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Understanding QFX Series Virtual Chassis

QFX Virtual Chassis Overview

The QFX Series Virtual Chassis brings the Virtual Chassis flexible, scaling switch solution to QFX3500, QFX3600, and QFX5100 switches. EX4300 switches can also be interconnected into a Virtual Chassis with QFX3500, QFX3600, and QFX5100 switches. You can connect up to ten standalone EX4300, QFX3500, QFX3600, or QFX5100 switches into a QFX Series Virtual Chassis and manage the interconnected switches as a single chassis. The advantages of connecting multiple switches into a Virtual Chassis include better-managed bandwidth at a network layer, simplified configuration and maintenance because multiple devices can be managed as a single device, increased fault tolerance and high availability(HA) because a Virtual Chassis can remain active and network traffic can be redirected to other member switches when a single member switch fails, and a flatter, simplified Layer 2 network topology that minimizes or eliminates the need for loop prevention protocols such as Spanning Tree Protocol (STP).

You configure a QFX Series Virtual Chassis by configuring 10-Gbps SFP+ or 40-Gbps QSFP+ interfaces into Virtual Chassis ports (VCPs). VCPs connect switches together to form a Virtual Chassis, and are responsible for passing all data and control traffic between member switches in the Virtual Chassis. All non-channelized 40-Gbps QSFP+ interfaces on QFX3500, QFX3600, and QFX5100 series switches can be configured into VCPs. All fixed 10-Gbps SFP+ interfaces, including 10-Gbps SFP+ uplink interfaces on EX4300 switches, can also be configured into VCPs.

You can increase VCP bandwidth between member switches by configuring multiple interfaces between the same two switches into VCPs. When multiple VCPs are interconnecting the same two member switches, a Link Aggregation Group (LAG) bundle is automatically formed when the VCPs are on interfaces supporting identical speeds. For instance, if you have two 40-Gbps QSFP+ interfaces configured as VCPs between member switches, a LAG with two member links with 80Gbps of total bandwidth is formed. 10-Gbps SFP+ and 40-Gbps QSFP+ interfaces configured as VCPs cannot be members of the same LAG, however.

QFX5100 Switches in a Virtual Chassis

Virtual Chassis is supported on all QFX5100 switches starting in Junos OS Release 13.2X51-D20.

You can interconnect up to 10 switches into a Virtual Chassis. A QFX Series Virtual Chassis can contain up to ten total member switches, and the ten total member switches can include any combination of EX4300, QFX3500, QFX3600, and QFX5100 series switches.

Note: In Junos OS release 13.2X51-D20, you can interconnect up to ten QFX5100 switches into a Virtual Chassis with the exception of the QFX5100-96S switch, which you could configure into a non-mixed Virtual Chassis that included up to four QFX5100-96S switches only. You can configure up to ten QFX5100-96S switches into a mixed or non-mixed Virtual Chassis starting in Junos OS release 13.2X51-D25.

QFX3500 and QFX3600 Switches in a Virtual Chassis

Virtual Chassis is supported on QFX3500 and QFX3600 series switches. QFX3500 and QFX3600 series switches must be configured as standalone switches; the Virtual Chassis feature is not applicable to QFX devices in a QFabric.

QFX3500 and QFX3600 devices must be running a version of Junos OS for QFX devices that support Virtual Chassis. A QFX Series Virtual Chassis can contain up to ten total member switches and the ten total member switches can include any combination of EX4300, QFX3500, QFX3600, and QFX5100 series switches.

EX4300 Switches in a QFX Series Virtual Chassis

Virtual Chassis is supported on EX4300 switches. Starting in Junos OS Release 13.2X51-D20, EX4300 switches can be interconnected into a Virtual Chassis with QFX3500 switches, QFX3600 switches, and QFX5100 switches.

A mixed or non-mixed Virtual Chassis that includes EX4300 switches can contain up to ten total member switches, and the ten total member switches can include any combination of EX4300, QFX3500, QFX3600, and QFX5100 series switches.