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Cisco 500 Series Stackable Managed Switch Administration Guide Release 1.3 284
 
IP Configuration
IP interface addresses can be configured manually by the user, or automatically 
configured by a DHCP server. This section provides information for defining the 
device IP addresses, either manually or by making the device a DHCP client.
This section covers the following topics:
• Overview
• IPv4 Management and Interfaces
• IPv6 Management and Interfaces
• Domain Name
Overview
NOTE SG500X devices always work in Advanced L3 mode, unless they are in Hybrid 
mode (see Stack Unit Mode) when they act like Sx500 devices. The Sx500 
devices, on the other hand, must always be set to work in Layer 2 or Layer 3 system 
mode. Therefore, when this section refers to a device that works in Layer 3 system 
mode, this refers to all SG500X devices in Native stacking mode and those devices 
that have been manually set to Layer 3 system mode. When this document refers to 
a device that works in Layer 2 system mode, this refers to all Sx500 devices and 
SG500X devices (in Hybrid mode) that have been manually set to Layer 2 mode.
Some features are only available in Layer 2 or Layer 3 system mode, as described 
below: 
• In Layer 2 system mode (only Sx500 devices), the device operates as a 
Layer 2 VLAN-aware device, and has no routing capabilities.
• In Layer 3 system mode, the device has IP routing capabilities as well as 
Layer 2 system mode capabilities. In this system mode, a Layer 3 port still 
retains much of the Layer 2 functionality, such as Spanning Tree Protocol 
and VLAN membership.