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EX4500 Chassis
Front Panel of an EX4500 Switch
The front panel of an EX4500 switch consists of the following components:
40 SFP+ network ports
Network port LEDs
Two slots for installing uplink modules—Installing uplink modules is optional.
LCD panel and the LCD navigation buttons
Chassis status LEDs
Console port
Management port
Management port LEDs
USB port
ESD point
Figure 1 shows the front panel of an EX4500 switch.

EX4500 switches that have the label VIRTUAL CHASSIS
on the front panel support Data Center Bridging (DCB), also known
as Converged Enhanced Ethernet (CEE). See Figure 2.

Rear Panel of an EX4500 Switch
The rear panel of the EX4500 switch consists of the following components:
Power supply or power supplies
One of the following:
AC appliance inlet and AC power supply LED
DC terminal block and DC power supply LED
Fan tray
One of the following:
Intraconnect module
Virtual Chassis module
Operating an EX4500 switch without the Intraconnect module or the Virtual Chassis module installed is not supported. EX4500 switches running Junos OS Release 10.4R2 or later will not boot if either the Intraconnect or the Virtual Chassis module is not installed in the switch chassis.
The protective earthing terminal is located on the left side of the chassis. See Connect Earth Ground to an EX Series Switch.
Figure 3 shows the rear panel of an EX4500 switch with AC power supplies and Intraconnect module installed.

Figure 4 shows the rear panel of an EX4500 switch with AC power supplies and a Virtual Chassis module installed.

LCD Panel in EX4500 Switches
The LCD panel on the front panel of EX4500 switch shows two lines of text, each that can contain a maximum of 16 characters. The LCD panel displays a variety of information about the switch and also provides a menu to perform basic operations such as initial setup and reboot.
There are two navigation buttons—Menu and Enter—to the right of the LCD panel.
See Figure 5.

You can configure the second line of the LCD panel to display a custom message. If the LCD panel is configured to display a custom message, the Menu button and the Enter button are disabled. See Configuring the LCD Panel on EX Series Switches (CLI Procedure).
The LCD panel has a backlight. If the LCD panel remains idle for 60 seconds, the backlight turns off. You can turn on the backlight by pressing the Menu or Enter button once. After turning on the backlight, you can toggle between the LCD panel menus by pressing the Menu button and navigate through the menu options by pressing the Enter button.
The chassis viewer in the J-Web interface also displays the LCD panel. From the J-Web interface, you can view real-time status information in the LCD panel. See Dashboard for EX Series Switches.
LCD Panel Modes
The LCD panel operates in four modes: boot, idle, status, and maintenance.
The LCD panel operates in boot mode during switch reboot. The boot mode displays the key milestones in the switch boot process. The boot mode does not have any menu options. After the boot process is complete, the LCD panel automatically reverts to the Idle menu.
The first line of text on the LCD panel displays the slot number, the role of the switch, and hostname. For a standalone EX4500 switch, the slot number is always 00, and the role is always RE.
In an EX4500 switch that is a member of a Virtual Chassis, the first line of the LCD panel displays:
The slot number (the member ID for the Virtual Chassis member)
Role of the switch in a Virtual Chassis (RE for primary, BK for backup, and LC for linecard member)
Hostname
In the idle mode, the second line of text on the LCD panel displays the mode of the network ports’ Status LED and the number of chassis alarms. The number of alarms is updated every second.
In the status mode, the second line displays:
Virtual Chassis port (VCP) status (supported only on EX4500 switches in a Virtual Chassis configuration running Junos OS Release 11.1 or later. This option is not supported on standalone EX4500 switches.)
Status of the power supplies
Status of the fans in the fan tray and the chassis temperature
Version of Junos OS for EX Series switches loaded on the switch
In the maintenance mode, the second line displays one of the following options that you can use to configure and troubleshoot the switch:
System halt
System reboot
Load rescue
Request VC port (supported only on EX4500 switches in a Virtual Chassis configuration running Junos OS Release 11.1 or later. This option is not supported on standalone EX4500 switches.)
Factory default
EZSetup
LCD Panel Menus
The LCD panel has three menus: Idle, Status, and Maintenance. You can toggle between the LCD panel menus by pressing the Menu button and navigate through the menu options by pressing the Enter button.
Table 1 describes the LCD panel menu options.
Table 1: LCD Panel Menu Options in EX4500 Switches
Menu | Description |
---|---|
IDLE | In the Idle menu:
|
STATUS | The Status menu has the following options:
You can disable the Status menu or the options in the Status menu in the LCD panel. See Configuring the LCD Panel on EX Series Switches (CLI Procedure). |
MAINT (Maintenance Menu) | The Maintenance menu has the following options to configure and troubleshoot the switch:
You can disable the Maintenance menu or the options in the Maintenance menu in the LCD panel. See Configuring the LCD Panel on EX Series Switches (CLI Procedure). |
Virtual Chassis Module in EX4500 Switches
The Virtual Chassis module is installed horizontally on the rear panel of an EX4500 switch chassis. The Virtual Chassis module has two dedicated Virtual Chassis ports (VCPs) that can be used to interconnect the EX4500 switch with an EX4200 switch or an EX4500 switch in a Virtual Chassis configuration. The module is an offline field-replaceable unit (FRU).
The Virtual Chassis module is supported on EX4500 switches in Junos OS Releases 11.1 and later.
The Virtual Chassis module comes preinstalled in the switch chassis in the EX4500-40F-VC1-FB, EX4500-40F-VC1-BF, and EX4500-40F-VC1-DC switch models. You must order it separately for all other switch models. See EX4500 Switch Models.
Virtual Chassis cables and Virtual Chassis cable connector retainers are not part of the EX4500 switch’s shipping configuration. If you want to purchase these, you must order them separately.
Operating an EX4500 switch without the intraconnect
module or the Virtual Chassis module is not supported.
EX4500 switches running Junos OS Release 10.4R2 or later 10.4 releases
will not boot if you do not install the intraconnect module in the
switch.
EX4500 switches running Junos OS Release 11.1R1
or later releases will not boot if you install neither the intraconnect
module nor the Virtual Chassis module in the switch.
Figure 6 shows the Virtual Chassis module.

