Specifications

Startup and General Configuration Summary
Configuring Switches in a Stack
SecureStack A2 Configuration Guide 2-19
2.1.10 Configuring Switches in a Stack
About SecureStack A2 Switch Operation in a Stack
The SecureStack A2 products are stackable switches that can be adapted and scaled to help meet
your network needs. These switches provide a management platform and uplink to a network
backbone for a stacked group of up to eight SecureStack A2 switches.
Once installed in a stack, the switches behave and perform as a single unit. As such, you can start
with a single unit and add more units as your network expands. You can also mix different products
in the family in a single stack to provide a desired combination of port types and functions to match
the requirements of individual applications. In all cases, a stack of units performs as one large
product, and is managed as a single network entity.
When switches are installed and connected as described in the SecureStack A2 Installation Guide,
the following occurs during initialization:
• The switch that will manage the stack is automatically established. This is known as the manager
switch.
• All other switches are established as members in the stack.
• The hierarchy of the switches that will assume the function of backup manager is also
determined in case the current manager malfunctions, is powered down, or is disconnected from
the stack.
• The console port on the manager switch remains active for out-of-band (local) switch
management, but the console port on each member switch is deactivated. This enables you to set
the IP address and system password using a single console port. Now each switch can be
configured locally using only the manager’s console port, or inband using a remote device and
the CLI set of commands described in this section.
Once a stack is created (more than one switch is interconnected), the following procedure occurs:
1. By default, unit IDs are arbitrarily assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
2. Unit IDs are saved against each unit. Then, every time a board is power-cycled, it will initialize
with the same unit ID. This is important for port-specific information (for example: fe.4.12 is
the 12th Fast Ethernet port on Unit # 4).
NOTE: It is possible on a standalone A2 switch to configure the two stack ports as standard
Gigabit Ethernet Ports. For more information refer to Section 2.1.10.1.