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Catalyst 2950 Desktop Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter 3 Getting Started with CMS
Features

Features

CMS pro vides these featu res (see Figure 3-1) for managing switch clusters and individual switches from
Web browsers such as Nets cape Comm unica tor or Mic rosoft In tern et Expl orer:
•Two views of your network that can be displayed at the same time:
–
The Fron t Panel view displays the fr ont-pan el ima ge of a speci fic switch or the front-pa nel
images of all switches in a cluster. From this view, you can select multiple ports or multiple
switches and configure them with the same settings.
When CMS is laun ched from a com mand switch , th e Front Panel view displays the front- panel
images of all switches in the cluster. When CMS is launched from a noncommand switch, the
Front Panel view displays only the fron t panel of the specific switch.
Note CMS from a st and alon e sw itch or from a nonc om mand switc h is re fer red to a s Device
Manager (also referred to as Switch Manager). Device Manager is for configuring an
individual switch. When you select Device Manager for a specific switch in the cluster ,
you launch a se parate CM S session. The Device Manager i nterface can vary betwee n
the Catalyst switch platforms.
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The T opology view displays a network map that uses icons that represent switch clusters, cluster
members, clu ster ca ndidates, n eighbor ing de vic es that are not eligi ble to join a cluster, and link
types. From th is vie w, you can selec t multiple switches and co nfig ure them to r un with the same
settings. You can also display link information in the form of link reports and link graphs.
This vi ew is available onl y w he n CM S is launc he d fr om a c om mand sw itch.
•Menus and t oolb ar to ac cess configura tion and m anagem ent opti ons:
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The menu bar provides the co mplet e list of option s for managin g a single swi tch and switch
clusters.
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The tool bar provides buttons for comm only used sw itch an d cluster co nfiguration opti ons and
inform ation windows such as legend s and online help .
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The port popup menu, in the Front Panel view, provides options specific for configuring and
monitoring switch ports.
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The device pop up menu, in e ith er t he Fr ont Panel o r the Topology views, provides swi tch a nd
cluster configuration and monitoring options.
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The candidate, member, and link popup menus provide options for configuring and monitoring
devices and l ink s i n the Top ology vi ew.
The toolba r and pop up menus provide quick ways to access fre quen tly used menu -bar option s.
•Tools to simplify configuration tasks:
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Interactive modes—guide mode and expert mode—that control the presentation of some
comp lex configuration opt ions .
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Wizards that require minimal information from you to configure some complex features.
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Comprehe ns ive online he lp t hat provide s h ig h-level conc ep ts and pr ocedu re s f or perf orm ing
tasks from the window.