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receives handshake or management packets from the management switch; otherwise, it changes its
state to Disconnect.
•
If communication between the management switch and a member switch is recovered, the member
switch which is in Disconnect state will be added to the cluster, and the state of the member switch
locally and on the management switch will be changed to Active.
•
Also, a member switch sends handshake packets to inform the management switch when there is a
neighbor topology change.
Management VLAN
The management VLAN is a VLAN used for communication in a cluster; it limits the cluster management
range. Through configuration of the management VLAN, the following functions can be implemented:
•
Management packets (including NDP, NTDP and handshake packets) are restricted within the
management VLAN. This isolates them from other packets, which enhances security.
•
The management switch and the member switches communicate with each other through the
management VLAN.
For a cluster to work normally, you must set the packets from the management VLAN to pass the ports
connecting the management switch and the member/candidate switches (including the cascade ports).
Therefore:
•
If the packets from the management VLAN cannot pass a port, the switch connected with the port
cannot be added to the cluster. Therefore, if the ports (including the cascade ports) connecting the
management switch and the member/candidate switches prohibit the packets from the
management VLAN, you can set the packets from the management VLAN to pass the ports on
candidate switches with the management VLAN auto-negotiation function.
•
Normally, only the packets with tags from the management VLAN can pass the ports. However, you
can set packets without tags from the management VLAN to pass the ports if the default VLAN ID
of the cascade ports and of the ports connecting the management switch and the
member/candidate switches is the same as that of the management VLAN.
NOTE:
•
If a candidate switch is connected to a management switch through another candidate switch, the ports
between the two candidate switches are cascade ports.
•
For more information about VLAN, see
Layer 2—LAN Switching Configuration Guide.
Cluster management configuration task list
Before configuring a cluster, you need to determine the roles and functions the switches play. You also
need to configure the related functions, preparing for the communication between switches within the
cluster.
Complete these tasks to configure cluster management functions:
Task
Remarks
Enabling NDP globally and for specific ports
Optional
Optional
Enabling NTDP globally and for specific ports
Optional
Configuring the
management switch
Optional