Specifications

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Catalyst 2950 and Catalyst 2955 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter 4 Getting Started with CMS
Menus and Toolbar
• If you launch CMS from a command switch, the menu bar displays the features supported on the
switches in the cluster, with these exceptions:
– If the command switch is a Layer 3 switch, such as a Catalyst 3550 switch, the menu bar
displays the features of all Layer 3 and Layer 2 switches in the cluster.
– If the command switch is a Layer 2 switch, such as a Catalyst 2950 or Catalyst 3500 XL switch,
the menu bar displays the features of all Layer 2 switches in the cluster. The menu bar does not
display Layer 3 features even if the cluster has Catalyst 3550 Layer 3 member switches.
• We strongly recommend that the highest-end, command-capable switch in the cluster be the
command switch:
– If your switch cluster has a Catalyst 3550 switch, that switch should be the command switch.
– If your switch cluster has Catalyst 2900 XL, Catalyst 2950, Catalyst 2955, and
Catalyst 3500 XL switches, the Catalyst 2950 or Catalyst 2955 switch should be the command
switch.
– If your switch cluster has Catalyst 1900, Catalyst 2820, Catalyst 2900 XL, and
Catalyst 3500 XL switches, either the Catalyst 2900 XL or Catalyst 3500 XL switch should be
the command switch.
• Standby command switches must meet these requirements:
– When the command switch is a Catalyst 3550 switch, all standby command switches must be
Catalyst 3550 switches.
– When the command switch is a Catalyst 2955 switch running Release 12.1(12c)EA1 or later, all
standby command switches must be Catalyst 2950 switches running Release 12.1(12c)EA1 or
later.
– When the command switch is a Catalyst 2950 switch running Release 12.1(9)EA1 or later, all
standby command switches must be Catalyst 2950 switches running Release 12.1(9)EA1 or
later.
• When the command switch is a Catalyst 2950 switch running Release 12.1(6)EA2 or later, all
standby command switches must be Catalyst 2950 switches running Release 12.1(6)EA2 or later.
– When the command switch is running Release 12.0(5)WC2 or earlier, the standby command
switches can be these switches: Catalyst 2900 XL, Catalyst 2950, and Catalyst 3500 XL
switches.
We strongly recommend that the command switch and standby command switches are of the same switch
platform and that both are running the same level of software (SI or EI). In the event of a failover, the
standby command switch must support the same configuration and services that are running on the
command switch.
Refer to the release notes for the Catalyst switches that can be part of a switch cluster.
Unless noted otherwise, the menu-bar options in the list that follows are available from a Catalyst 2950
or Catalyst 2955 command switch when the cluster contains only Catalyst 2950 or Catalyst 2955
member switches. The menu bar of the command switch displays all menu-bar options available from
the cluster, including options from member switches from other cluster-capable switch platforms.
Note Access modes affect the availability of features from CMS. Some CMS features are not available in
read-only mode. For more information about how access modes affect CMS, see the “Access Modes in
CMS” section on page 4-30.