User guide

OmniSwitch AOS Release 8 Switch Management Guide May 2014 page 13-1
13 Configuring Virtual
Chassis
A Virtual Chassis (VC) is a group of chassis managed through a single management IP address. It
provides both node level and link level redundancy for layer 2 and layer 3 services and protocols acting as
a single device. Up to eight chassis can be combined into a single virtual chassis. A VC can easily expand
switching capacity simply by adding additional chassis to the VC. For example, a deployment can start
with a VC composed of two chassis with the option of adding up to six additional chassis to that VC as
network demands increase over time. VCs also provide enhanced resiliency and redundancy features. If a
chassis in a VC goes down or is taken offline, the other chassis in the VC will continue to operate without
disruption. In addition operating software and configuration parameters are synchronized on all chassis in
the VC.
The following are key points regarding a virtual chassis configuration:
• The OmniSwitch 6860/6860E operates only in Virtual Chassis mode, a single chassis may still be
referred to as a standalone chassis or a virtual chassis of one chassis.
• Virtual Chassis CLI requires a chassis identifier to be used and displayed for all commands such as
interfaces or ports even if it is a standalone chassis and not integrated with other chassis into a virtual
chassis.
• A Virtual Chassis provides a single management IP address for a group of chassis that are acting as a
single bridge or router.
• The chassis participating in a Virtual Chassis are connected through dedicated VFL ports.
For more information on the components of a Virtual Chassis, see “Virtual Chassis Overview” on
page 13-6