Help us improve your experience.

Let us know what you think.

Do you have time for a two-minute survey?

Navigation

Understanding Software Upgrade in an EX Series Virtual Chassis

Note: This topic applies to all EX Series Virtual Chassis except EX8200 Virtual Chassis. See Understanding Software Upgrades in an EX8200 Virtual Chassis for information about EX8200 Virtual Chassis.

In a Virtual Chassis, each member switch must be running the same version of Juniper Networks Junos operating system (Junos OS).

You can install a new Junos OS release on the entire Virtual Chassis or on a particular member in the Virtual Chassis by using the same CLI command that you use to install Junos OS on standalone switches—the request system software add command.

You can use the automatic software update feature to automatically update the Junos OS version on member switches as you add them to a Virtual Chassis. See Understanding Automatic Software Update on Virtual Chassis Member Switches. If you are not configuring the automatic software update feature, we recommend that you update the new member switch to the version of Junos OS running on the Virtual Chassis before adding the member switch to the Virtual Chassis.

In any mixed Virtual Chassis, the member switches must be running the same version of Junos OS. You can upgrade all member switches simultaneously by specifying a path to multiple Junos OS images in the same request system software add command. Multiple Junos OS images are needed to upgrade a mixed Virtual Chassis because an EX4200 switch runs a different version of Junos OS then an EX4500 or EX4550 switch. See Installing Software on a Mixed Virtual Chassis with EX4200, EX4500, and EX4550 Switches (CLI Procedure).

Note: EX4500 and EX4550 switches run the same Junos OS image. You do not need to use multiple Junos OS images when updating a mixed EX4500 and EX4550 Virtual Chassis.

You can also use nonstop software upgrade (NSSU) to upgrade Junos OS on all members. NSSU provides an orderly upgrade of each member of the Virtual Chassis and takes advantage of graceful Routing Engine switchover, nonstop active routing, and link aggregation to minimize traffic disruption during the upgrade. For more information about NSSU, see Understanding Nonstop Software Upgrade on EX Series Switches.

Published: 2014-04-23