Configuring EX4600 Switches in a Mixed or Non-Mixed Virtual Chassis
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.
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.
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:
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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.
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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:
You can configure a EX4600 Virtual Chassis while the cables are or are not physically connected.
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.
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:
You can configure a EX4600 Virtual Chassis while the cables are or are not physically connected.
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.