The Virtual Chassis module has two LEDs (labeled ST and VC MODE ) on the left side of its faceplate that indicate the status and the operating mode of the Virtual Chassis module. See Figure 7.

Table 2 describes the LEDs on the Virtual Chassis module in an EX4500 switch.
Table 2: Virtual Chassis Module LEDs
LED | State | Description |
---|---|---|
ST | Green | The Virtual Chassis module is functioning normally. |
Unlit | One of the following:
| |
VC Mode | Green | The Virtual Chassis module and VCPs are active. |
Unlit | The Virtual Chassis module is operating in Intraconnect mode. The VCPs are not active. |
The Virtual Chassis module has two captive screws on the faceplate that secure the module to the switch chassis. To remove or replace the Virtual Chassis module, follow the instructions in Removing a Virtual Chassis Module from an EX4500 Switch.
Chassis Status LEDs in EX4500 Switches
The front panel of an EX4500 switch has three chassis status LEDs (labeled ALM, SYS, and MST) on the far right side of the panel, next to the Menu and Enter buttons (see Figure 8).

Table 3 describes the chassis status LEDs in an EX4500 switch, their colors and states, and the status they indicate. You can view the colors of the three LEDs remotely through the CLI by issuing the operational mode command show chassis led.
Table 3: Chassis Status LEDs in an EX4500 Switch
LED Label | Color | State and Description |
---|---|---|
ALM (Alarm) | Unlit | There is no alarm or the switch is halted. |
Red | There is a major alarm. | |
Amber | There is a minor alarm. | |
SYS (System) | Green |
|
MST (Primary) | Green | In a standalone EX4500 switch:
In a Virtual chassis configuration:
|
A major alarm (red) indicates a critical error condition that requires immediate action.
A minor alarm (amber) indicates a noncritical condition that requires monitoring or maintenance. A minor alarm that is left unchecked might cause interruption in service or performance degradation.
All three LEDs can be lit simultaneously.
Management Port LEDs in EX4500 Switches
The management port on the front panel of an EX4500 switch has two LEDs that indicate link/activity and port status (see Figure 9).

Table 4 describes the Link/Activity LED.
Table 4: Link/Activity LED on the Management Port on an EX4500 Switch
LED | Color | State and Description |
---|---|---|
Link/Activity | Green |
|
Table 5 describes the Status LED.
Table 5: Status LED on the Management Port on an EX4500 Switch
LED | Color | State and Description |
---|---|---|
Status | Green | Indicates the speed. The speed indicators are:
|
Uplink Modules in EX4500 Switches
EX4500 switches support SFP+ uplink modules. The SFP+ uplink module is a hot-insertable and hot-removable field replaceable unit (FRU).
Uplink modules and transceivers are not part of the EX4500 switch’s shipping configuration. You must order them separately.
You can install up to two SFP+ uplink modules in an EX4500 switch. Both uplink modules install horizontally on the front of the chassis. The uplink module slot on the left is PIC 1. The uplink module slot on the right is PIC 2. See Figure 10.

