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Catalyst2950 Desktop Switch Software Configuration Guide
78-11380-05
Chapter6 Clustering Switches Planning a Switch Cluster
Discovery through the Same Management VLAN
A Catalyst 2900XL com mand switch, a Catal yst 2950 command switch running a releas e earl ier than
Release 12.1(9)EA1, or a Catalyst 3500 XL command switch must connect to all cluster members
through its management VLAN. The default management VLAN is VLAN 1. For more information
about management VLANs, see the Management VLAN section on page 6-19.
Note You can avoid this limitation by using, whenever possible, a Catalyst 3550 co mman d switc h or a
Catalyst 2950 command switch running Release 12.1(9)EA1 or later. These command switches can
manage cluster members even if they belong to different management VLANs. See the Discovery
through Different Management VLANs section on page 6-10.
The command switch in Figure 6-4 has ports assigned to management VLAN 9. It discovers all but these
switches:
Switches 7 and 10 because their management VLAN (VLAN4) is different from the
command-switch management VLAN (VLAN9)
Switch 9 because automatic discovery does not extend beyond a noncandidate device, which is
switch 7
Figure6-4 Discovery through the Same Management VLAN
Catalyst 1900,
Catalyst 2820,
Catalyst 2900 XL,
Catalyst 2950, and
Catalyst 3500 XL
switches
VLAN 9
VLAN trunk 4, 9
VLAN 9
VLAN 9
VLAN 9
VLAN 9 VLAN 9
Standby command switchCommand switch
VLAN 9
Switch 7
(management
VLAN 4)
Switch 9
(management
VLAN 9)
VLAN 4
65277
Catalyst 2900 XL, Catalyst 2950,
or Catalyst 3500 XL command
and standby command switches
Switch 3
(management
VLAN 9)
Switch 4
(management
VLAN 9)
Switch 10
(management
VLAN 4)
Switch 8
(management
VLAN 9)
Switch 6
(management
VLAN 9)
Switch 5
(management
VLAN 9)