Table 18: Stacking Worksheet Columns - Allied Telesis AlliedWare Plus Installation Manual

Chapter 2: Virtual Chassis Stacking
80
The worksheet columns are described in Table 18.
Table 18. Stacking Worksheet Columns
Column
Switch/Location
Switch ID
Priority
Description
Use this column to record the model names and
physical locations of the switches, such as their
buildings or equipment rooms. The information
can be useful in identifying and locating the
switches if they are in different locations.
Each switch in a stack has to have a unique ID
number, in the range of 1 to 4. They display the
numbers on the ID LEDs on the front panels and
you use the numbers to configure the individual
ports. Allied Telesis recommends assigning the
ID 1, the default value, to the master switch. You
should decide on the ID assignments of the
switches before beginning the configuration
procedures.
When the switches of a stack are reset or
powered on, they perform an initialization process
that involves, in part, choosing the master switch.
The selection is based on their priority numbers
and MAC addresses. The former is an adjustable
parameter with a range of 0 to 255 and a default
value of 128. The lower the value, the higher the
priority. Thus, the switch with the lowest value
becomes the stack master.
If switches have the same priority number, the
master is selected based on their MAC
addresses. Again, as with priority numbers, the
lower the MAC address, the higher the priority.
Allied Telesis recommends setting each switch's
priority value to match its ID value. This is to
ensure that the switch you have chosen to be the
master unit will indeed function in that role. It will
also make it possible for you to know the order in
which the switches assume the master role if the
primary master should fail or be powered off.