Cisco Systems 2950 Candidate Switch and Member Switch Characteristics

7-4
Catalyst2950 and Catalyst2955 Switch Software Configuration Guide
78-11380-10
Chapter7 Clustering Switches
Understanding Switch Clusters
•If a non-LRE Catalyst 2950 standby command switch is running a release earlier than Cisco IOS
Release12.1(9)EA1, it is connected to the command switch and to other standby command switches
and member switches through its management VLAN.
Note Non-LRE Catalyst 2950 command switches running Cisco IOS Release 12.1(9)EA1 or later
can connect to standby command switches in the management VLAN.
•It is redundantly connected to the cluster so that connectivity to member switches is maintained.
•It is not a command or member switch of another cluster.
Note Standby cluster command switches must be the same type of switches as the cluster command switch.
For example, if the cluster command switch is a Catalyst 2955 swit ch, the stan dby c lus ter c om mand
switches must also be Catalyst 2955 switches. When the command swi tch is a non-LR E Cata lyst 2950
switch running Cisco IOS Release 12.1(6)EA2 or later, all standby command switches must be non-LRE
Catalyst 2950 switches running Cisco IOS Release 12.1(6)EA2 or later.
Refer to the switch configuration guide of other cluster-capable switches for their requirements on
standby cluster command switches.
Candidate Switch and Member Switch Characteristics
Candidate switches are cluster-capable switches that have not yet been added to a cluster. Member
switches are switches that have actually been added to a switch cluster. Although not required, a
candidate or member switch can have its own IP address and password (for related considerations, see
the “IP Addresses” section on page7-14 and “Passwords” section on page 7-15).
To join a cluster, a candidate switch must meet these requirements:
•It is running cluster-capable software.
•It has CDP Version 2 enabled.
•It is not a command or member switch of another cluster.
•A Catalyst 2950 LRE or Catalyst 2955 member or candidate switch is connected to the command
switch through at least one common VLAN.
•If a non-LRE Catalyst 2950 member or candidate switch is running Cisco IOS Release 12.1(9)EA1
or later, it is connected to the command switch through at least one common VLAN.
•If a non-LRE Catalyst 2950 member or candidate switch is running a release earlier than Cisco IO S
Release 12.1(9)EA1, it is connected to the command switch through th e co mman d-sw it ch
management VLAN.
Note Non-LRE Catalyst 2950 standby command switches running Cisco IOS Release 12.1(9)EA1 or later can
connect to candidate and member switches in VLANs different from their management VLANs.