Powered by the vqfx-20.2R1.10-re-qemu.qcow2 image. It runs the Junos OS control plane, handles routing protocols (BGP, OSPF, EVPN-VXLAN), and processes SSH/API management traffic.
Enable ( -enable-kvm ) in your advanced QEMU settings.
Unlike many other virtual routers, the Juniper vQFX is split into two distinct virtual machines: the Routing Engine (RE) Packet Forwarding Engine (PFE) vqfx202r110reqemuqcow2 top
[PC1] --- (ge-0/0/0) [vQFX-1] (ge-0/0/1) --- [vQFX-2] --- [PC2]
This image emulates a Juniper QFX switch, used for data center fabric, EVPN-VXLAN, and advanced Layer 2/Layer 3 testing. Powered by the vqfx-20
The vqfx202r110reqemuqcow2 string identifies the critical Packet Forwarding Engine component of the Juniper vQFX 20.1R1 release. It is not a standalone file but half of a pair. To successfully utilize this image:
This article unpacks every component of that keyword, providing a holistic guide for engineers looking to deploy, optimize, and monitor a Juniper vQFX series virtual switch on a QEMU/KVM hypervisor using the QCOW2 disk format. Unlike many other virtual routers, the Juniper vQFX
Junos OS compiles configurations on boot, which can cause high CPU spikes.
: vqfx-20.2R1-2019010209-pfe-qemu.qcow . 2. Resource Allocation For a stable lab experience, assign the following: RE VM : 1024 MB RAM and 1-2 vCPUs. PFE VM : 2048 MB to 4096 MB RAM and 2 vCPUs. 3. The "Secret Sauce" Connection
You cannot run the vQFX with just the RE image; you need this specific PFE image to pass traffic. The PFE image is "headless" (no CLI access inside the VM itself) and exposes the physical networking logic to the virtual environment.