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Manage a Virtual Chassis Using Mist (Add, Delete, Replace, and Modify Members)

You can use the Modify Virtual Chassis option on the switch details page to manage your Virtual Chassis. The operations you can perform include renumbering and replacing the Virtual Chassis members and adding new members to a Virtual Chassis.

The Modify Virtual Chassis workflow leverages the pre-provisioned way of Junos configuration. This option is visible for switches that have the configuration management option enabled in Mist.

The preprovisioned configuration specifies the chassis serial number, member ID, and role for both member switches in the Virtual Chassis. When a new member router joins the Virtual Chassis, Junos compares its serial number against the values specified in the preprovisioned configuration. Preprovisioning prevents any accidental role assignment to a Routing Engine, or any accidental addition of a new member to the Virtual Chassis. Role assignments, member ID assignments, and additions or deletions of members in Virtual Chassis are under the control of a preprovisioned configuration.

Note:

  • The Modify Virtual Chassis option is available:

    • To Super Users or Network Admins.

    • For switches that have their configuration managed by Mist.

  • This workflow applies to all the EX Series and QFX Series platforms that support Virtual Chassis.

  • To delete the FPC0, trash and replace it with an existing member in the Virtual Chassis. You cannot add a new member during the deletion of the FPC0.
  • The Add Switch dropdown only shows the switches that:
    • Share the same major firmware version as the existing members in the Virtual Chassis.
    • Are part of the same site. Models with dedicated Virtual Chassis ports can be in connected or disconnected state. However, to modify the EX2300, EX4650, or QFX5120 Virtual Chassis, the members should be in the connected state as these switches don’t have dedicated Virtual Chassis ports.
    • Have configuration management enabled in Mist.
    • Are not currently part of the same or another Virtual Chassis.
    • Are of the same model family.
  • The Modify Virtual Chassis button is disabled when the Configuration Management option is disabled for the switch.
  • When a Virtual Chassis configuration is in progress, you cannot make any changes inside the Modify Virtual Chassis page.

The Modify Virtual Chassis workflow leverages the Junos preprovisioning method which configures the role and serial number of all members in a Virtual Chassis. To learn more about preprovisioning, see Example: Configuring an EX4200 Virtual Chassis Using a Preprovisioned Configuration File.

Prerequisites

Before your perform any modification to a Virtual Chassis, you must remove all the additional CLI commands specific to Virtual Chassis (the virtual-chassis commands) from the associated device or site template. The additional CLI commands take precedence over other types of configurations. If a Virtual Chassis configuration is detected under the Additional CLI Commands section, you cannot make any changes using the Modify Virtual Chassis option. When you attempt to modify a Virtual Chassis, the Mist dashboard displays a message to indicate that the Additional CLI commands (if present) need to be removed and saved.

Replace a Member Switch in a Virtual Chassis

You can replace a disconnected Virtual Chassis member switch with another, by deleting the old member and adding a new member. For this feature to work, you must ensure the following:

  • The new switch is of the same model as the other members in the Virtual Chassis.
  • The new switch runs the same Junos version as the other members.
  • The new switch is connected to the network.
  • The new switch is assigned to the same site as the other members in the Virtual Chassis.

Replace a Non-FPC0 Member in a Virtual Chassis

To replace a non-FPC0 member:

  1. Onboard the replacement switch to the Mist cloud and assign it to the same site as the other members in the Virtual Chassis. To onboard the switch, use the Claim Switch or Adopt Switch option on the Inventory page (Organization > Inventory). You can also use the Mist AI mobile app to claim a switch.

    During the switch onboarding, remember to enable the configuration management for the switch by selecting the Manage configuration with Mist option.

    For the Adopt Switch workflow, the Manage configuration with Mist option is available during the site assignment step. For more information on the Adopt Switch workflow, see Onboard a Brownfield Switch.

    For the Claim Switch workflow, the Manage configuration with Mist option is available on the Claim Switches and Activate Subscription page. For more information about the Claim Switch workflow, see Onboard Switches to Mist Cloud.

  2. Ensure that the new switch is running the same Junos version as the other members in the Virtual Chassis. If it is not, upgrade the switch using a USB drive locally or using the Juniper Mist portal. See Upgrade Junos OS Software on Your Switch for more information.
  3. Power off the new switch (the replacement switch).
  4. Power off the member to be replaced. Or, remove the Virtual Chassis port (VCP) cables from this member.
  5. Connect the Virtual Chassis cables from the existing Virtual Chassis members to the new replacement switch.
  6. On the Mist portal, navigate to the switch details page of the Virtual Chassis by clicking Switches > Switch Name (the Virtual Chassis name).
  7. Wait for the switch details page (the Virtual Chassis page) to display the member switch to be replaced as offline, as shown below:
  8. Click Modify Virtual Chassis.

