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Configuring Virtual Chassis Ports to Interconnect Member Routers or Switches

To interconnect the member routers in an MX Series Virtual Chassis, you must use the request virtual-chassis vc-port set command to configure network ports into Virtual Chassis ports on Modular Port Concentrator/Modular Interface Card (MPC/MIC) interfaces. To interconnect the member switches into an EX9200 Virtual Chassis, you must use the request virtual-chassis vc-port set command to configure network ports into Virtual Chassis ports on line card interfaces. After the request virtual-chassis vc-port set is configured on both ends of the link, a Virtual Chassis port that is dedicated to the task of interconnecting member devices is created and the link can no longer be used as a standard network port.

Note:

If you issue the request virtual-chassis vc-port set command without first installing an MX Virtual Chassis Redundancy Feature Pack license on both member routers in an MX Series Virtual Chassis, the software displays a warning message that you are operating without a valid Virtual Chassis software license.

A software license is not needed to create an EX9200 Virtual Chassis.

To configure Virtual Chassis ports:

  1. Configure the Virtual Chassis ports on the router or switch configured as member 0.

    1. Configure the first Virtual Chassis port that connects to member 1.

      After the Virtual Chassis port is created, it is renamed vcp-slot/pic/port, and the line card associated with that port comes online. The line cards in the other member devices remain offline until the Virtual Chassis forms.

      For example, the following command configures Virtual Chassis port vcp-2/2/0 on member 0:

    2. When the first Virtual Chassis port is up on member 0, repeat Step 1a to configure the second Virtual Chassis port that connects to member 1.

  2. Configure the Virtual Chassis ports on the device configured as member 1.

    1. Configure the first Virtual Chassis port that connects to member 0.

    2. When the first Virtual Chassis port is up on member 1, repeat Step 2a to configure the second Virtual Chassis port that connects to member 0.

    When all of the line cards in all of the member routers or switches are online, and the Virtual Chassis has formed, you can issue Virtual Chassis commands from the terminal window of the primary router or switch.

    Note:

    When the Virtual Chassis forms, the FPC slots are renumbered to reflect the slot numbering and offsets used in the Virtual Chassis instead of the physical slot numbers where the FPC is actually installed. Member 0 in the Virtual Chassis uses FPC slot numbers 0 through 11 with no offset, and member 1 uses FPC slot numbers 12 through 23, with an offset of 12.

    For example, a 10-Gigabit Ethernet interface that appears as xe-14/2/2 (FPC slot 14, PIC slot 2, port 2) in the show interfaces command output is actually interface xe-2/2/2 (FPC slot 2, PIC slot 2, port 2) on member 1 after deducting the FPC slot numbering offset of 12 for member 1.

  3. (Optional) Verify the that the Virtual Chassis is properly configured and that the Virtual Chassis ports are operational.
  4. Commit the configuration on the primary router or switch.

    The commit step is required to ensure that the configuration groups and Virtual Chassis configuration are propagated to both members of the Virtual Chassis.

    Best Practice:

    We recommend that you use the commit synchronize command to save any configuration changes to the Virtual Chassis.

    For an MX Series or Virtual Chassis, the force option is the default and only behavior when you issue the commit synchronize command. Issuing the commit synchronize command for an MX Series Virtual Chassis configuration has the same effect as issuing the commit synchronize force command.

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