Description

This article provides the clarity about the virtual chassis ports in EX and QFX device, like dedicated, default and ports that we can convert into VCP ports to form the Virtual chassis.

Solution

Below table mention the dedicate, default and the port that can be configured as vc-ports based on the device models [EX/QFX].
 
Switch
Dedicated VCPs
Default VCPs
Ports that can be configured and are supported as VCPs.
EX2200
None
None
Any uplink ports.
All RJ-45 interfaces, including built-in network ports with 10/100/1000BASE-T Gigabit Ethernet connectors and 1000BASE-T RJ-45 transceivers.
EX2300 (including EX2300 multigigabit models)
None
None
10-Gigabit Ethernet uplink ports with SFP+ transceivers.
NOTE: You cannot use ports with SFP transceivers as VCPs on EX2300 switches to form a Virtual Chassis.
EX3300
None
Uplink ports 2 and 3
Any of the 4 uplink ports (ports 0 through 3)
EX3400
None
All QSFP+ uplink ports (PIC slot 1, ports 0 and 1)
Any SFP+ uplink ports
NOTE: You cannot use ports with SFP transceivers as VCPs on EX3400 switches to form a Virtual Chassis.
EX4100
4 25-Gbps SFP28 ports on the front panel
4 25-Gbps SFP28 ports on the front panel
4x10G uplink ports can be used as VCPs in HGoE mode on PIC 2
EX4100-F
4 10-Gbps SFP+ ports on the front panel
4 10-Gbps SFP+ ports on the front panel
4x10G uplink ports can be used as VCPs in HGoE mode on PIC 2
EX4200
2 ports on the rear panel
None
Any uplink module ports (SFP, SFP+, or XFP) or through an SFP+ port on the EX4200-24F switch
NOTE: You cannot set a 1000BASE-T copper SFP transceiver (EX-SFP-1GE-T) connection as a VCP on EX4200 switches.
EX4300
None
All QSFP+ ports
Any uplink ports installed with SFP+ or QSPF+ transceivers.
NOTE: On 32-port EX4300 switches, you can’t use the four built-in 10-Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ ports as VCPs.
EX4300 multigigabit models (EX4300-48MP)
4 40-Gbps QSFP+ ports on the rear panel
None
None
EX4400 (Including EX4400 multigigabit models)
None
4 logical 50-Gbps VCP interfaces using the two 100-Gbps QSFP28 ports on the rear panel (PIC slot 1)
None
EX4500 and EX4550
Two ports on the Virtual Chassis module
None
Any SFP, SFP+, or XFP uplink module port
NOTE: You cannot use SFP+ uplink ports installed with 1000BASE-T copper SFP transceivers (EX-SFP-1GE-T) as VCP connections on EX4500 and EX4550 switches.
EX4600
None
None
Any SFP+ and QSFP+ ports
EX4650
None
None
Any of the 40-Gigabit Ethernet or 100-Gigabit QSFP28 ports on the front panel (ports 48 through 55), non-channelized
NOTE: The Junos OS doesn’t prevent you from trying to set other ports as VCPs, but they don’t operate properly as VCPs.
QFX3500 and QFX3600
None
None
Any non-channelized 40-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ interfaces.
QFX5100
None
None
Any non-channelized 40-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ interfaces
QFX5110
None
None
Any 40-Gigabit Ethernet or 100-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP28 ports.
Any non-channelized 40-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ interfaces.
Any non-channelized 10-Gigabit Ethernet SFP+ interfaces (on QFX5110 switch models that support these ports).
QFX5120
None
None
(QFX5120-48Y) Any of the eight 40-Gigabit Ethernet or 100-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ or QSFP28 ports on the front panel (ports 48 through 55), non-channelized
(QFX5120-48T) Any of the six 40-Gigabit Ethernet or 100-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ or QSFP28 ports on the front panel (ports 48 through 53), non-channelized
NOTE: Any ports other than those specified above for QFX5120-48Y and QFX5120-48T switches are not supported as VCPs. The Junos OS CLI doesn’t return an error if you try to set other ports as VCPs, but they will not work properly as VCPs.
(QFX5120-32C) Any non-channelized network ports (ports 0 through 31) installed with either 40-Gbps QSFP+ or 100-Gpbs QSFP28 transceivers.
QFX5200
None
None
Any 40-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP+ ports
Starting in Junos OS Release 17.3R2-S4, you can also use 100-Gigabit Ethernet QSFP28 ports as VCPs on QFX5200 switches.

Modification History

2024-04-15: Created.
16-04-2024: Article validated.

2025-02-06: Detail updated.

Related Information

https://www.juniper.net/documentation/us/en/software/junos/virtual-chassis-qfx/topics/concept/virtual-chassis-ex4200-components.html#understanding-virtual-chassis-components__vcp-options