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Configuring EX4600 Switches in a Mixed or Non-Mixed Virtual Chassis

date_range 04-Mar-25

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Note:

To configure a Virtual Chassis through Juniper Mist Wired Assurance, use the instructions in the following topic: Configure a Virtual Chassis Using EX3400, EX4100, EX4100-F, EX4300, EX4400, or EX4600 Switches.

This topic provides information about configuring a non-mixed EX4600 Virtual Chassis or a mixed EX4600 Virtual Chassis that includes EX4600 switches and EX4300 switches. It does not cover EX4650 Virtual Chassis, which is more like a QFX5120 Virtual Chassis than an QFX4600 Virtual Chassis; instead, see Configuring an EX4650 or a QFX Series Virtual Chassis.

Note:

A mixed EX4600 Virtual Chassis can include any models of EX4300 switches except multigigabit EX4300 models (EX4300-48MP).

You configure 40-Gbps QSFP+ and 10-Gbps SFP+ uplink ports as Virtual Chassis ports (VCPs) to interconnect members in an EX4600 Virtual Chassis. Uplink ports can connect switches that are several miles apart in different buildings into the same Virtual Chassis.

You must configure QSFP+ or SFP+ uplink module ports into VCPs to create a non-mixed or mixed EX4600 Virtual Chassis. If you need additional VCP bandwidth between two member switches, you can configure additional ports as VCPs between the member switches. The ports that have identical speeds become links in a link aggregation group (LAG) to provide resiliency to the Virtual Chassis; for instance, if you had two QSFP+ ports and two SFP+ ports configured as VCPs connecting to the same switch, you would have two LAGs—one LAG with two 40Gbps QSFP+ port member links and another with two 10Gbps SFP+ port member links—between the member switches.

Note:

A Virtual Chassis configuration has two Routing Engines—the primary switch and the backup switch. We recommend that you always commit Virtual Chassis changes by using the commit synchronize command rather than commit. This ensures that the configuration changes are saved on both Routing Engines at the same time.

You can set up a EX4600 Virtual Chassis with either:

A nonprovisioned configuration—The primary sequentially assigns a member ID to other member switches, and determines the role from the primary-role priority value and other factors in the primary-role election algorithm.
A preprovisioned configuration—You deterministically control the member ID and role assigned to a member switch by tying the member switch to its serial number.

Configuring an EX4600 Virtual Chassis with a Nonprovisioned Configuration File

You can use nonprovisioned configuration to configure an EX4600 Virtual Chassis.

To configure the Virtual Chassis using a nonprovisioned configuration:

Note:

You can configure a EX4600 Virtual Chassis while the cables are or are not physically connected.

Power on only the switch that you plan to use as the primary switch.
If you are configuring a mixed EX4300 and EX4600 Virtual Chassis, you must use an EX4600 switch. We don’t support a mixed EX4300 and EX4600 Virtual Chassis with an EX4300 in the primary routing engine role.
(Required for a mixed Virtual Chassis only) Set the primary switch into mixed mode, and reboot the switch for the change to take effect:
```
user@device> request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot
```
If you are configuring a mixed Virtual Chassis, wait for the reboot to complete before performing this step.Specify the identification parameters for the switch by completing the initial configuration. See Configuring Junos OS on the EX4600.

Note:
The properties that you specify for the primary switch apply to the entire Virtual Chassis configuration.
(Optional) Configure the primary switch with the virtual management Ethernet (VME) interface for out-of-band management of the Virtual Chassis:
```
user@switch# set interfaces vme unit 0 family inet address /ip-address/mask/
```
(Required for mixed EX4300 and EX4600 Virtual Chassis, optional for other Virtual Chassis) Configure primary-role priority for the member switches:
Note:
If you are configuring a mixed EX4300 and EX4600 Virtual Chassis, configure the EX4600 switches with the highest primary role priorities to ensure EX4300 switches do not assume the primary role. We don’t support a mixed EX4300 and EX4600 switch operating with an EX4300 switch in the primary role.
```
[edit virtual-chassis]
user@switch# set member 0 mastership-priority 255
user@switch# set member 1 mastership-priority 255
```
(Optional. Recommended for a two-member Virtual Chassis) On the primary switch, disable the split and merge feature:
```
[edit virtual-chassis]
user@switch# set no-split-detection
```
Power on the other member switches.
(Required for a mixed Virtual Chassis only) Set each individual switch into mixed mode, and reboot the switch for the change to take effect:
```
user@device> request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot
```
On each individual member switch, use the following command to configure the ports that will be used to interconnect the member switches into VCPs:
```
user@switch> request virtual-chassis vc-port set pic-slot pic-slot-number port port-number local
```
where pic-slot-number is the PIC slot number.

For instance, if you wanted to set port 0 on the QSFP+ interface on PIC slot 2 as a VCP:
```
user@switch> request virtual-chassis vc-port set pic-slot 2 port 0 local
```
The VCPs automatically bundle into a Link Aggregation Group when two or more interfaces of the same speed are configured into VCPs between the same two member switches. See Understanding Virtual Chassis Port Link Aggregation.

