Switch Stack - Different Feature Sets

[GRANT3779]

Hi,

I have  stack of 5 3750X switches -

3 x IPBase
2x IPServices

My question is - Because these units are managed as one - If I enable sdm routing template - I Assume I all the routing features will be available to me on my stack? Would there be any difference if only one switch member had IPServices?

Is there any benefit of having 2 switches with IPServices if running a stack? 

Is it a case of, as long as one switch in the stack has the feature set. These features will be available. If I lose these switches - the features are lost?

Thanks

[InayathUlla Sharieff]

The Cisco Catalyst 3750-X Series Switches with LAN Base feature set can only stack with other Cisco Catalyst 3750‑X Series LAN Base switches. A mixed stack of LAN Base switch with IP Base or IP Services features set is not supported.

It was always a recommendation.

According to this document:

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/switches/ps5718/ps5023/prod_white_paper09186a00801b096a.html

Cisco IOS Software Images Must Be Identical

The Cisco StackWise technology requires that all units in the stack run the same release of Cisco IOS Software. When the stack is first built, it is recommended that all of the stack members have the same software feature set - either all IP Base or all IP Services. This is because later upgrades of Cisco IOS Software mandate that all the switches to be upgraded to the same version as the master.

With that being said I have seen customers run IP base with IP services even on a 3750x. LAN base will only run with LAN base though.

Cheers,

HTH

Inayath

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[GRANT3779]

At the moment I have the following - 

*    1 30    WS-C3750X-24       15.0(2)SE2            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M
     2 30    WS-C3750X-24P      15.0(2)SE2            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M
     3 30    WS-C3750X-24       15.0(2)SE2            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M
     4 30    WS-C3750X-24P      15.0(2)SE2            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M
     5 30    WS-C3750X-24       15.0(2)SE2            C3750E-UNIVERSALK9-M

2 of these have IPBase 

3 of them have IPServices.

The stack works fine.

[InayathUlla Sharieff]

Yes,

IPBASE and IPServices would work fine.

These both would not be workiing if one of the switch has Lan Base.

HTH

Inayath

[InayathUlla Sharieff]

A)My question is - Because these units are managed as one - If I enable sdm routing template - I Assume I all the routing features will be available to me on my stack? Would there be any difference if only one switch member had IPServices?

No difference.Generally if using IP Services, you'll want at least two switches with that feature set license so if the master fails, the other IP Services licensed switch will keep the stack running IP Services (otherwise the stack would drop down to IP Base feature set).

(Remember on a 3750X stack, you'll have the same binary [universal] image installed on all your stack members, but each will have its own device specific feature license.)

If we were to lose all of the switches running IP Services the stack would drop back to IP Base.  

B)Is there any benefit of having 2 switches with IPServices if running a stack?

Answer been told above.

C)

Is it a case of, as long as one switch in the stack has the feature set. These features will be available. If I lose these switches - the features are lost?

Yes.

hth

[Joseph W. Doherty]

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Posting

By default, a stack election should prefer an IP Services license/image over IP Base.

If the stack only has a single IP Service stack member, and it's the stack master, and if it fails, the stack will revert to IP Base features.  The way to avoid this is having multiple stack members (at least two) with IP Services.