5-2
Cisco IE 3010 Switch Software Configuration Guide
OL-23145-01
Chapter 5 Clustering Switches
Understanding Switch Clusters
• Management of switches regardless of their interconnection media and their physical locations. The
switches can be in the same location, or they can be distributed across a Laye r 2 or Layer 3 (if your
cluster is using a Catalyst 3550, Catalyst 3560, or Catalyst 3750 switch as a Layer 3 router between
the Layer 2 switches in the cluster) network.
Cluster members are connected to the cluster command switch according to the connectivity
guidelines described in the “Automatic Discovery of Cluster Candidates and Members” section on
page 5-4. This section includes management VLAN considerations f or the Catalyst 1900,
Catalyst 2820, Catalyst 2900 XL, Catalyst 2950, and Catalyst 3500 XL switches. For complete
information about these switches in a switch-cluster environment, ref er to the software
configuration guide for that specific switch.
• Command-switch redundancy if a cluster command switch fails. One or more switches can be
designated as standby cluster command switches to avoid loss of contact with cluster members. A
cluster standby group is a group of standby cluster command switches.
• Management of a variety of switches through a single IP address. This conserves on IP addresses,
especially if you have a limited number of them. All communication with the switch cluster is
through the cluster command switch IP address.
Table 5-1 lists the switches eligible for switch clustering, including which ones can be cluster command
switches and which ones can only be cluster member switches, and the required software versions.
Tab l e 5-1 Switch Software and Cluster Capability
Switch Cisco IOS Release Cluster Capability
IE 3010 switch 12.2(53)EZ or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 3750-X or Catalyst 3560-X 12.2(53)SE2 or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 3750-E or Catalyst 3560-E 12.2(35)SE2 or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 3750 12.1(11)AX or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 3560 12.1(19)EA1b or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 3550 12.1(4)EA1 or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 2975 12.2(46)EX or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 2970 12.1(11)AX or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 2960-S 12.2(53)SE or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 2960 12.2(25)FX or later Member or command switc h
Catalyst 2955 12.1(12c)EA1 or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 2950 12.0(5.2)WC(1) or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 2950 LRE 12.1(11)JY or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 2940 12.1(13)AY or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 3500 XL 12.0(5.1)XU or later Member or command switch
Catalyst 2900 XL (8-MB switches) 12.0(5.1)XU or later Member or command swi tch
Catalyst 2900 XL (4-MB switches) 11.2(8.5)SA6 (recommended) Member switch only
Catalyst 1900 and 2820 9.00(-A or -EN) or later Member switch only