Options for configuring a commander and candidates
Depending on how Commander and Candidate switches are configured, Candidates can join a stack either automatically or by a Commander manually adding (pulling) them into the stack. In the default configuration, a Candidate joins only when manually pulled by a Commander, but you can reconfigure a Commander to automatically pull in Candidates that are in the default stacking configuration. Also a Candidate switch can be re-configured to either "push" itself into a particular Commander's stack, convert the Candidate to a Commander (for a stack that does not already have a Commander), or to operate as a standalone switch without stacking. The following table shows your control options for adding Members to a stack.
Join Method 1 |
Commander (IP Addressing Required)Auto Grab |
Candidate (IP Addressing Optional)Auto Join |
Passwords |
---|---|---|---|
Automatically add Candidate to Stack Causes the first 15 eligible, discovered switches in the subnet to automatically join a stack. |
Yes |
Yes (default) |
No (default) |
Manually add Candidate to StackPrevent automatic joining of switches you don't want in the stack |
No (default) |
Yes (default) |
Optional1 |
Yes |
No |
Optional1 |
|
Yes |
Yes (default) or No |
Configured |
|
Prevent a switch from being a Candidate |
N/A |
Disabled |
Optional |
The Commander's Manager and Operator passwords propagate to the candidate when it joins the stack.
The easiest way to automatically create a stack is to:
- Configure a switch as a Commander.
- Configure IP addressing and a stack name on the Commander.
-
Set the Commander's
Auto Grab
parameter toYes
. - Connect Candidate switches (in their factory default configuration) to the network.
Auto Grab
parameter set to
Yes
, any switch conforming to all four of the following factors automatically becomes a stack Member:
Default stacking configuration (Stack State set to Candidate, and Auto Join set to Yes)
Same subnet (broadcast domain) and default VLAN as the Commander (If VLANs are used in the stack environment, see "Stacking Operation with Multiple VLANs Configured” on page Stacking operation with multiple VLANs configured.)
No Manager password
14 or fewer stack members at the moment