D-Link DGS-3100 Assigning Unit IDs, Defining a Stacking Master, Defining Stacking Members

DGS-3100 Series Gigabit Stackable Managed Switch User Manual

Stacking members maintain the assigned Unit ID even after the stacking member is rebooted. The Stack Master may reallocate IDs during system initialization to resolve duplicate ID conflicts. Manually assigned IDs cannot be changed by the Stack Master, even if there is a conflict.

Unit ID assignments or modifications are effective only during system initialization, and do not occur during the system up- time.

Stacking members do not have to be numbered in sequence, and can be interconnected, as long as each stacking has a unique ID, and at least, one stacking member serves as the Stack Master.

Assigning Unit IDs

Each stacking member has an assigned unique Unit ID. Unit ID numbers are assigned as follows:

•Unit ID 1 - Assigned to the Stack Master. The Stack Master is indicated by the Master LED on front which is lit solid green.

•Unit ID 2 - Assigned to the Backup Master

•Unit ID 3, 4, 5, and 6 - Assigned to Stacking members.

NOTE: There are cases in which a unit to which Unit ID 1 is assigned is not the stack Master but a Backup Master.

This section contains the following topics:

•Defining a Stacking Master

•Defining a Stacking Back Up Master

•Defining Stacking Members

•Master Enabled Stacking Members

•Electing a Stacking Master

Defining a Stacking Master

The stacking member assigned the Unit ID1 operates as the Stack Master.

The Stack Master provides a single point of control, configuration, and management for the entire stack. In addition, the Stack Master stores all stack member configuration. The individual stacking members do not store any configuration information.

Defining a Stacking Back Up Master

The stacking member assigned the Unit ID 2 is defined as the stack’s Backup Master.

In addition to being a stack member, Backup Master serves as a backup in case the Stack Master fails or disconnected. If the Stack Master fails or disconnected, the Backup Master takes over as the Stack Master.

The Stack Master stores an active configuration which copied on the Backup Master. The active configuration copy is used if the Backup Master takes over for the Stack Master. Only the configuration file is copied. Any dynamically filled tables, for example, learnt address, are not copied from the Stack Master to the Backup Master. If the Backup Master takes over the role of Stack Master, the Backup Master builds new dynamic tables.

Defining Stacking Members

Switches assigned the Unit IDs 3,4,5,6 are called stacking members. The Stack Master (or Backup Master if the Stack Master fails) manages the stack members operation. Stacking members cannot be directly managed or configured. If neither the Stack Master nor the Backup Master were operating, the stacking members cannot function.

Master Enabled Stacking Members

Only Stacking members assigned to Unit ID 1 or 2 are called Master Enabled stacking members. Only the Master Enabled stacking members participate in the Master Election process, and therefore can become master or backup master (that means the s with assigned IDs of 3, 4, 5 and 6 can never become neither a master nor a backup master unless their ID is changed by the system administrator or reset to the factory default firstly).

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