Initial Installation and Power-up of a Stack

Use the following steps to install and power-up a stack of switches:

1. Install units in rack whenever possible to prevent the units and cables from being disturbed
2. Install all stacking cables. Fully connect all cables, including the redundant stack link. We highly recommend that a redundant link be installed because this provides stack resiliency.
3. Identify the unit to be the manager. Power this unit up first.
4. To set up a stack, complete the following steps:
   1. Make sure there is a 200 Series image on each box.
   2. If the image does not exist or needs to be updated, use TFTP or xmodem to perform the update operation.
5. Monitor the console port. Allow this unit to come up to the login prompt. If the unit has the default configuration, it should come up as unit #1, and will automatically become a manager unit. If not, renumber the unit as desired.
6. If desired, preconfigure other units to be added to the stack. See Preconfiguration.
7. Power on a second unit, making sure it is adjacent (next physical unit in the stack) to the unit already powered up. This will ensure the second unit comes up as a member of the stack, and not a “Manager” of a separate stack.
8. Monitor the manager unit to see that the second unit joins the stack. Use the show switch command to determine when the unit joins the stack. It will be assigned a unit number (unit #2, if it has the default configuration).
9. If desired, renumber this stack unit. See Renumbering Stack Members for recommendations for renumbering stack members.
10. Repeat steps 6 through 9 to add additional members to the stack. Always power on a unit adjacent to the units already in the stack.