Virtual Chassis Formation for Mixed Mode

The below document explains how VC formation for mixed mode works using both preprovisioned and non-preprovisioned:

The following is the list of supported switch model by MIST:

Supported Switch Models

From all the supported switches by MIST, the following ones are the only ones that can be considered as ”mixed configurable”:

• EX4300
• EX4300-MP
• EX4600

If you are adding a member on mixed mode VC; make sure to set it up as VC mixed mode accordingly as it is indicated below, before activating the VCPs.

Preprovisioned:

1. Make a list of the serial numbers of all the switches to be connected in the stack

2. Power on only the switch that will be used as primary -remember it must be an EX4300-MP-

3. Set primary switch into mixed mode and reboot the switch: > request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot

4. Specify the preprovisioned configuration mode: # set virtual-chassis preprovisioned

5. Specify all the members that you want to include in the stack, as follows:

[edit virtual-chassis]
user@switch# set member 0 serial-number abc123 role routing-engine
user@switch# set member 1 serial-number def456 role routing-engine
user@switch# set member 2 serial-number ghi789 role line-card
user@switch# set member 3 serial-number jkl012 role line-card
user@switch# set member 4 serial-number mno013 role line-card

6. (Optional: Recommended for a two-member Virtual Chassis): On the primary switch, disable split and merge feature: # set no-split-detection ; and commit.

7. Power on each other switch and set it/them up as mixed mode as follows:

On every EX4300MP: > request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot

On every EX4300: > request virtual-chassis mode ieee-clause-82 mixed reboot

8. Cable the ports interconnecting the members – if they were not connected earlier-.

Once VC is up and running and ready to be adopted into MIST cloud, please make sure that you add the virtual-chassis preprovisioned lines into the ‘’Additional CLI Commands’’, after selecting the switch in question (member 0 MAC Address):

 Below are the configuration steps for EX4300 / EX4600 mixed VC formation:

Non-provisioned:

1. Power on only the switch that will be used as primary -remember it must be an EX4600-

2. Set primary switch into mixed mode and reboot the switch:  > request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot

3. Configure primary-role priority for the member switches:
   [edit virtual-chassis]
   user@switch# set member 0 mastership-priority 255
   user@switch# set member 1 mastership-priority 255
   *Remember that primary role must be taken by EX4600 switches.

4. (Optional: Recommended for a two-member Virtual Chassis): On the primary switch, disable split and merge feature:  # set no-split-detection ; and commit.

5. Power on each other switch and set it/them up as mixed mode as follows:> request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot

6. On each individual member switch, use the following command to configure the ports that will be used to interconnect the member switches into VCPs:
   > request virtual-chassis vc-port set pic-slot pic-slot-number port port-number local
   *example:
   > request virtual-chassis vc-port set pic-slot 2 port 0 local

7. Cable the ports interconnecting the members – if they were not connected earlier-.

Once VC is up and running and ready to be adopted into MIST cloud, please make sure that you add the virtual-chassis master-ship priority lines into ‘’Additional CLI commands”:

Preprovisioned:

1. Make a list of the serial numbers of all the switches to be connected in the stack
2. Power on only the switch that will be used as primary -remember it must be an EX4600-
3. Set primary switch into mixed mode and reboot the switch:  > request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot
4. Specify the preprovisioned configuration mode: # set virtual-chassis preprovisioned
5. Specify all the members that you want to include in the stack, as follows:
   [edit virtual-chassis]
   user@switch# set member 0 serial-number abc123 role routing-engine
   user@switch# set member 1 serial-number def456 role routing-engine
   user@switch# set member 2 serial-number ghi789 role line-card
   user@switch# set member 3 serial-number jkl012 role line-card
   user@switch# set member 4 serial-number mno013 role line-card*Remember that routing-engine role must be taken by EX4600 switches
6. (Optional: Recommended for a two-member Virtual Chassis): On the primary switch, disable split and merge feature:  # set no-split-detection ; and commit.
7. Power on each other switch and set it/them up as mixed mode as follows: > request virtual-chassis mode mixed reboot
8. On each individual member switch, use the following command to configure the ports that will be used to interconnect the member switches into VCPs:
   > request virtual-chassis vc-port set pic-slot pic-slot-number port port-number local
   *example:
   > request virtual-chassis vc-port set pic-slot 2 port 0 local
9. Cable the ports interconnecting the members – if they were not connected earlier-.

Once VC is up and running and ready to be adopted into MIST cloud, please make sure that you add the virtual-chassis preprovisioned lines into the ‘’Additional CLI Commands’’, after selecting the switch in question (member 0 MAC Address):

For more information about mixed and non-mixed combinations, please check below document:

https://www.juniper.net/documentation/us/en/software/junos/virtual-chassis-qfx/topics/concept/virtual-chassis-ex-qfx-series-mixed-understanding.html