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- #BROCADE SAN SWITCH STACKING TROUBLESHOOTING HOW TO#
- #BROCADE SAN SWITCH STACKING TROUBLESHOOTING SERIAL NUMBERS#
- #BROCADE SAN SWITCH STACKING TROUBLESHOOTING SERIAL NUMBER#
One thing I really like about Ruckus switches is that you can issue the command “show stack” and the switch will report back on the current switch topology. I don’t know anyone who builds their stacks this way so I apologize that this is upside-down an confusing but it does illustrate that switch one to switch two goes 3-to-1. In the diagram I included here, Ruckus numbered the switches from 1 to 4 from the bottom to the top.
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Now, again, I number my switches top to bottom. In the end I connect 3-to-1 | 3-to-1 | 3-to-1 all the way down. Then switch 2 stacking port 3 goes to switch 3 stacking port 1. For example, switch 1 stacking port 3 connects to switch 2 stacking port 1. I generally try to use the same ports all the way through a stack so I can easily figure out what’s connected to what. Ruckus ICX Switch Stack Diagram (in backwards order) On the 7150-48ZP the stacking ports are in the same place but the nomenclature is different so we use ports 1/2/1 and 1/2/3 there.
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I usually use the odd ports for stacking since they’re all rightside-up. Depending on the exact model of ICX switch you have, you’ll end up with either 2 or 4 ports eligible to become stacking ports (assuming your switch is licensed for more than 2x10GB ports). Unlike Cisco, which generally uses dedicated stacking ports on its stackable switches, the Ruckus ICX switches actually have 10GB dual-purpose ports. Next, go ahead and connect all the stacking cables. If your switches are not all running the same version of firmware they will not be able to join the stack!
#BROCADE SAN SWITCH STACKING TROUBLESHOOTING HOW TO#
If you need help with that process, we wrote an excellent article on How to do a Ruckus Switch Firmware Upgrade last year. Once the switches are stacked on the table, you’ll need to upgrade each of them to the current recommended firmware level. Just trust me and write down all the info.
#BROCADE SAN SWITCH STACKING TROUBLESHOOTING SERIAL NUMBER#
For some reason Ruckus puts the serial number of a switch on the BOTTOM of the chassis so it’s basically inaccessible once racked.
#BROCADE SAN SWITCH STACKING TROUBLESHOOTING SERIAL NUMBERS#
Make sure you gather the switch MAC addresses and serial numbers as you stack your switches! You’ll need the MAC addresses when we configure the stack and you’ll need the serial numbers down the road in case you need to RMA the switch later. In this example I’m building a stack with seven stack members (switches) so I put switch 7 on the table and built up from there so switch 1 is on top. Personally, I like to label my switches from top to bottom so that’s how I stage them as well. Once you get all your switches assembled, stack them on a table in the order in which you plan to deploy them in your racks. When I do consulting projects, I actually recommend that my clients assemble their own switches to keep project costs down. Every single PSU, fan, network module, Twinax cable, and SFP/SFP+ comes in its own baggie in its own box so it can take a while just to get all your switches assembled properly. I do love working with Ruckus switches but it seems like they require a lot more assembly than other switches I’ve worked with in the past. The first step in stacking your switches of course is to unbox and assemble them all. Without further ado, let’s get down to it.