5-2
Catalyst 3750-E and 3560-E Switch Software Configuration Guide
OL-9775-08
Chapter 5 Managing Switch Stacks
Understanding Switch Stacks
–
A mixed software stack with only Catalyst 3750-X, only Catalyst 3750-E, or only Catalyst 3750
switches supporting different features as stack members.
For example, a Catalyst 3750-E-only stack with some members running the IP base feature set,
ot
her members running the IP services feature set, and the remaining members running the IP
services feature set.
–
A mixed hardware and software stack with Catalyst 3750-X, Catalyst 3750-E, and
Catalyst 3750 switches supporting different features as stack members.
For example, a stack with the Catalyst 3750-E members running the IP services feature set and
t
he Catalyst 3750 members running the IP services software image.
For information about Catalyst 3750 switches, see the “Managing Switch Stacks” chapter in the
Ca
talyst 3750 Switch Software Configuration Guide.
One of the switches controls the operation of the stack and is called the st
ack master. The stack master
and the other switches in the stack are all stack members. The Catalyst 3750-E stack members use the
Cisco StackWise Plus technology to work together as a unified system. Layer 2 and Layer 3 protocols
p
resent the entire switch stack as a single entity to the network.
The stack master is the single point of stack-wide management. From the stack master, you configure:
• System-level (global) features that apply to all stack members
• Interface-level features for each stack member
A switch stack is identified in the network by its bri
dge ID and, if it is operating as a Layer 3 device, its
router MAC address. The bridge ID and router MAC address are determined by the MAC address of the
stack master. Every stack member is identified by its own stack member number.
All stack members are eligible to be stack masters. If the stack master becomes unavailable, the
r
emaining stack members elect a new stack master from among themselves. The switch with the highest
stack member priority value becomes the new stack master.
The system-level features supported on the stack master are supported on the entire switch stack. If a
sw
itch in the stack is running the IP base or IP services feature set and the cryptographic (that is,
supporting encryption) universal software image, we recommend that this switch be the stack master.
Encryption features are unavailable if the stack master is running the IP base or IP services feature set
and the noncryptographic software image.
Note In a mixed stack, Catalyst 3750 or Catalyst 3750-E switches running Cisco IOS Release 12.2(53)SE and
earlier could be running a noncryptographic image. Catalyst 3750-X switches and Catalyst 3750 and
3750-E switches with Cisco IOS Releases later than 12.2(53)SE run only the cryptographic software
image.
The stack master contains the saved and running configuration files for the switch stack. The
configuration files include the system-level settings for the switch stack and the interface-level settings
for each stack member. Each stack member has a current copy of these files for back-up purposes.
You manage the switch stack through a single IP address. The IP address is a system-level setting and is
not
specific to the stack master or to any other stack member. You can manage the stack through the same
IP address even if you remove the stack master or any other stack member from the stack.
You can use these methods to manage switch stacks:
• Network Assistant (available on Cisco.com)
• Command-line interface (CLI) over a serial connection to the console port of any stack member or
the Ethernet management port of a stack member
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