Cisco Systems 3750E manual Incompatible Software and Stack Member Image Upgrades

Chapter 5 Managing Switch Stacks

Understanding Switch Stacks

Note Auto-advise and auto-copy identify which images are running by examining the info file and by searching the directory structure on the switch stack. If you download your image by using the copy tftp: boot loader command instead of the archive download-swprivileged EXEC command, the proper directory structure is not created. For more information about the info file, see the “File Format of Images on a Server or Cisco.com” section on page B-21.

Incompatible Software and Stack Member Image Upgrades

You can upgrade a switch that has an incompatible universal software image by using the archive copy-swprivileged EXEC command. It copies the software image from an existing stack member to the one with incompatible software. That switch automatically reloads and joins the stack as a fully functioning member. For more information, see the “Copying an Image File from One Stack Member to Another” section on page B-35.

Switch Stack Configuration Files

The configuration files record these settings:

•System-level (global) configuration settings—such as IP, STP, VLAN, and SNMP settings—that apply to all stack members

•Stack member interface-specific configuration settings that are specific for each stack member

The stack master has the saved and running configuration files for the switch stack. All stack members periodically receive synchronized copies of the configuration files from the stack master. If the stack master becomes unavailable, any stack member assuming the role of stack master has the latest configuration files.

Note We recommend that all stack members run Cisco IOS Release 12.2(35)SE or later. The interface-specific settings of the stack master are saved if the stack master is replaced without saving the running configuration to the startup configuration.

When a new, out-of-box switch joins a switch stack, it uses the system-level settings of that switch stack. If a switch is moved to a different switch stack, that switch loses its saved configuration file and uses the system-level configuration of the new switch stack.

The interface-specific configuration of each stack member is associated with the stack member number. As mentioned in the “Stack Member Numbers” section on page 5-6, stack members retain their numbers unless they are manually changed or they are already used by another member in the same switch stack.

•If an interface-specific configuration does not exist for that member number, the stack member uses its default interface-specific configuration.

•If an interface-specific configuration exists for that member number, the stack member uses the interface-specific configuration associated with that member number.

If a stack member fails and you replace with it with an identical model, the replacement switch automatically uses the same interface-specific configuration as the failed switch. Hence, you do not need to reconfigure the interface settings. The replacement switch must have the same stack member number as the failed switch. For information about the benefits of provisioning a switch stack, see the “Switch Stack Offline Configuration” section on page 5-8.

Catalyst 3750-E and 3560-E Switch Software Configuration Guide

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