Understanding Satellite Device Clustering in a Junos Fusion

Satellite Device Clustering Overview

Satellite device clustering allows you to connect up to ten satellite devices into a single cluster, then connect the satellite device cluster to the aggregation device as a single group instead of as individual satellite devices.

Satellite device clustering is particularly useful in scenarios where optical cabling options between buildings are limited and in scenarios where you want to preserve optical interfaces for other purposes. If you have, for instance, two buildings that have limited optical interfaces between each other and you want to put an aggregation device in one building and ten satellite devices in the other building, you can group the ten satellite devices into a cluster and connect the cluster to the aggregation device with a single cable.

Satellite Device Cluster Topology

A satellite device cluster must be cabled into a ring topology. No other cabling topologies are supported for a satellite device cluster.

Figure 1 shows a picture of a sample satellite device cluster connected to a single aggregation device.

Figure 1: Satellite Device Cluster Topology

Satellite Device Cluster Names and Identifiers

In a Junos Fusion, each satellite device cluster is named and assigned a number. The number is called the cluster identifier, or cluster ID.

The cluster name and ID are used by the aggregation device to identify a cluster for configuration, monitoring, and troubleshooting purposes.

The cluster name and ID are set using the set chassis satellite-management cluster cluster-name cluster-id cluster-id-number statement.

Satellite Device Cluster Uplink Interfaces

A satellite device cluster must have at least one member with an uplink interface connection to the aggregation device.

In a dual aggregation device topology using satellite device clustering, each satellite device cluster must have at least one uplink interface connection to both aggregation devices. The uplink interfaces to the aggregation devices can be on any member satellite devices in each satellite device cluster.

A satellite device cluster supports multiple uplink interfaces. The uplink interfaces can be on any satellite devices that are members of the satellite device cluster. The advantages of configuring multiple uplink interfaces for a satellite device cluster is resiliency—all traffic can be forwarded to another uplink interface if an uplink interface fails—and efficiency—multiple uplink interfaces can reduce the number of hops that traffic takes across a cluster before it is forwarded to an aggregation device.

Cluster Interfaces

Clustering ports are interfaces that interconnect satellite devices in the same satellite device cluster.

Traffic originating from an access device connected to an extended port travels over cluster interfaces to get to an uplink port. Traffic from an aggregation device travels to a satellite device uplink port then over cluster interfaces before it is delivered to an access device connected to an extended port.

Cluster interfaces are typically 10-Gbps SFP+ interfaces. 10-Gbps SFP+ and 40-Gbps QSFP+ interfaces can be used as cluster interfaces. Other interfaces cannot be used as cluster interfaces by default. To use other interfaces as cluster interfaces, you must configure a candidate uplink port policy. See Configuring Uplink Port Policies on a Junos Fusion for additional information on candidate uplink port policies.

Satellite Device Cluster Software Management

All satellite devices in a satellite device cluster are associated with a single satellite software upgrade group, which is automatically created when a satellite device cluster is configured as part of a Junos Fusion. The satellite software upgrade group is named after the satellite device cluster name, and ensures that all satellite devices in the cluster run the same version of satellite software.

See Understanding Software in a Junos Fusion Enterprise for additional information on software management for a satellite device cluster.

See Understanding Junos Fusion Enterprise Software and Hardware Requirements for information on software requirements for satellite devices in a satellite device cluster.

FPC Identifiers and Extended Port Interfaces in a Satellite Device Cluster

Each satellite device in a satellite device cluster has a unique FPC identifier (FPC ID), in the same way that a satellite device that is not part of a cluster has a unique FPC ID.

For this reason, all interface naming for satellite device cluster member switches is not impacted by cluster membership. If a switch is assigned FPC ID 103, for instance, the aggregation device views the satellite device as FPC 103 regardless of whether it is or is not part of a satellite device cluster.

The FPC ID is used in the FPC slot name for an extended port interface; for instance, ge-103/0/2. An extended port is any network-facing interface on a satellite device. As with FPC ID naming, extended port interface names are not impacted by satellite device cluster membership status.

Understanding 40-Gbps Interfaces with QSFP+ Transceiver Roles for Satellite Devices in a Satellite Device Cluster

40-Gbps QSFP+ interfaces on satellite devices in a satellite device cluster can be used as clustering ports to cable to other satellite devices in the cluster or as uplink ports to cable the satellite device cluster to the aggregation device.

40-Gbps QSFP+ interfaces on EX2300, EX3400, EX4300 and QFX5100 satellite devices are default uplink ports. Please see Table 1for the default uplink ports for satellite devices. When these devices are part of a satellite device cluster, the default uplink ports cannot be configured as extended ports to pass network traffic unless they have a direct connection to the aggregation device or if there is an uplink port policy configured that excludes them from acting as uplink ports.