Cluster Manager

Cluster Manager provides a wiring-closet view of the cluster, which includes the command switch and cluster members. By default, the command switch is located at the top of the cluster and is the only cluster member with an IP address displayed. You can perform tasks on the port, device, and cluster level.

With this page, you can:

For more information about Cluster Manager, review how to access port and device pop-up menus and page button descriptions.

Monitoring the Port Settings

Cluster Manager updates switch image LEDs in real-time using port status that the command switch receives from cluster members at regular polling intervals.

Note: You can change the Cluster Manager polling interval by clicking User Settings. For more information, click Help.

On Catalyst 2900 and 3500 XL switches, you can display the port status, speed setting, and duplex mode of a clustered switch. Click the MODE button on the switch image to highlight each of the three settings (STAT, SPD, and FDUP) in sequence. The port LEDs change color to reflect the setting. For more information, review the LED descriptions on the Cisco Visual Switch Manager Home page for any of these switches.

On Catalyst 1900 and 2820 switches, you can display the port status and duplex settings of a clustered switch. Click the MODE button on the switch image to highlight each setting (STAT and FDUP). The port LEDs change color to reflect the setting. For more information, see the Catalyst 1900 Series Installation and Configuration Guide and the Catalyst 2820 Series Installation and Configuration Guide.

Click Legend to learn the meanings of the colors on any switch in the cluster.

Note: You cannot display switch utilization (UTIL) for any switches on the Cluster Manager page.

Configuring Port Settings

You can configure port status, duplex mode, speed, and Port Fast settings on a single port or on multiple ports on the same switch. If you select a single port, the Port Configuration page displays the current port settings, the settings to which you can configure the port, and VLAN information. If you select multiple ports, this page does not display the actual settings or VLAN information.

To configure settings on an individual port, double-click on the port to display the Port Configuration page. This page displays the actual port settings, the settings to which you can configure the port, and VLAN information. 

To configure multiple ports:

  1. Hold down the Ctrl key and with the left mouse button, click the ports to highlight them.
  2. Right-click on a highlighted port to display the pop-up menu.
  3. From the pop-up menu, select Port Configuration to display the Port Configuration page.
    When you select multiple ports, this page does not display the actual settings or VLAN information.
    For more information, click Help on the Port Configuration page.

Note: Changes to the switch can require up to 30 seconds (the image is refreshed every 30 seconds).

Displaying VLAN Membership Information

You can display VLAN membership information for a single port and for all ports on a switch (you cannot obtain VLAN information on a subset of ports).

Note: If a Catalyst 1900 or 2820 switch is running standard edition software or Enterprise Edition Software with bridge groups enabled, the VLAN membership menu item is not available.

To display port VLAN information for an individual port, double-click on the port to display the Port Configuration page. This page displays the actual port settings, the settings to which you can configure the port, and VLAN information. To display VLAN information for a single port: The VLAN Information section on this page displays the VLAN to which a port is assigned and the VLAN mode (type). For more information, click Help on the Port Configuration page.

To display port VLAN information for all switch ports:

  1. Right-click anywhere on the chassis (except on a port) to display the switch pop-up menu.
  2. From the pop-up menu, select VLAN Membership to display the VLAN Membership page.
    The VLAN Membership page displays the IDs of all VLANs configured on the switch, the VLAN name, and its status. For more information, click Help on the VLAN Membership page.

Configuring Administrative Information

You can configure administrative information, such as the host name, system contact, and system location for each cluster member.

To configure administrative information:

  1. Right-click anywhere on the chassis (except on a port) to display the switch pop-up menu.
  2. From the pop-up menu, select Administrative Information to display the Administrative Information page.
  3. Enter the information into the fields.
    For more information, click Help on the Administrative Information page.

Changing User Settings

You can change user settings and save them on the command switch so they remain in effect when you launch the application later. User 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 you change the polling interval, click Reload in Netscape (click Refresh in Internet Explorer) so the new settings take effect. When you change the graph polling interval, you must also close and reopen the graph window.

Displaying Device Reports and Graphs

The Device Report page contains a drop-down list that you can use to generate configuration, system, and port reports and display MAC addresses learned on a port. The Bandwidth Graph page displays an estimate of the traffic flowing through the switch.

Note: Device reports and bandwidth graphs are not available on Catalyst 1900 and 2820 switches.

To display device reports or the device bandwidth utilization graph:

  1. Right-click on 2900 or 3500 XL switch chassis.
  2. From the pop-up menu, select Device Report to display the Device Report page or Bandwidth Graph to display the bandwidth utilization graph.
    For more information, click Help on the Device Report page or on the Bandwidth Graph.
    Note: You can change the graph polling interval by clicking User Settings. For more information, click Help on the User Settings page.

Displaying Link Graphs

The Link graph shows the total bytes transmitted and received on the link, total packets transmitted and received on the link, and total errors received on the link. To display a graph, one end of the link must connect to a port on a member 2900 or 3500 XL switch.

Note: Links between two Catalyst 2820 switches, two Catalyst 1900 switches, or a Catalyst 1900 and a 2820 switch cannot be graphed.

To display a link graph:

  1. Right-click on an active (green) port.
  2. From the pop-up menu, select Link Graph.
    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.

Configuring SNMP Parameters

To configure SNMP parameters for individual cluster members, right-click on a switch chassis and select SNMP Manager from the pop-up menu. From the SNMP Manager Page, you can enable or disable the SNMP agent, and add and remove community strings and trap managers. For more information, click Help on the SNMP Manager page.

Upgrading Software on the Cluster

To upgrade the software on cluster members, click Software Upgrade to launch the Software Upgrade page. From this page, you can upgrade software on all cluster members or on selected switches, save the new software to nonvolatile storage, and reboot the switches. For more information, click Help on the Software Upgrade page.

Repositioning Cluster Members

By default, Cluster Manager displays the command switch as the first (top) device in the cluster. You can reposition cluster members to more accurately reflect the physical setup in your wiring closet by clicking Device Position. For more information, click Help on the Device Position page.

Displaying Cluster Builder

You can alternate between Cluster Manager and Cluster Builder. Cluster Builder displays all cluster members and candidates one hop away from the cluster. From this view, you can manually add a candidate to the cluster, remove a member from the cluster, and generate device and link reports.

To access Cluster Builder, click Cluster Builder. To access Cluster Manager from Cluster Builder, click Cluster Manager.

For more information, click Help on the Cluster Builder page.