Cluster Builder
Cluster Builder shows a network map of the cluster members and
candidates one hop away from the cluster. Cluster Builder
periodically polls the command switch for updates and redisplays
the network map when devices are removed or added.
With this page, you can:
For more information about Cluster Builder, review how to
access device and link pop-up menus, page button descriptions,
and device
labels and color coding.
By default, Cluster Builder displays the command switch,
cluster members, and cluster candidates.
To hide candidates:
- Click the right mouse button on a cluster member that has
connected candidates.
- From the pop-up menu, click Hide Candidates.
Note: If the cluster member does not
have a connected candidate, this menu option is not
available.
The connected candidates are no longer displayed.
To display candidates:
- Click the right mouse button on a cluster member.
- From the pop-up menu, click Show Candidates.
Note: If the cluster member does not
have a connected candidate, this menu option is not
available.
The connected candidates are displayed on the map.
To add a device to the cluster:
- Click the right mouse button on a candidate (device with
a blue label).
- From the pop-up menu, select Add to Cluster.
If the device was configured with a password (even if the
password is the same as the command switch or cluster
member), the software prompts you for it before adding it
to the cluster.
Note: You may not be prompted for a
password when you try to add a switch to the cluster if
you previously added that switch and saved the
configuration, and then removed that switch and saved the
configuration. The Save Config feature saves only the
configuration of the current cluster members and does not
purge member information of switches that were removed
from the cluster.
If the device has no password, the software automatically
adds the device to the cluster.
When the device is added, its label turns green.
Note: Once the maximum allowed devices
are added to the cluster, the Add to Cluster
menu option is disabled (grayed out) on all candidates
until a cluster member is removed.
If you did not assign a host name to the command switch prior
to launching Cluster Builder, it is assigned a default host name
of "Switch." Cluster members are assigned the name
"Switch" plus a number (Switch-1) that indicates the
order in which the device was added. If you assign a host name to
a cluster member prior to launching Cluster Builder, that name is
retained and displayed on the page.
To change a host name:
- Click the right mouse button on a cluster member or
command switch.
Note: You cannot change the host name of
a candidate device.
- From the pop-up menu, select Host Name Config.
The Enter Host Name page appears.
- In the Enter Hostname field, enter up to 31 characters to
name the device.
Note: Make sure the host name is unique.
- Click OK.
The map is redisplayed with the new name shown for the
device.
- Click Save Config.
To remove a device from the cluster:
- Click the right mouse button on a cluster member (device
with a green label).
- From the pop-up menu, select Remove from Cluster.
When the device is removed, its label turns blue.
Note: If you remove a member that has
downstream members connected to it, the downstream
members may be displayed as orphan devices in the upper
left area of Cluster Builder if the software does not
have enough information to draw them on the map. These
orphan devices are still cluster members, and you can
still configure them.
Before arranging and saving the layout, make sure you discover
or manually add all devices to the cluster that you want to
manage.
To arrange and save the device layout:
- Click and hold the left mouse button on a cluster member
and drag it to a new location on the network map.
Note: You cannot move the command
switch.
- Click Save Layout.
When you relaunch Cluster Builder, it displays the saved
version of the layout if the topology did not change. If
a topology change occurs, you must arrange the devices
again and click Save Layout.
Note: If your switches are connected in
a daisy-chain configuration, Cluster Builder discovers
only devices that are one hop from the command switch.
You must add devices one at a time to discover all of the
devices in the daisy chain. For more information, review
how to add a
device to the cluster. After you have added all the
devices in the daisy chain and arranged them to your
liking, click Save Layout.
You can change settings and save this information on the
command switch to be used when the application is launched again.
These settings include changing the Cluster Builder and Cluster
Manager polling interval, changing the link and device graph
polling interval, disabling the Suggested Candidate start-up
window, and changing the default view to launch.
To change these settings, click User Settings.
For more information, click Help on the User
Settings page.
Note: After changing the polling interval,
you must click Reload in Netscape (Refresh
in Internet Explorer) so the new settings take effect. When
changing the graph polling interval, you must also close and
reopen the graph window.
To display address and port connection information or host
names, click Toggle Labels.
Cluster Builder displays IP addresses for devices that have IP
addresses assigned; otherwise, MAC addresses are displayed. Port
connection information is also displayed.
Each device has a label, which displays the host name by
default.
The device links report displays port connection information
for cluster members. Port connection information for devices that
are not part of the cluster is not displayed.
To display the device links report, click Device Links.
For more information, click Help on the Device
Links page.
To display device reports that include configuration, system,
and port information or to display the device bandwidth
utilization graph:
- Click the right mouse button on a cluster member (a
device with a green label).
- From the pop-up menu, select Device Report to
display the Device Report page or Bandwidth Graph
to display the bandwidth utilization graph.
On the Device Report page, you can generate
configuration, system, and port reports by selecting an
option from the drop-down list. You can also display MAC
addresses learned on a port. For more information, click Help
on the Device Report page.
The Bandwidth Utilization graph displays an estimate of
the traffic flowing through the switch. For more
information, click Help on the graph.
Note: You can change the graph polling
interval by clicking User Settings. For
more information, click Help on the User
Settings page.
To display a link report or graph:
- Click the right mouse button on a link.
- From the pop-up menu, select Link Report to
display the Link Report page or Link Graph
to display a graph.
The Link Report page displays link speed, duplex mode,
STP states, and port group, VLAN, and network port
information. For more information, click Help
on the Link Report page.
From the Link Utilization graph, you can display graphs
for the total bytes transmitted and received on the link,
total packets transmitted and received on the link, and
total errors received on the link. For more information,
click Help on the graph.
Note: You can change the graph polling
interval by clicking User Settings. For
more information, click Help on the User
Settings page.
From Cluster Builder, you can access Cluster Manager, which
displays the cluster members in a consolidated physical view
(live images of cluster switches). By default, the command switch
is located at the top of the cluster and is the only cluster
member that has an IP address displayed. You can perform tasks on
the port, device, and cluster level.
To display Cluster Manager, click Cluster Manager.
For more information, click Help on the Cluster
Manager page.
You can alternate between Cluster Builder and Cluster View.
Cluster View displays the cluster (as a single cluster icon),
candidates, and edge devices directly connected to the cluster.
From this view, you can display link reports, display performance
graphs, and access other views.
To display Cluster View, click Toggle Views.
For more information, click Help on the Cluster
View page.