Software Requirements for Junos Fusion

An aggregation device in a Junos Fusion always runs Junos OS software and is responsible for almost all management tasks, including configuring all network-facing ports—the extended ports—on all satellite devices in the Junos Fusion. The extended ports in a Junos Fusion, therefore, support all features that are supported by the Junos OS running on the aggregation device.

An aggregation device in a Junos Fusion runs the same Junos OS regardless of whether it is or is not part of a Junos Fusion. Hence, Junos OS is acquired, installed, and managed on an aggregation device in a Junos Fusion in the same manner that it is acquired, installed, and managed on a standalone device that is not part of a Junos Fusion.

The satellite devices in a Junos Fusion run satellite software that has the built-in intelligence to extend the feature set on Junos OS to the satellite device. The satellite software is a Linux-based operating system that enables the satellite devices to communicate with the aggregation device for control plane data while also passing network traffic. Satellite software is also known as satellite network operating system software. Make sure that the devices that are to be converted as satellite devices run the requisite Junos OS version that Junos Fusion supports. For more details on supported Junos OS version, see Network Director Release Notes, Release 3.2.

All satellite devices in a Junos Fusion must run the satellite software. The satellite software, notably, applies the feature set on Junos OS to the aggregation device to the satellite device. The satellite software enables the satellite device to participate in the Junos Fusion, but does not provide any other software features for the satellite device.

You can run the same version of satellite software on satellite devices that are different hardware platforms. For instance, if your Junos Fusion included EX4300 and QFX5100 switches as satellite devices, the EX4300 and QFX5100 switches acting as satellite devices can install the satellite software from the same satellite software package.