    Because you have removed the VCP connection from the member switch being replaced, the Modify Virtual Chassis window displays a broken link for this member switch along with a delete (trash) icon.

  9. Delete the member to be replaced by clicking the trash icon.
  10. Click Add Switch to add the new replacement member.
  11. Renumber the new switch by dragging and dropping it into the appropriate slot. Remember to edit the MAC address of the backup switch if you are replacing the backup switch.
  12. Click Update.
  13. Power on the replacement switch and wait for Virtual Chassis formation to be complete.

    The Switch Events page displays all the Virtual Chassis update events.

    The switch details page displays the updated Virtual Chassis information.

Replace the FPC0 Member in a Virtual Chassis

The FPC0 is used as the device identifier and is used to communicate to the Mist cloud. You cannot replace the FPC0 with another member in a single operation. You need to follow a 2-step process - adding the new replacement switch and then removing the switch to be replaced. You should carry out the FPC0 replacement operation in a maintenance window as this operation can impact the traffic to the clients connected.

  1. Click Switches > Switch Name to go to the switch details page of the Virtual Chassis to be modified.
  2. Click Modify Virtual Chassis.
    The Modify Virtual Chassis window appears.
  3. On the Modify Virtual Chassis window, click Add Switch and add the replacement switch to the Virtual Chassis as a new member.

    The new switch must be powered on and connected to the cloud.

  4. Click Update.
  5. Remove the uplink connection (in-band or OOB) from FPC0 member (if an uplink is present). Ensure the connectivity to the Mist cloud is maintained after the removal of the uplink. If this is the only uplink, connect it to another member that can provide the uplink connectivity.
  6. Power off the FPC0 member to be replaced. Or, remove the VCP cables from it.
  7. Remove the DAC cables from the FPC0 being replaced and connect it to the new member in the same ports.

    The Mist cloud adds the new member to the Virtual Chassis.

  8. On the Mist portal, navigate to the switch details page of the Virtual Chassis by clicking Switches > Switch Name (the Virtual Chassis name).
    The switch details page (the Virtual Chassis page) will display the new member switch as part of the Virtual Chassis.
  9. On the switch details page, click Modify Virtual Chassis.

    Because you have removed the VCP connection from the FPC0 being replaced, the Modify Virtual Chassis window displays a broken link against this member switch along with a delete (trash) icon.

  10. Delete the member to be replaced by clicking the trash icon.
    The Modify Virtual Chassis window displays a message indicating that FPC0 is required.
  11. Move the new switch to slot 0 (the FPC0 slot) by dragging and dropping it. Also, update the Backup field with the MAC address of the new switch, as shown below:

    This step links the new FPC0 device MAC address to the web browser URL and updates the outbound SSH MAC address field with the new FPC0 device MAC address.

  12. Click Update.

Renumber the Virtual Chassis Members

If you prefer to see the Virtual Chassis members on the Mist portal in the same order as they are physically stacked, you need to power these members on and then connect them to the other existing Virtual Chassis switch members in that order.

You can modify the member switches’ order on the Mist portal by renumbering the members. On the Modify Virtual Chassis window, accessed from the switch details page, you can move around the port panel of a switch to change the order of the member. The order is incremental. The first entry is member 0, the second is member 1, and so on. You are required to specify the FPC0.

To renumber the switches in a preprovisioned Virtual Chassis:

  1. Click the Switches tab on the left to navigate to the Switches page.
  2. Click the Virtual Chassis in which you want to renumber the members.
    The switch details page appears.
  3. On the switch details page, click Modify Virtual Chassis.
    The Modify Virtual Chassis window appears.
  4. On the Modify Virtual Chassis screen, drag and drop the port panel of a switch to different slots to change the switch number. The order is incremental. The first entry is member 0, the second is member 1, and so on. In the example below, the FPC1 has been renumbered as FPC2 and the FPC2 has been renumbered as FPC1.
    Note:

    • You must specify the FPC0 in this configuration. Within a Virtual Chassis, you cannot renumber, move around, or delete FPC0 unless it is disconnected. It is the device identifier for connectivity to the Mist cloud.

    • Renumbering the members within a Virtual Chassis does not renumber the port configurations and port profile assignment. When you renumber a VC, Mist displays the following warning (as shown in the picture above): "Renumbering of VC members has been detected. The port configurations defined under Port Configuration > Port Profile Assignment will not be modified. Please verify that port configurations are correct after saving these changes."