Note:

By default, a Virtual Chassis forms with a nonprovisioned configuration if you don’t set the member roles and primary role priorities. In a non-provisioned configuration, the primary-role priority value for each member switch is 128, and the primary role is selected by default. You can modify the primary-role priority to change the role a member takes on. See Configuring Primary Role of a Virtual Chassis.

We recommend that you specify the same primary-role priority value for the primary and backup members. In this example, the highest possible primary-role priority has been assigned to two members. However, the member that was powered on first is given priority according to the primary-role election algorithm. See Understanding How the Primary in a Virtual Chassis Is Elected. The other members use the default primary-role priority in this example, and they take on the linecard role.

Note:

Use the request virtual-chassis renumber command if you want to change the member ID that the primary assigns to a member switch.

Configuring an EX4600 Virtual Chassis with a Preprovisioned Configuration File

When you preprovision a Virtual Chassis configuration, you assign the member ID and role for each switch in the Virtual Chassis.

To set up a Virtual Chassis using a preprovisioned configuration:

Note:

You can configure a EX4600 Virtual Chassis while the cables are or are not physically connected.

Make a list of the serial numbers of all the switches to be connected in a Virtual Chassis configuration.
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 primary or backup role. If you configure the member with a line-card role, it is not eligible to function in the primary or backup role.
If you are configuring a mixed EX4300 and EX4600 Virtual Chassis, EX4300 switches must be configured into the line-card role only. A mixed EX4300 and EX4600 Virtual Chassis
Power on only the switch that you plan to use as the primary switch.
(Required for a mixed Virtual Chassis only) Set the primary switch into mixed mode, and reboot the switch for the change to take effect:
```
user@device> request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot
```
If you are configuring a mixed Virtual Chassis, wait for the reboot to complete before performing this step.Specify the identification parameters for the switch by completing the initial configuration. See Configuring Junos OS on the EX4600.

Note:
The properties that you specify for the primary switch apply to the entire Virtual Chassis configuration.
(Optional) Configure the primary switch with the virtual management Ethernet (VME) interface for out-of-band management of the Virtual Chassis:
```
user@switch# set interfaces vme unit 0 family inet address /ip-address/mask/
```
Specify the preprovisioned configuration mode:
```
[edit virtual-chassis]
user@switch# set preprovisioned
```

Specify all the members that you want included in the Virtual Chassis, listing each switch’s serial number with the desired member ID and role:

content_copy zoom_out_map
[edit virtual-chassis]
user@switch# set member 0 serial-number abc123 role routing-engine
user@switch# set member 1 serial-number def456 role routing-engine
user@switch# set member 2 serial-number ghi789 role line-card
user@switch# set member 3 serial-number jkl012 role line-card

(Optional. Recommended for a two-member Virtual Chassis) Disable the split and merge feature:
```
[edit virtual-chassis]
user@switch# set no-split-detection
```
See Disabling Split and Merge in a Virtual Chassis for more details.
Power on the other member switches. The member IDs and roles have been determined by the configuration, so you can power on the member switches in any order.
(Required if you are configuring a mixed Virtual Chassis) Set each individual switch into mixed mode, and reboot the switch for the change to take effect:
```
user@device> request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot
```
On each individual member switch, configure the ports you will use to interconnect the member switches into VCPs using the following command:
```
user@switch> request virtual-chassis vc-port set pic-slot pic-slot-number port port-number local
```
where pic-slot-number is the PIC slot number.

For instance, if you wanted to set port 0 on the QSFP+ interface on PIC slot 2 as a VCP:
```
user@switch> request virtual-chassis vc-port set pic-slot 2 port 0 local
```
The VCPs automatically bundle into a Link Aggregation Group when two or more interfaces of the same speed are configured into VCPs between the same two member switches. See Understanding Virtual Chassis Port Link Aggregation.

Note:

You cannot modify the primary-role priority when you use a preprovisioned configuration. The primary-role 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 primary-role priority value. However, the member that was powered on first has higher prioritization according to the primary-role election algorithm. See Understanding How the Primary in a Virtual Chassis Is Elected.

arrow_backward PREVIOUS Configuring an EX2300, EX3400, EX4100, EX4100-F, EX4300, or EX4400 Virtual Chassis

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Virtual Chassis User Guide for Switches

ON THIS PAGE

Configuring EX4600 Switches in a Mixed or Non-Mixed Virtual Chassis

Configuring an EX4600 Virtual Chassis with a Nonprovisioned Configuration File

Configuring an EX4600 Virtual Chassis with a Preprovisioned Configuration File

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Virtual Chassis User Guide for Switches

ON THIS PAGE

Configuring EX4600 Switches in a Mixed or Non-Mixed Virtual Chassis

Configuring an EX4600 Virtual Chassis with a Nonprovisioned Configuration File

Configuring an EX4600 Virtual Chassis with a Preprovisioned Configuration File

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