Chapter 6 Clustering Switches

Planning a Switch Cluster

Automatic Discovery of Cluster Candidates and Members

The cluster command switch uses Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) to discover cluster member switches, candidate switches, neighboring switch clusters, and edge devices across multiple VLANs and in star or cascaded topologies.

Note Do not disable CDP on the cluster command switch, on cluster members, or on any cluster-capable switches that you might want a cluster command switch to discover. For more information about CDP, see Chapter 27, “Configuring CDP.”

Following these connectivity guidelines ensures automatic discovery of the switch cluster, cluster candidates, connected switch clusters, and neighboring edge devices:

Discovery Through CDP Hops, page 6-5

Discovery Through Non-CDP-Capable and Noncluster-Capable Devices, page 6-6

Discovery Through Different VLANs, page 6-7

Discovery Through Different Management VLANs, page 6-8

Discovery Through Routed Ports, page 6-9

Discovery of Newly Installed Switches, page 6-10

Discovery Through CDP Hops

By using CDP, a cluster command switch can discover switches up to seven CDP hops away (the default is three hops) from the edge of the cluster. The edge of the cluster is where the last cluster member switches are connected to the cluster and to candidate switches. For example, cluster member switches 9 and 10 in Figure 6-1are at the edge of the cluster.

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

 

OL-9775-02

6-5

 

 

 

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Cisco Systems 3750E manual Automatic Discovery of Cluster Candidates and Members, Discovery Through CDP Hops