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Catalyst 4500 Series Switch, Cisco IOS Software Configuration Guide - Cisco IOS XE 3.9.xE and IOS 15.2(5)Ex
Chapter 5 Configuring Virtual Switching Systems
Configuring a VSS
Switches can be Layer 3 reachable indirectly but directly connected. The directly-connected physical
interfaces display in the output of the vsl? command, which displays all switches that have direct
physical connections.
Alternatively, you can make a physical interface Layer 3 “capable” (i.e., make two switches reachable
via directly connected Layer 3 links), by performing the following steps on both switches (A and B):
On Switch-A
Switch-A(config)# int G2/15
Switch-A(config-if)# no switchport
Switch-A(config-if)# ip address 5.5.5.6 255.255.255.0
On Switch-B
Switch-B(config)# int G3/15
Switch-B(config-if)# no switchport
Switch-B(config-if)# ip address 5.5.5.5 255.255.255.0
Ping 5.5.5.6 from switch-B
Issuing the switch convert mode easy-virtual-switch exec command on a VSS active switch displays
a list of potential VSS standby switches - those that are directly connected and hardware compatible.
From the displayed list, the sub-command vsl ? derives input from interfaces that belong to the switch
where we are executing the command.
Perform the following task on the VSS active switch that you want to make the master switch, which
manages the standby switch after VSS boot-up:
The following example illustrates use of the vsl ? command:
SwitchA# switch convert mode easy-virtual-switch
# (easy-vss)# VLS ?
Local Interface Remote Interface Hostname Standby-IP
GigabitEthernet2/15 GigabitEthernet3/15 Switch-B 5.5.5.5
GigabitEthernet2/17 GigabitEthernet3/17 Switch-B 5.5.5.5
GigabitEthernet2/4 GigabitEthernet3/4 Switch-C 4.4.4.4
Command Purpose
Step 1
Switch(config)# interface interface
Selects interface and switches to interface
configuration mode.
Step 2
Switch(config-if)# no switchport
Converts the switch to a Layer 3 interface.
Step 3
Switch(config-if)# ip add a.a.a.a b.b.b.b
Configures an IP address for temporary use.
Step 4
Switch(config-if)# exit
Exits interface configuration mode.
Command Purpose
Step 1
Switch# switch convert mode easy-virtual-switch
Switches to easy VSS sub-mode
Step 2
Switch(easy-vss)# VSL ?
and
Switch(easy-vss)# VSL local-interface
Displays a list of local inter-faces (with their peer
interfaces, switch-ip and switch-name).
Assigns the local interfaces that we want to convert to
VSL. Choose interfaces under the column Local
Interfaces under 'VSL?'
Step 3
Switch(easy-vss)# exit
Return to exec command mode.