Change the Master role in a Juniper VC

Introduction

In this article, I will explain how to change the Master role in a Juniper VC. Ever found yourself frustrated while managing a Juniper Virtual Chassis (VC) and discovering that your master is assigned to member 1 instead of member 0? In a two-member VC setup, this may seem more of an aesthetic concern. However, the desire to have it reside on member 0 is undoubtedly a common sentiment. Let me help you remediate it.

A Juniper Virtual Chassis is a technology that allows multiple Juniper network switches to operate as a single, logical device. It enables the interconnected switches to function as a unified and highly available system, simplifying network management and enhancing scalability. This virtualization approach improves redundancy, performance, and ease of configuration in network environments.

Switch the master

To transition the master role, executing a straightforward command accomplishes the switch:

{master:1}
admin@SWITCH> request chassis routing-engine master switch
warning: Traffic will be interrupted while the PFE is re-initialized
Toggle mastership between routing engines ? yes,no yes

This concise process swiftly toggles mastership, albeit with a brief traffic interruption during the PFE re-initialization. If you don’t want to have to reconnect to your SSH session, then it’s best to run this from your backup member and you will see your prompt updating from master:1 to master:0.

Verify the outcome

By the look of the below prompt, the command has worked successfully.

{master:0}
admin@SWITCH>

Conclusion

In conclusion, it’s easy to change the Master role in a Juniper Virtual Chassis (VC) is straightforward task. The frustration of discovering an undesired master assignment, particularly on member 1 instead of member 0, can be swiftly remedied by executing a single command.