Manually Adding Nodes to a Stack

Tip

Tip

For an easier, automatic way to add or replace a node, see Automatically Adding or Replacing Nodes in a Stack.

Adding a new switch, or node, to an active stack topology is similar to bringing up a new stack.

Note

Note

If the node being added is actually a replacement node for one that was previously removed, see Replacing a Node with the Same Switch Type or Replacing a Node with a Different Switch Type.
Note

Note

If the stack will use MPLS, only the 5520 switch can act as primary and backup.

Review the general and model-specific configuration guidelines for the node you are installing. These guidelines are described in the hardware installation guide for your switch.

The examples in the following procedure assume that your current stack has four nodes and you are adding a new node at slot 5.

To manually add a node to a stack:

  1. Before connecting the new node to the stack, prepare it as follows:
    1. Turn off stacking auto-discovery by using the following command:
      configure stacking-support auto-discovery [disable | enable]
    2. With the power off, install any required option cards as described in the hardware installation guide for your switch.
    3. Power on the new node.
    4. Use the show switch command to verify that the new node's software is compatible with the stack:
      • The new node must run the same ExtremeXOS version as the stack. Install the correct version if necessary.
      • The ExtremeXOS software must be booted on the same image (primary or secondary) as the stack. If the new node is booted on a different image, change the image before you continue.
    5. Use the enable stacking command to enable stacking. Then decline the Easy Setup option.
    6. Configure a unique slot number for the new node (see Configuring Slot Numbers).
      Select the lowest slot number that is not already in use in the stack. In the following example, the new node has MAC address 00:04:96:26:6c:92 and is assigned to slot 5.
      Switch.3 # configure stacking node-address 00:04:96:26:6c:92 slot-number 5
This command will take effect at the next reboot of the specified node(s).
    7. Configure the node's primary-capability to correspond to the role it should have in the stack (see Configuring Master-Capability).
    8. If the new node will operate as a primary-capable node, use the show licenses command to verify that the enabled license level is at the same level as the primary-capable nodes in the stack.
      If necessary, configure the license-level restriction of the new node to be same as the other primary-capable nodes in the stack (see Managing Licenses on a Stack).
    9. Configure the node role priority to correspond to the priority it should have in the stack (see Configuring the Primary, Backup, and Standby Roles).
    10. Configure an alternate IP address and gateway (see Configuring an Alternate IP Address and Gateway).
    11. If the new node will use the SummitStack-V feature, configure the alternate stacking ports as described in Use Ethernet Ports for Stacking (SummitStack-V Feature).
  2. Connect the stacking cables to the new node.
    The connections should be made such that the new node appears in the natural position in the stack and in the slot. The following example adds a new node that becomes slot 5.
    • Break the connection between slot 4 port 2 and slot 1 port 1.
    • Connect slot 5 port 1 (the new node) to slot 4 port 2.
    • Connect slot 5 port 2 (the new node) to slot 1 port 1.

    For more information about cabling, see the hardware installation guide for your switch.

  3. Reboot the new node.
  4. At the stack primary node, enter the command synchronize stacking node-address node-address.
  5. Reboot the new node by entering the command reboot node-address node-address].
  6. Optional: Run the show stacking and show slot commands, as shown in the following example, to verify that the configuration is what you want. 
    Slot-1 Stack.1 # show stacking
Stack Topology is a Ring
Active Topology is a Ring
Node MAC Address    Slot  Stack State  Role     Flags
------------------  ----  -----------  -------  ---
*00:04:96:9c:e4:39  1     Active       Master   CA-
00:04:96:9b:c1:34   2     Active       Backup   CA-
00:04:96:9e:5c:76   3     Active       Standby  CA-
00:04:96:9c:53:b6   4     Active       Standby  CA-
00:04:96:26:6c:92   5     Active       Standby  CA-
* - Indicates this node
Flags:  (C) Candidate for this active topology, (A) Active Node
        (O) node may be in Other active topology

Slot-1 Stack.2 # show slot
Slots    Type                 Configured           State       Ports
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Slot-1   5420-24t-4xe                              Operational   28
Slot-2   5420-24p-4xe                              Operational   28
Slot-3                                             Empty          0
Slot-4                                             Empty          0
Slot-5                                             Empty          0
Slot-6                                             Empty          0
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