Master And Member Switches; Stack Startup; Topology Discovery; Auto Stack Id Assignment - Dell 6224 - PowerConnect Switch - Stackable Getting Started Manual

Managing a Stack

Master and Member Switches

A stack of switches can be managed as a single entity when connected together. The stack can be managed
from a web-based interface, an SNMP management station, or a CLI. When a stack is created, one switch
automatically becomes the master switch. You can manually allocate an IP address to the master switch using the
console, or let DHCP do so automatically. Afterwards, you can manage the entire stack through the IP address of
the Master Switch. The Master Switch detects and reconfigures the ports with minimal operational impact in
the event of:
• Switch failure
• Inter-switch stacking link failure
• Switch insertion
• Switch removal
If the Master Switch goes off line, any of the Member Switches in the stack can replace it. The system will elect
a new Master Switch and reconfigure the System Configuration for the stack.

Stack Startup

Topology Discovery

When a stack is formed, a topology discovery process builds up a database that contains information about all of
the switches in the stack, including the Firmware Version, Hardware Version, Management Preference, Switch
MAC Address, and Switch Serial Number. You can use the command line interface or the Web interface to view
this information.
See the CLI Reference Manual and the User's Guide for assistance with the CLI and Web interface, respectively.

Auto Stack ID Assignment

During the stack formation process, every switch is assigned a Stack ID. Once Stack ID assignment is complete,
each switch saves its Stack ID into the nonvolatile FLASH memory. You can use the CLI or the Web interface
to view the stack IDs.

Firmware Version Checking

Following Stack ID assignment, the Master Switch performs a consistency check to make sure that all switches
in the stack are running the same firmware version.
If the switch software versions do not match, then the ports on the member switch will not become valid for
operation. This condition is known as the Suspended Stacking Mode. You can then synchronize the firmware
on the member switch with the firmware that is running on the Master Switch.
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Getting Started Guide