Stack Construction Methods; The Stack Interactive-Setup Utility - Arris Ruckus ICX 7850 Series Configuration Manual

Building a Stack

Stack construction methods

Stack construction methods
NOTE
The principles outlined in stack construction scenarios apply to all ICX devices. Figures used to illustrate a certain stack
topology are not necessarily representative of other devices. For illustrations specific to a particular device, refer to the
stack configuration section for that device, which also contains device-specific stacking considerations.
There are several ways to build a stack.
1. The stack interactive-setup utility. Interactive-setup gives you control over the design of your stack topology and
provides security through password verification. Ruckus recommends interactive-setup because it provides the flexibility
to choose stack members and their IDs. As you create the stack, you can see the topology and any potential connection
errors. Refer to Scenario 1 - Using stack interactive-setup to create a stack
2. Stack zero-touch provisioning. With this method, after all members are connected, you configure stack zero-touch-
enable on the unit that will ultimately serve as the stack active controller. All other units must be clean units, without
startup or running configuration. The zero-touch provisioning process is triggered every three minutes in background.
The results of the process are equivalent to running stack interactive-setup utility option 2 and accepting all suggested
values. Refer to Scenario 2 - Using zero-touch provisioning to configure a stack
3. Manual stack configuration. With this method, you configure every unit individually and enable stacking on each unit.
Once the units are connected together, they automatically operate as a stack. The unit with the highest priority becomes
the active controller, and ID assignment is determined by the sequence in which you physically connect the units. Refer
to Scenario 3 - Manually configuring a three member stack in a ring topology

The stack interactive-setup utility

NOTE
Stack interactive-setup works for units within a single stack. It does not work across stacks.
Stack interactive-setup lets you easily configure your entire stack through the active controller, which propagates the
configuration to all stack members. Stack interactive-setup is the most secure way to build a stack and gives you the most control
over how your stack is built. For example, stack interactive-setup offers three security features that prevent unauthorized devices
from accessing or joining a stack:
• Authentication of stack interactive-setup packets provides verification that these packets are from a genuine Ruckus
stack unit. MD5-based port verification confirms stacking ports.
• A superuser password is required to allow password-protected devices to become members of a stack.
• The stack disable command prevents a unit from listening for or sending stacking packets. When a unit is stack-
disabled, no other device in the network can force the unit to join a stack.
NOTE
You can configure multiple passwords such as super-user, local-user, and telnet for a standalone unit or a stack. The
stack interactive-setup process uses only the super-user password configured by the enable super-user-password
command.
Stack interactive-setup can also be used to add units to an existing stack and to change the stack IDs of stack members.
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on page 57 for more information.
on page 77 for more information.
on page 83 for more information.
Ruckus FastIron Stacking Configuration Guide, 08.0.90
Part Number: 53-1005572-01