3750 Stack Images

mhurley131 · ‎04-08-2009

If I require an IPS Image for a 3750 stack, do i need to purchase all of the switches with IPS, or can I purchase the "base" with an IPS image and the rest with an IPB Image?

I know they all have to match for the stack to form correctly, but from a licensing feature do they all require that I purchase IPS? Technically it is only the one switch doing the advance routing that I need....

Thanks in advance.

dario.didio · ‎04-08-2009

Yes, they all need the same IOS feature set.

Otherwise your stack will not form due to an version mismatch error.

HTH,

Dario

mhurley131 · ‎04-08-2009

Understood....but does purchasing the IPS Image for the top switch give the customer the right to put that image on all of their switches in the same stack? Or do they have to spend the >$5k list price for each switch for the enhanced image.

dario.didio · ‎04-08-2009

I'm not a Cisco employee nor an account manager, but I assume that if you want your stack to use the enhanced features of IPS, all switches in the stack should have IPS.

If you want all your switches to have IPS, you should buy the WS-C3750-XXXX-E instead of WS-C3750-XXXX-S.

HTH,

Dario

glen.grant · ‎04-08-2009

Here is a good fact page and has some info on licensing.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps7077/prod_qas0900aecd805bbea5.html

Joseph W. Doherty · ‎04-08-2009

My understanding is, legally you may not load a 3750 image onto a 3750 device unless you have a license for it. However, 3750s within a stack legally may run an image obtained from the stack master. (NB: there's different licensing rules for 3750-Es.)

Assuming I'm correct about legal licensing for 3750s, do keep in mind if the stack master fails, you would be unable to run the advanced feature image on the remaining stack units. (For redundancy, you might want to insure at least two units within a stack have licenses for the IOS you intend to run.)

PS:

Also keep in mind, that a "normal" IOS upgrade to a 3750 stack "flashes" all stack members, although I believe it's possible to "flash" stack members independently.

Leo Laohoo · ‎04-08-2009

One of the logic that all members should have the same IOS version and feature set is this: Presume that the stack master has the IPS image and the rest doesn't. If your stack master fails how will the rest of the stack behave unless they all have the same IPS feature.

glen.grant · ‎04-08-2009

They all need the same image to work and boot correctly but I am not sure of the licensing aspects of the 3750 , I would contact a cisco rep.

Joseph W. Doherty · ‎04-08-2009

To both Leo and Glen,

What about #4 in http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/hw/switches/ps5023/products_configuration_example09186a00807811ad.shtml#election? Seems to address the issue of different feature IOS images, although not different software versions, within the stack.

Leo Laohoo · ‎04-08-2009

Awwww ... This is "Stack Master election". :-(