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Catalyst 2940 Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter5 Clustering Switches Creating a Switch Cluster

LRE Profiles

In Cisco IOS Release 12.1(14)EA1 or later, the Catalyst 2950 LRE switches do no t sup por t pu blic
profiles.
In software releases earlier than Cisco IOS Release 12.1(19)EA1, a configuration conflict occurs if a
switch cluster has Long-Reach Ethernet (LRE) switches that use both private and public profiles. If one
LRE switch in a cluster is assigned a public profile, all LRE switches in that cluster must ha v e that same
public profile. Before you add an LRE switch to a cluster, make sure that you assign it the same public
profile used by other LRE switches in the cluster.
A cluster can have a mix of LRE switches that use different private profiles.

Availability of Switch-Specific Features in Switch Clusters

The menu bar on the command switch displays all options available from the switch clust e r. Therefore,
features specific to a member switch are available from the command-switch menu bar. For example,
Device > LRE Profile appears in the command-switch menu bar when at least one
Catalyst 2900 LRE XL or Cat aly st 29 50 LR E swit ch is in th e c lust er.
Creating a Switch Cluster
Using CMS to create a cluster is easier than using the CLI commands. This section provides this
information:
•Enabling a Command Switch, page 5-15
•Adding Member Switches, page 5-16
•Creating a Cluster Standby Group, page 5-19
•Verifying a Switch Cluster, page 5-20
This section assumes you have already cabled the switches, as described in the switch hardware
installation guide, and followed the guidelines described in the “Planning a Switch Cluster” section on
page 5-3.
Note Refer to the release notes for the list of Catalyst switches eligible for switch clustering, including which
ones can be command switches and which ones can only be member switches. See Chapter 5,
“Clustering Switches,” for the required software versions and browser and Java plug-in configurations.

Enabling a Command Switch

The switch you designate as the command switch must m eet the requi r emen ts de scri bed i n th e
“Command Switch Characteristics” section on page 5-2, the “Planning a Switch Cluster” sec tion on
page 5-3, and the release notes.