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Catalyst 2900 Series XL and Catalyst 3500 Series XL Software Configuration Guide
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Chapter 1 Overview
Management Options
Management Options
The Catalyst 2900 XL and Catalyst 3500 XL switches are designed for plug-and-play operation: you
only need to assign basic IP information to the switch and connect it to the other devices in your network.
If you have specific network needs, you can configure and monitor the switch—on an individual basis
or as part of a switch cluster—through its various management interfaces.
This section discusses these topics:
•
“Management Interface Options” section on page 1-6
•
“Advantages of Using CMS and Clustering Switches” section on page 1-7
Management Interface Options
You can configure and monitor individual switches and switch clusters by using these interfaces:
•
CMS—CMS is a graphical user interface that can be launched from anywhere in your network
through a web browser such as Netscape Communicator or Microsoft Internet Explorer. CMS is
already installed on the switch. Using CMS, you can fully configure and monitor a standalone
switch, a specific cluster member, or an entire switch cluster. You can also display network
topologies to gather link information and to display switch images to modify switch- and port-level
settings.
For more information about CMS, see
Chapter 2, “Getting Started with CMS.”
•
CLI—The switch IOS CLI software is enhanced to support desktop-switching features. You can
fully configure and monitor the switch and switch cluster members from the CLI. You can access
the CLI either by connecting your management station directly to the switch console port or by using
Telnet from a remote management station.
For more information about the CLI, see
Chapter 3, “Getting Started with the CLI.”
•
SNMP—SNMP provides a means to monitor and control the switch and switch cluster members.
You can manage switch configuration settings, performance, security, and collect statistics by using
SNMP management applications such as CiscoWorks2000 LAN Management Suite (LMS) and HP
OpenView.
You can manage the switch from an SNMP-compatible management station that is running
platforms such as HP OpenView or SunNet Manager. The switch supports a comprehensive set of
MIB extensions and four RMON groups.
For more information about using SNMP, see the
“SNMP Network Management Platforms” section
on page 4-5
.