Specify an Independent Preference for a Static Route

Configuring independent preferences allows you to configure multiple static routes with different preferences and metrics to the same destination. The static route with the best preference, metric, and reachable next hop is chosen as the active route. This feature allows you to specify preference and metric on a next-hop basis using the qualified-next-hop statement.

The preference and metric configured by means of this statement only apply to the qualified next hops. The qualified-next-hop preference and metric override the route preference and metric (for that specific qualified next hop), similar to how the route preference overrides the default preference and metric (for that specific route).

To specify an independent preference for a static route, include the following statements at the [edit routing-options static route] hierarchy level (for routing instances, include the statements at the [edit routing-instances routing-instance-name routing-options static route] hierarchy level):

[edit routing-options static route] 

qualified-next-hop address {

    metric metric;

    preference preference; 

}

The preference value can be a number in the range 1 through 255, with a lower number indicating a more preferred route. The metric value can be a number in the range 1 through 65,535.

The qualified-next-hop statement is mutually exclusive with all other types of next hops, except for next-hop address. Therefore, you cannot configure next-hop reject, next-hop discard, and next-hop receive with qualified-next-hop for the same destination.