used to connect EX3300 switches into a Virtual Chassis in the same or different wiring closets over short and long distances (up to 6.2 miles).

Note: A multimember Virtual Chassis configuration has two Routing Engines, one in the master and the other in the backup. Therefore, we recommend that you always use commit synchronize rather than simply commit to save configuration changes made for a Virtual Chassis. This ensures that the configuration changes are saved in both Routing Engines.

An EX3300 Virtual Chassis can be configured with either:

  • A preprovisioned configuration—Allows you to deterministically control the member ID and role assigned to a member switch by tying it to its serial number.
  • A nonprovisioned configuration—The master sequentially assigns a member ID to other member switches. The role is determined by the mastership priority value and other factors in the master election algorithm.

This topic includes:

Configuring an EX3300 Virtual Chassis with a Preprovisioned Configuration File

Preprovisioning a Virtual Chassis configuration allows you to assign the member ID and role for each switch in the Virtual Chassis. Preprovisioning is supported for an EX3300 Virtual Chassis.

To configure a Virtual Chassis using a preprovisioned configuration:

  1. Make a list of the serial numbers of all the switches to be connected in a Virtual Chassis configuration.
  2. Note the desired role (routing-engine or line-card) of each switch. If you configure the member with a routing-engine role, it is eligible to function in the master or backup role. If you configure the member with a line-card role, it is not eligible to function in the master or backup role.
  3. Interconnect the member switches using uplink ports 2 and 3 of your EX3300 switches. See Virtual Chassis Cabling Configuration Examples for EX3300 Switches.

    Note: For management purposes, we recommend arranging the switches in member ID sequence, either from top to bottom or from bottom to top (0–5).

  4. Power on only the switch that you plan to use as the master switch. Do not power on the other switches at this time.
  5. Run the EZSetup program on the master switch, specifying the identification parameters. See Connecting and Configuring an EX Series Switch (CLI Procedure) for details.

    Note: The properties that you specify for the master switch apply to the entire Virtual Chassis configuration, including all the members listed in the preprovisioned configuration file.

  6. (Optional) Configure the master switch with the virtual management Ethernet (VME) interface for out-of-band management of the Virtual Chassis:
    [edit]
    user@switch# set interfaces vme unit 0 family inet address /ip-address/mask/
  7. Specify the preprovisioned configuration mode:
    [edit virtual-chassis]
    user@switch# set preprovisioned
  8. Specify all the members that you want to included in the Virtual Chassis configuration, listing each switch’s serial number with the desired member ID and the desired role:
    [edit virtual-chassis]
    user@switch# set member 0 serial-number abc123 role routing-engine
    user@switch# set member 1 serial-number def456 role line-card
    user@switch# set member 2 serial-number ghi789 role line-card
    user@switch# set member 3 serial-number jkl012 role line-card
    user@switch# set member 4 serial-number mno345 role line-card
    user@switch# set member 5 serial-number pqr678 role routing-engine
  9. (Optional. Recommended for a two-member Virtual Chassis) Disable the split and merge feature:
    [edit virtual-chassis]
    user@switch# set no-split-detection
  10. Power on the member switches.

Note: You cannot modify the mastership priority when you are using a preprovisioned configuration. The mastership priority values are generated automatically and controlled by the role that is assigned to the member switch in the configuration file. The two Routing Engines are assigned the same mastership priority value. However, the member that was powered on first has higher prioritization according to the master election algorithm. See Understanding How the Master in a Virtual Chassis Is Elected.

Configuring an EX3300 Virtual Chassis with a Nonprovisioned Configuration File

Nonprovisioned configuration can be used to configure an EX3300 Virtual Chassis.

To configure the Virtual Chassis using a nonprovisioned configuration:

  1. Interconnect the member switches using uplink ports 2 and 3 on your EX3300 switches. See Virtual Chassis Cabling Configuration Examples for EX3300 Switches.

    Note: For management purposes, we recommend arranging the switches in member ID sequence, either from top to bottom or from bottom to top.

  2. Power on only the switch that you plan to use as the master switch (SWA-0). Do not power on the other switches at this time.
  3. Run the EZSetup program on SWA-0, specifying the identification parameters. See Connecting and Configuring an EX Series Switch (CLI Procedure) for details.

    Note: The properties that you specify for SWA-0 apply to the entire Virtual Chassis configuration, including all the members interconnected through VCPs..

  4. (Optional) Configure SWA-0 with the virtual management Ethernet (VME) interface for out-of-band management of the Virtual Chassis:
    [edit]
    user@SWA-0# set interfaces vme unit 0 family inet address /ip-address/mask/
  5. (Optional) Configure mastership priority for the master, backup, and other members:
    [edit virtual-chassis]
    user@SWA–0# set member 0 mastership-priority 255
    user@SWA–0# set member 3 mastership-priority 255
  6. (Optional. Recommended for a two-member Virtual Chassis) Disable the split and merge feature:
    [edit virtual-chassis]
    user@switch# set no-split-detection
  7. Power on the member switches in sequential order, one by one.

Note: If you do not edit the Virtual Chassis configuration file, a nonprovisioned configuration is generated by default. The mastership priority value for each member switch is 128. The master role is selected by default. You can change the role that is performed by the members by modifying the mastership priority. See Configuring Mastership of a Virtual Chassis (CLI Procedure). We recommend that you specify the same mastership priority value for the desired master and backup members. In this example, the highest possible mastership priority has been assigned to two members. However, the member that was powered on first has higher prioritization according to the master election algorithm. See Understanding How the Master in a Virtual Chassis Is Elected. The other members use the default mastership priority in this example, which configures them to function in the role of linecard.

Note: If you want to change the member ID that the master has assigned to a member switch, use the request virtual-chassis renumber command.

Published: 2014-04-23