      So, ensure that these changes are taken care of before or after renumbering the members in the Virtual Chassis.

  5. After you have made the changes, click Update.
    The members are renumbered.

Reassign the Virtual Chassis Member Roles

A Virtual Chassis configuration in a Juniper Mist™ network has two switches in the Routing Engine role - one in the primary Routing Engine role, and the other in the backup Routing Engine role. The remaining member switches operate in the linecard role. You can change the role of a switch from primary to backup or backup to linecard or linecard to primary.

To change the role of Virtual Chassis members:

  1. Click the Switches tab on the left to navigate to the Switches page.
  2. Click the Virtual Chassis in which you want to change the member roles.
    The switch details page appears.
  3. On the switch details page, click Modify Virtual Chassis.
    The Modify Virtual Chassis window appears.
  4. On the Modify Virtual Chassis screen, specify a primary switch and a backup switch (optional) from the Primary and Backup drop-down list. All the other switches assume a linecard role.
  5. After you have made the changes, click Update.
    The member roles are changed.

You will see the updated status about the role change on the switches page on the Mist portal. The role change will take some time (approximately 15 minutes) to appear on the Mist portal. You can see a banner message at the top after every change that you make, as shown below:

Delete Virtual Chassis Members

You can delete the member switches from the Virtual Chassis, by clicking the delete (trash) icon on the Modify Virtual Chassis window. Before deleting any member switch, you must ensure that the switch to be removed is disconnected from the Virtual Chassis. If the switch is connected, power it off or remove the VCP connection from it.

To delete a member switch from Virtual Chassis:

  1. Remove the physical VCP connection of the member switch that you want to delete from the Virtual Chassis.
  2. On the Mist portal, click the Switches tab on the left to navigate to the Switches page.
  3. Click the Virtual Chassis from which you want to delete a member switch.
    The switch details page appears.
  4. On the switch details page, click Modify Virtual Chassis.
    The Modify Virtual Chassis window appears. Because you have removed the VCP connection from the member switch, the Modify Virtual Chassis window displays a broken link for the member switch along with a delete icon.
  5. Click the delete icon and then click Update.
    Mist removes the member switch from the Virtual Chassis.

Add a Member Switch to a Virtual Chassis

You can add one or more member switches to a Virtual Chassis from the Modify Virtual Chassis window. Before adding a new member switch to a Virtual Chassis, ensure the following:

  • The new switch is of the same model as the other members in the Virtual Chassis.
  • The new switch runs the same Junos version as the other members.
  • The new switch is connected to the network.
  • The new switch is assigned to the same site as the other members in the Virtual Chassis.

To add a new member switch to the Virtual Chassis:

  1. Onboard the replacement switch to the Mist cloud and assign it to the same site as the other members in the Virtual Chassis. To onboard the switch, use the Claim Switch or Adopt Switch option on the Inventory page (Organization > Inventory). You can also use the Mist AI mobile app to claim a switch.

    During the switch onboarding, remember to enable the configuration management for the switch by selecting the Manage configuration with Mist option.

    For the Adopt Switch workflow, the Manage configuration with Mist option is available during the site assignment step. For more information on the Adopt Switch workflow, see Onboard a Brownfield Switch.

    For the Claim Switch workflow, the Manage configuration with Mist option is available on the Claim Switches and Activate Subscription page. For more information about the Claim Switch workflow, see Onboard Switches to Mist Cloud.

  2. Ensure that the new switch is running the same Junos version as the other members in the Virtual Chassis. If it is not, upgrade the switch using a USB drive locally or using the Juniper Mist portal. See Upgrade Junos OS Software on Your Switch for more information.
  3. On the Mist portal, click the Switches tab on the left to navigate to the Switches page.
  4. Click the Virtual Chassis to which you want to add the new member switch.
    The switch details page appears.
  5. On the switch details page, click Modify Virtual Chassis.
    The Modify Virtual Chassis window appears.
  6. On the Modify Virtual Chassis window, click Add Switch.
  7. Specify the VC port ID for the switch, if needed (the port ID configuration applies to the EX2300, EX4650, and QFX5120 switches).
  8. Click Update.
  9. Connect the VCPs as specified on the Modify Virtual Chassis window and wait for 3 to 5 minutes for virtual chassis to be updated.
    While the Virtual Chassis is forming, the switches page displays the status as 'VC Forming'.
    After Mist updates the Virtual Chassis, the switch details page displays the front panel of all the three Virtual Chassis members.