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Chapter 3: Connecting the Switch
Configuring Units and Ports
Linksys One Ready Communications Solution
Chapter
3
manually-set Unit ID number are shut down because the Stack Master cannot override the
system administrator’s assignment and resolve the conflict.
If there are more units than the maximum number allowed in a stack, and the incoming units
are already in factory default mode (they do not have unit ID assigned), then a Stack Master
is elected following the Master Discovery and Master Election processes. All other units
remain shut down.
Occasionally, due to a race condition during the boot process, some of the units might be
connected and join the stack. If the incoming units already have a unit ID, then none of them
will join the stack and all are left in shutdown mode because there is no way for the Stack
Master to determine their Unit ID preference.
Configuring Units and Ports
After the Master Discovery and Master Election processes, each unit in the stack has a
unique Unit ID, one of the units is the Stack Master, and one of the units may serve as the
Backup Master. The Stack Master then configures each of the member units and its ports
according to the configuration file present on the Stack Master. If the stack has a Backup
Master, the configuration file is copied to the Backup Master.
After all the units and ports are configured, the stack enters normal operational mode. If a
change is made to the system configuration, the change is stored by the Stack Master and is
copied to the Backup Master if one exists.
You can use the command-line interface (CLI) or GUI to configure the stack units.
NOTE:
If a unit is shut down, its stacking links are
inactive. If the stacking units are connected in a chain
topology, the shutdown of one unit breaks the chain and
can cause other units to be shut down if they have no
active link to the Stack Master unit.
