10
 
Powering Considerations
Consider the following guidelines before you power the switches in a stack:
Note Stack master elections occur over a 10-second timeframe on switches running releases earlier 
than Cisco IOS Release 12.2(20)SE3.
For more information on stack master elections, see the “Managing Switch Stacks” chapter 
in the switch software configuration guide.
•
The sequence in which the switches are 
initially powered on might affect the switch 
that becomes the stack master.
• If you want a particular switch to become the 
stack master, power on that switch first. This 
switch becomes the stack master and remains 
the stack master until a master re-election is 
required. After 20 seconds, power on the 
remaining switches in the stack. 
• If you have no preference for which switch 
becomes the stack master, power on all the 
switches in the stack within a 20-second 
timeframe. These switches participate in the 
stack master election. Switches powered on 
after the 20-second timeframe do not 
participate in the election.
• Power off a switch before you add it to or 
remove it from an existing switch stack.