Specifications

Distribution Layer April 2014
51
At this point you should be able to see that port-channel 63 and 64 are up, and both links are active on
standalone switch #1 and standalone switch #2 respectively. The switches are not in VSS mode yet.
VSS-Sw1# show etherchannel 63 port
VSS-Sw2# show etherchannel 64 port
The previous two commands show the same output below.
Ports in the group:
-------------------
Port: Te5/4
------------
Port state = Up Mstr In-Bndl
…
Port: Te5/5
------------
Port state = Up Mstr In-Bndl
…
Step 4: Enable virtual switch mode operation.
Now that a port-channel has been established between the switches, convert each switch to virtual switch
mode operation. At the enable prompt (that is, not in configuration mode) on each switch, enter the following
commands for each switch.
On standalone switch #1:
VSS-Sw1# switch convert mode virtual
On standalone switch #2:
VSS-Sw2# switch convert mode virtual
When asked if you want to proceed, answer yes.
Each switch now renumbers its interfaces from interface y/z (where y is the slot number and z is the interface
number) to interface x/y/z (where x is the switch number, y is the module number in that switch, and z is the
interface on that module). This numbering scheme allows the two chassis to be addressed and configured as a
single system from a single supervisor, which is the supervisor with the active control plane.
Once the configuration changes, it prompts you to save the configuration to bootflash. Press Return <CR> or
Enter to accept the destination filename and location on each switch.
Both switches reload. The switch pair negotiates using VSLP over the VSL and becomes a VSS, with one of the
switches resolved as the ACTIVE supervisor for the merged VSS switch. All configuration commands now must
be entered on the single active switch console. The other physical chassis in the VSS pair contains the STANDBY
HOT supervisor with a console port that displays the Standby prompt.
Use the following command to verify that both switches can see each other, that they are in SSO mode, and that
the second supervisor is in STANDBY HOT status.
VSS-Sw1#show switch virtual redundancy
Confirm that the two Cisco Catalyst 6500 or Catalyst 6880-X switches are now operating as a single VSS
system by using configuration mode to rename the switch hostname.
VSS-Sw1(config)#hostname D6500-VSS
D6500-VSS(config)#