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Configuring an EX4200, EX4500, or EX4550 Virtual Chassis (CLI Procedure)

This topic does not apply to a mixed Virtual Chassis configuration. For information on configuring a mixed Virtual Chassis, see Configuring a Mixed Virtual Chassis with EX4200, EX4500, and EX4550 Member Switches (CLI Procedure).

You can interconnect EX4200,EX4500, and EX4550 switches using the dedicated Virtual Chassis ports (VCPs) on the rear panel of EX4200 switches and on the Virtual Chassis module in EX4500 and EX4550 switches. You do not have to configure the interfaces for the dedicated VCPs.

If you want to interconnect member switches that are located in different racks or wiring closets, you interconnect them using optical ports configured as VCPs. See Setting an Uplink Port on an EX Series Switch as a Virtual Chassis Port (CLI Procedure) or Setting an Uplink Port as a Virtual Chassis Port on an EX4500 or EX4550 Switch (CLI Procedure).

Note: A 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 EX4200, EX4500, or EX4550 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 EX4200, EX4500, or EX4550 Virtual Chassis with a Preprovisioned Configuration File
• Configuring an EX4200, an EX4500, or EX4550 Virtual Chassis with a Nonprovisioned Configuration File

Configuring an EX4200, EX4500, or EX4550 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.

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 the Virtual Chassis configuration.
2. Note the desired role (routing-engine or line-card) you want for each switch. If you configure the member with a routing-engine role, it is eligible to function as a master or backup. If you configure the member with a line-card role, it is not eligible to become a master or backup.
3. Interconnect the member switches using the dedicated VCPs. See Connecting a Virtual Chassis Cable to an EX4200 Switch or Connecting a Virtual Chassis Cable to an EX4500 Switch.

   Note: For management purposes, we recommend arranging the switches in member ID sequence, either from top to bottom or from bottom to top (0–9).

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 configuration:
   [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. From the master switch, specify all the members that you want to include 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
user@switch# set member 6 serial-number stu901 role line-card
user@switch# set member 7 serial-number vwx234 role line-card
user@switch# set member 8 serial-number yza567 role line-card
user@switch# set member 9 serial-number bcd890 role line-card
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.
11. (EX4500 switches only) Verify the PIC mode setting:
    user@switch> show chassis pic-mode

    If the PIC mode setting is not set to virtual-chassis, set the PIC mode to virtual-chassis:

    user@switch> request chassis pic-mode virtual-chassis

    Note: This step is required if you are using the dedicated VCPs on the Virtual Chassis module to connect the Virtual Chassis. The PIC mode setting has no impact on uplink ports that are configured as VCPs.

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 EX4200, an EX4500, or EX4550 Virtual Chassis with a Nonprovisioned Configuration File

To configure the Virtual Chassis using a nonprovisioned configuration:

1. Interconnect the member switches using the dedicated VCPs. See Connecting a Virtual Chassis Cable to an EX4200 Switch or Connecting a Virtual Chassis Cable to an EX4500 Switch.

   Note: For management purposes, we recommend arranging the switches in member ID sequence, either from top to bottom or from bottom to top (0–9).

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 configuration, if desired:
   [edit]
user@SWA-0# set interfaces vme unit 0 family inet address /ip-address/mask/
5. Configure mastership priority for the master, backup, and other members, if desired:
   [edit virtual-chassis]
user@switch# set member 0 mastership-priority 255
user@switch# set member 5 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.
8. (EX4500 switches only) Enter the show chassis pic-mode operational mode command to verify the current PIC mode setting. If the PIC mode is currently set to intraconnect, enter the request chassis pic-mode virtual-chassis operational mode command to set the PIC mode to virtual-chassis. Reboot the switch to complete the procedure.

   Note: This step is only required if you are using the dedicated VCP ports on the Virtual Chassis module.

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.