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Cluster management configuration
Cluster management overview
Why cluster management
Cluster management is an effective way to manage large numbers of dispersed network switches in
groups. Cluster management offers the following advantages:
•
Saves public IP address resources. You do not have to assign one public IP address for every cluster
member switch.
•
Simplifies configuration and management tasks. By configuring a public IP address on one switch,
you can configure and manage a group of switches without the trouble of logging in to each switch
separately.
•
Provides a useful topology discovery and display function for network monitoring and debugging.
•
Allows simultaneous software upgrading and parameter configuration on multiple switches, free
from topology and distance limitations.
Roles in a cluster
The switches in a cluster play different roles according to their different functions and status. You can
specify the following three roles for the switches:
•
Management switch (Administrator)—Providing management interfaces for all switches in a cluster
and the only switch configured with a public IP address. You can specify one and only one
management switch for a cluster. Any configuration, management, and monitoring of the other
switches in a cluster can only be implemented through the management switch. When a switch is
specified as the management switch, it collects related information to discover and define
candidate switches.
•
Member switch (Member)—A switch managed by the management switch in a cluster.
•
Candidate switch (Candidate)—A switch that does not yet belong to any cluster but can be added
to a cluster. Different from a member switch, its topology information has been collected by the
management switch but it has not been added to the cluster.