Each SFP+ uplink module provides four ports. Each module can house four 10-gigabit small form-factor pluggable (SFP+) transceivers or four 1-gigabit small form-factor pluggable (SFP) transceivers.
When a new uplink module is installed in the switch or an existing uplink module is replaced with another uplink module, the switch detects the newly installed uplink module. The switch creates the required interfaces when new transceivers are installed in uplink module ports.
The operating mode for an SFP+ uplink module is shown in the output of the show chassis pic fpc-slot slot number pic-slot 1 command.
You can use the uplink module ports to connect an access switch to a distribution switch.
Figure 11 shows the SFP+ uplink module.

The SFP+ uplink module has an LED on the faceplate (labeled ST
) that indicates the status of the uplink module. See Figure 11.
Table 6 describes the LED on the uplink module in an EX4500 switch.
Table 6: Uplink Module Status LED
LED | State | Description |
---|---|---|
ST | Unlit |
|
Green |
|
Each uplink module port has a pair of LEDs that indicate the link/activity and status of the port. See Network Port and Uplink Module Port LEDs in EX4500 Switches for details about the uplink module port LEDs.
SFP+ uplink modules are shipped with dust covers preinstalled in the ports.
SFP+ uplink modules require Junos OS for EX Series switches, Release 9.4 or later.
Intraconnect Module in EX4500 Switches
The intraconnect module is installed horizontally on the rear of an EX4500 switch chassis. The intraconnect module helps the switch achieve line rate on all its ports. The module is an offline field-replaceable unit (FRU).
The intraconnect module comes preinstalled in the switch chassis in the EX4500-40F-FB, EX4500-40F-BF, EX4500-40F-FB-C, EX4500-40F-BF-C, and EX4500-40F-DC-C switch models. You must order it separately for all other switch models. See EX4500 Switch Models.
Operating an EX4500 switch without the intraconnect
module or the Virtual Chassis module is not supported.
EX4500 switches running Junos OS Release 10.4R2 or later 10.4 releases
will not boot if you do not install the intraconnect module in the
switch.
EX4500 switches running Junos OS Release 11.1R1
or later releases will not boot if you install neither the intraconnect
module nor the Virtual Chassis module in the switch.
Figure 12 shows the intraconnect module.

The intraconnect module has an LED (labeled ST) on the faceplate that indicates the status of the intraconnect module.
Table 7 describes the LED on the intraconnect module in an EX4500 switch.
Table 7: Intraconnect Module Status LED
LED | State | Description |
---|---|---|
ST | Green | The intraconnect module is functioning normally. |
Unlit |
|
The intraconnect module has two captive screws on the faceplate that secure the module in the chassis. To remove or replace the intraconnect module, follow the instructions in Removing an Intraconnect Module from an EX4500 Switch.
Network Port and Uplink Module Port LEDs in EX4500 Switches
Each network port and uplink module port on an EX4500 switch has two LEDs that indicate link/activity and status. The figures in this topic show the location of these LEDs:
Figure 13 shows the location of the LEDs on the network ports on the front panel of an EX4500 switch. The LEDs point toward the port to which the LEDs belong.
Figure 14 shows the location of the LEDs on the uplink module ports on the SFP+ uplink module.


The LEDs labeled Link/Activity LED in Figure 13 and Figure 14 indicate link activity.
Table 8 describes the Link/Activity LED.
Table 8: Link/Activity LED on Network Ports and Uplink Module Ports in EX4500 Switches
LED | Color | State and Description |
---|---|---|
Link/Activity | Green |
|
The Status LED in Figure 13 and Figure 14 indicate the status of one of the three port parameters. The port parameters are administrative status, duplex mode, and speed.
Table 9 describes the Status LED on network ports and uplink module ports in EX4500 switches. From the Idle menu of the LCD, use the Enter button on the LCD panel to toggle between the ADM, DPX, and SPD indicators.
Table 9: Status LED on Network Ports and Uplink Module Ports in EX4500 Switches
LED | LCD Indicator | State and Description |
---|---|---|
Status | LED: ADM | Indicates the administrative status (enabled or disabled). The status indicators are:
|
LED: DPX | Indicates the duplex mode. The status indicators for network ports on the front panel are:
The uplink module ports are always set to full-duplex mode; therefore, the LED is always green. | |
LED: SPD | Indicates the speed. The speed indicators are:
|