Description

When you have legacy licensing configured on a VC setup; the macsec license (and or other licenses) may show up as invalid on the backup member.

Symptoms

1. Impact: MACSec license seen as invalid on backup member.
2. Macsec is actually seen as functional on the ports of the backup member.
3. Hence, in a way this is cosmetic problem only.

Virtual Chassis:
root@router> show virtual-chassis status


Preprovisioned Virtual Chassis
Virtual Chassis ID: 0cab.13f7.xxxx
Virtual Chassis Mode: Enabled
                                                Mstr           Mixed Route Neighbor List
Member ID  Status   Serial No    Model          prio  Role      Mode  Mode ID  Interface
0 (FPC 0)  Prsnt    xxxx1 qfx5120-48ym-8c 129  Master*      N  VC   2  vcp-255/0/49
                                                                           1  vcp-255/0/54
                                                                           1  vcp-255/0/55
1 (FPC 1)  Prsnt    xxxx2 qfx5120-48ym-8c   0  Linecard     N  VC   2  vcp-255/0/49
                                                                           0  vcp-255/0/54
                                                                           0  vcp-255/0/55
2 (FPC 2)  Prsnt    xxxx3 qfx5120-48ym-8c 129  Backup       N  VC   0  vcp-255/0/48
                                                                           1  vcp-255/0/49

 

Show system license on master:

 root@router> show system license
License usage:
                                 Licensed     Licensed    Licensed
                                  Feature      Feature     Feature
  Feature name                       used    installed      needed    Expiry
  filter-based-forwarding               0            1           0    permanent
  connectivity-fault-management         0            1           0    permanent
  vrrp                                  0            1           0    permanent
  dot1q-tunneling                       0            1           0    permanent
  macsec                                1            1           0    permanent
  mc-lag                                0            1           0    permanent
  Timing License                        0            1           0    permanent
  igmp-multicast                        0            1           0    permanent
  pim                                   0            1           0    permanent
  gre_tunnel                            0            1           0    permanent
  rip                                   0            1           0    permanent
  ospf                                  0            1           0    permanent
  switching-vc-license                  0            1           0    permanent
  inmon-sflow                           0            1           0    permanent

Licenses installed:

  License identifier: xxx
  License version: 4
  Valid for device: xxxx1
  Customer ID: WSH KFT.
  Features:
    macsec           - MACsec
      permanent

  License identifier: xxxx
  License version: 4
  Valid for device: xxxx2
  Customer ID: WSH KFT.
  Features:
    macsec           - MACsec
      permanent

  License identifier: xxx
  License version: 4
  Valid for device: xxxx3
  Customer ID: SEMILAB ZRT.
  Features:
    macsec           - MACsec
      permanent
 

 

Show system license on backup:

root@router> request session member 2
Last login: Sat Apr 11 15:15:57 from master

--- JUNOS 23.4R2-S3.9 Kernel 64-bit  JNPR-12.1-20240604.39c9257_buil

{backup:2}
root@router> show system license
License usage:
                                 Licensed     Licensed    Licensed
                                  Feature      Feature     Feature
  Feature name                       used    installed      needed    Expiry
  filter-based-forwarding               0            1           0    permanent
  connectivity-fault-management         0            1           0    permanent
  vrrp                                  0            1           0    permanent
  dot1q-tunneling                       0            1           0    permanent
  macsec                                1            0           1    invalid       -----> license is seen as not valid (However as we checked MACSEC actually works for backup member ports)
  mc-lag                                0            1           0    permanent
  Timing License                        0            1           0    permanent
  igmp-multicast                        0            1           0    permanent
  pim                                   0            1           0    permanent
  gre_tunnel                            0            1           0    permanent
  rip                                   0            1           0    permanent
  ospf                                  0            1           0    permanent
  switching-vc-license                  0            1           0    permanent
  inmon-sflow                           0            1           0    permanent

Licenses installed: none

 

Solution

Since Legacy licensing is being planned to do away with; Engineering has devised "Agile Licensing" where this problem is sorted.

QFX5120 has moved to Agile licensing from release 24.4R1. Hence it is suggested to move to Agile.

After upgrade to Agile licensing,

show system license detail rus on master only, and the output contains the following:

 root@router> show system license detail

-- snipped output --

QinQ                                  0            1           0            1    permanent
  MACsec                                1            1           0            0    2027-05-05 17:00:00 PDT
  MC-LAG                                0            1           0            1    permanent

Licensing Mode: Agile Licensing Standalone. ---> this is to be seen on upgraded image - "Agile Licensing"

Licensing Persona: JUNOS LKG ---> this is to be seen on upgraded image - "Agile Licensing"
 
-----------------------------------------

Backup member displays an error:

root@router> show system license 
error: This command can only be used on the master routing engine.

{backup:1}
root@router> show system license detail 
error: This command can only be used on the master routing engine.

 

Modification History

2026-06-09 : Article Created