Troubleshooting an EX Series Virtual Chassis

This topic describes the following troubleshooting issues for a Virtual Chassis:

• A Disconnected Member Switch's ID Is Not Available for Reassignment
• Load Factory Default Does Not Commit on a Multimember Virtual Chassis
• The Member ID Persists When a Member Switch Is Disconnected From a Virtual Chassis
• A Member Switch Is Not Participating in a Mixed Virtual Chassis

A Disconnected Member Switch's ID Is Not Available for Reassignment

Problem

You disconnected a switch from the Virtual Chassis, but the disconnected switch’s member ID is still displayed in the status output. You cannot reassign that member ID to another switch.

Solution

When you disconnect a member of a Virtual Chassis configuration, the master retains the member ID and member configuration in its configuration database. Output from the show virtual-chassis command continues to display the member ID of the disconnected member with a status of NotPrsnt.

If want to permanently disconnect the member switch, you can free up the member ID by using the request virtual-chassis recycle command. This will also clear the status of that member.

Load Factory Default Does Not Commit on a Multimember Virtual Chassis

Problem

The load factory-default command fails on a multimember Virtual Chassis.

Solution

The load factory-default command is not supported on a multimember Virtual Chassis configuration. For information on how to revert the switches in the Virtual Chassis to factory default settings, see Reverting to the Default Factory Configuration for the EX Series Switch.

The Member ID Persists When a Member Switch Is Disconnected From a Virtual Chassis

Problem

Gigabit Ethernet interfaces retain their previous slot numbers when a member switch is disconnected from the Virtual Chassis.

Solution

If a switch had been previously connected as a member of a Virtual Chassis configuration, it retains the member ID that it was assigned as a member of that configuration even after it is disconnected and operating as a standalone switch. The interfaces that were configured while the switch was a member of the Virtual Chassis configuration retain the old member ID as the first digit of the interface name.

For example, if the switch was previously member 1, its interfaces are named ge-1/0/0 and so on.

1. To change the member ID to 0:
   user@switch> request virtual-chassis renumber member-id 1 new-member-id 0
2. To rename the interfaces to match the new member ID:
   [edit virtual-chassis]

   
   

   user@switch# replace pattern ge-1/ with ge-0/

A Member Switch Is Not Participating in a Mixed Virtual Chassis

Problem

A member switch in a mixed Virtual Chassis is not participating in the Virtual Chassis. The show virtual-chassis output indicates the member switch status is Inactive or NotPrsnt.

This issue is most likely to occur immediately after you have cabled a mixed Virtual Chassis.

Solution

The Virtual Chassis mode on the switch might not be set to mixed mode. If the member switch is an EX4500 switch and is cabled into the Virtual Chassis through the dedicated Virtual Chassis port (VCP), the PIC mode might also be set to Intraconnect instead of virtual-chassis.

To verify the Virtual Chassis mode:

fpc0:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mixed Mode: Enabled
fpc1:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mixed Mode: Enabled
fpc2:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mixed Mode: Enabled
fpc3:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mixed Mode: Enabled
fpc4:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mixed Mode: Disabled
fpc5:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mixed Mode: Enabled

To change the Virtual Chassis mode on a member switch (in this case, member ID 4) to mixed mode:

(EX4500 switch only) To verify the PIC mode:

fpc0:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pic Mode: Not-Applicable
fpc1:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pic Mode: Not-Applicable
fpc2:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pic Mode: Not-Applicable
fpc3:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pic Mode: Not-Applicable
fpc4:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pic Mode: PIC 3: Intraconnect
fpc5:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Pic Mode: PIC 3: virtual-chassis

To change the PIC mode on an EX4500 switch to virtual-chassis mode (in this case, member ID 4):

The member switch must be rebooted for the Virtual Chassis mode or PIC mode setting change to take effect. To reboot the member switch (in this case, member ID 4):