Understanding Virtual Route Reflector
The virtual Route Reflector (vRR) feature allows you to implement route reflector capability using a general purpose virtual machine that can be run on a 64-bit Intel-based blade server or appliance. Because a route reflector works in the control plane, it can run in a virtualized environment. A virtual route reflector on an Intel-based blade server or appliance works the same as a route reflector on a router, providing a scalable alternative to full mesh internal BGP peering. The vRR feature has the following benefits:
Scalability: By implementing the vRR feature, you gain scalability improvements, depending on the server core hardware on which the feature runs. Also, you can implement virtual route reflectors at multiple locations in the network, which helps scale the BGP network with lower cost.
Faster and more flexible deployment: You install the vRR feature on an Intel server, using open source tools, which reduces your router maintenance.
Space savings: Hardware-based route reflectors require central office space. You can deploy the vRR feature on any server that is available in the server infrastructure or in the data centers, which saves space.
Virtual Route Reflector Package Contents
The vRR software packages are available as these types of packages:
Application package—This package is for launching vRR software in a virtualized environment for the first time.
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Install package—This package is for upgrading vRR software that is already running to the next Junos OS release.
Starting with Junos OS Release 15.1, the install package for vRR (jinstall64-vrr-*.*) is no longer available. Use the install package of Junos OS for MX Series platforms: junos-install-mx-x86-64-*.tgz (e.g. use 64 Bit-MX High-End Series for MX240: Downloads for MX240) to upgrade vRR.
The vRR software images are available in these flavors:
KVM and OpenStack—TGZ package
VMware ESXi—OVA package
Unified—64-bit Junos OS (upgraded FreeBSD kernel)
Legacy—64-bit Junos OS
Starting with Junos OS Release 15.1, the legacy package (jinstall64-vrr-*.*) is no longer available.
Virtual Route Reflector Restrictions
The following features are not supported with the vRR feature:
Graceful Routing Engine Switchover (GRES)
Nonstop Active Routing (NSR)
Unified in-service software upgrade (unified ISSU)
vRR is qualified primarily as a route reflector with minimal data plane support. For packet forwarding, MPLS VPN, and CoS feature support, you might consider vMX.