Restoring operation after disconnecting a stacking cable

If a stacking cable becomes disconnected from one of the switches in the stack, the effect depends on the stacking topology that is being used:

• Mesh—The stack topology is temporarily changed to a ring. To recover, simply reconnect the stacking cable; the mesh topology and the previous stack configuration is restored.

• Ring—There is little effect. The stack topology is temporarily changed to a chain topology. To recover, simply reconnect the stacking cable; the ring topology and the previous stack configuration is restored.

• Chain—The following occurs:

  • The smaller section (fragment) of the stack that results from the disconnection becomes Inactive (the Stack Status value shown in the output of the show stacking command is Inactive.

  • If the two resulting fragments are the same size, the fragment that contains the Commander will be Active, and the other fragment becomes Inactive.

  • Both fragments will have a Commander and a Standby selected (if there is more than one switch in each fragment).

  • When the stacking cable is reconnected to reform the chain:

    • The Commander and Standby of the Active fragment retain those roles for the resulting stack. If the original Commander was not in that fragment, then the stack will have a new Commander when the stack is reformed.

    • The switches in the Inactive fragment reboot and assume their new roles in the reformed chain.