Cisco Systems DOC-7814982 Creating a Switch Cluster

6-19

Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Software Configuration Guide

78-14982-01

Chapter 6 Clustering Swit ches Creating a Switch Cluster

The menu bar on the command switc h displays all optio ns available from the switch cluste 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 switch is in the cluster.

Creating a Switch Cluster

Using CMS to create a cluster is easier than using the CLI commands. This section provides this

information:

•Enablin g a Comma nd Switch, page 6-19

•Adding Me mber Switche s, page 6-20

•Creating a Cluster Standby G roup, p age 6-22

•Verifyi ng a Switch Cluster, page 6-24

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” se ctio n on

page 6-5.

Note Refer to the release notes for th e list of Catalyst switch es eligible for switch cluste ring, includin g which

ones can be com mand switc hes and whic h ones can only be member switc hes, and for the require d

software versions an d browser and Java plug-in co nfiguration s.

The sw itc h you de sign at e a s th e co mm an d swi tc h mu st m eet the requi r emen ts de scri bed i n th e

“Command Switch Characteristics” section on page 6-3, the “Planni ng a Swit ch Clu ster” sect ion on

page 6-5, and the release notes.

Note • We strongly recommend that the highest-end, command-capable switch in the cluster be the

comm an d s witc h:

–

If your switch cluster has a Catalyst 3550 switch, that switch should be the command switch.

–

If your switch cluster has Catalyst 2900 XL, Catalyst 2950, and Catalyst 3500 XL switches, the

Catalyst 2950 sh ould be t h e co mm an d swi tc h.

–

If your switch c luster has Cata lyst 1 900, Catal yst 2820 , Catalyst 2900 X L, and

Catalyst 3500 XL switches, either the Catalyst 2900 XL or Catalyst 3500 XL should be the

comm an d s witc h.

You can en able a comman d switch , name the cl uster, and assign an IP addre ss and a password to the

command switch when you run the setup program during initial switch setup. For information about

using the setup program, refer to the release notes.