Aruba CX VSF Deployment Guide

Virtual Switching Framework, or VSF, allows multiple Aruba CX switches to operate as a single logical switch. After the stack is created, the switches share one control plane, one management plane, and one configuration.

This simplifies administration while providing redundancy and high availability.

This guide explains the complete deployment process, beginning with standalone switches and ending with a working three-member VSF stack.

The example uses three Aruba CX 6200M switches with part number R8Q70A. The same general workflow can be used with other Aruba CX platforms that support VSF, but the supported member count, switch combinations, interface numbering, and software requirements can vary by model.

Lab Environment

Component	Value
Switch Model	Aruba CX 6200M (R8Q70A)
Number of Switches	3
ArubaOS-CX Version	10.18.x
VSF Links	2 × 10G SFP+ (Ports 51 and 52)
Management	Dedicated Management Port

Note : This guide uses Aruba CX 6200M switches as an example. The same deployment process can be used on other Aruba CX switch families that support VSF. Always verify your hardware compatibility and software requirements before deployment.

Network Design

For simplicity, this guide uses one management network and two production VLANs.

Management Network

Item	Value
Management IP	10.10.10.2/24
Default Gateway	10.10.10.1

VLAN Plan

VLAN	Name	Purpose
100	MANAGEMENT	Switch Management
101	OFFICE	Office Users and APs
102	CCTV	CCTV Cameras

VSF Topology

Step 1 – Check the Switches

Before starting, connect to each switch through the console and check the hardware, software version, and current VSF status.

Run these commands on SW01, SW02, and SW03:

show version
show system
show inventory
show vsf

Make sure all switches are healthy and running a compatible AOS-CX version.

Step 2 – Prepare SW01

Connect to SW01 through the console. Configure the hostname and VSF ports:

configure terminal

hostname SW01

vsf member 1
    link 1 1/1/51
    link 2 1/1/52
exit

write memory

Check the configuration:

show running-config vsf

Step 3 – Prepare SW02

Connect to SW02 through the console. Configure the hostname and VSF ports:

configure terminal

hostname SW02

vsf member 1
    link 1 1/1/51
    link 2 1/1/52
exit

write memory

Renumber the switch as VSF member 2:

vsf renumber-to 2

The switch will reboot automatically. After the reboot, power off SW02.

Note : Because SW02 is now member 2, it may enter recovery-2# while member 1 is unavailable. This is expected. It will be able to join the stack when SW01 is available.

Step 4 – Prepare SW03

Connect to SW03 through the console. Configure the hostname and VSF ports:

configure terminal

hostname SW03

vsf member 1
    link 1 1/1/51
    link 2 1/1/52
exit

write memory

Renumber the switch as VSF member 3:

vsf renumber-to 3

The switch will reboot automatically. After the reboot, power off SW03.

Note: SW03 may similarly enter recovery-3# while the conductor is unavailable.

Step 5 – Connect the VSF Cables

All three switches should now be powered off. Connect the VSF cables as shown in the topology diagram. This creates the VSF ring.

From	To
SW01 Port 52	SW02 Port 51
SW02 Port 52	SW03 Port 51
SW03 Port 52	SW01 Port 51

Step 6 – Power On the Stack

1. Power on SW01

Wait until SW01 has completely booted. Check:

show vsf

SW01 should be member 1 and the Conductor.

2. Power on SW02

Wait for SW02 to join the stack. On SW01, run:

show vsf

You should now see members 1 and 2.

3. Power on SW03

Wait for SW03 to join. Check again:

show vsf

You should now see all three members:

Member  Role
------  ---------
1       Conductor
2       Standby
3       Member

The exact operational roles can depend on the VSF configuration. We will explicitly select the preferred secondary member in the next step.

Step 7 – Configure the Stack

Once all three switches have successfully joined, configure the VSF stack.

configure terminal

hostname ARUBA-VSF

interface mgmt
    no shutdown
    ip static 10.10.10.2/24
    default-gateway 10.10.10.1
exit

vsf secondary-member 2

vlan 100
    name MANAGEMENT
exit

vlan 101
    name OFFICE
exit

vlan 102
    name CCTV
exit

ssh server vrf mgmt
https-server vrf mgmt

end
write memory

The command:

vsf secondary-member 2

selects member 2 as the preferred secondary/standby member.

Step 8 – Final Check

Run:

show vsf
show vlan
show interface mgmt
show running-config

Confirm that:

All three switches appear in show vsf.
Member 1 is the Conductor.
Member 2 is the preferred secondary.
VLANs 100, 101, and 102 exist.
The management IP 10.10.10.2 is reachable.

Your three-switch Aruba CX VSF stack is now ready for use.

I hope this article helps you successfully configure your Aruba CX VSF infrastructure with confidence.

Wishing you a successful deployment!

Best regards,
Hasan