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The StackMaker application works with the CiscoView software to provide enhanced device manageability. StackMaker enables you to display a set of individual, stackable devices and to create a stack containing these devices. When you use StackMaker, CiscoView retrieves the stack name for the devices and displays the individual devices in the StackMaker window. Devices supported by StackMaker include the Catalyst 1900, Catalyst 2800, and Catalyst 2820.
StackMaker enables you to do the following:
This appendix contains the following sections:
To start StackMaker from CiscoView, complete the following steps:
Step 1 Go to CiscoView - Main window.
Step 2 Display a stackable device.
A stackable device is a device containing the StackMaker MIB. However, a device cannot be a member of more than one stack at the same time. Each device you add must have an IP address, and you must preset the SNMP community strings by using the command line interface (CLI) for the device.
Step 3 From the stackable display, select View>Stack.
A CiscoView dialog box displays the following buttons:
Step 4 Click StackMaker to access, create, or change stack information.
The StackMaker window displays all devices in the stack in the order given in the StackMaker MIB. StackMaker also displays every device and hardware platform for the device. The seed device is highlighted in the list by default. The seed device is the starting point of the stack and is used to locate the stack and all members within the stack.
The StackMaker Main window contains the following:
Title Bar | Provides the StackMaker application name and the IP address for the seed device in the stack. By default, the seed device is highlighted with an asterisk by the IP address. |
Menu Bar | Provides access to all StackMaker dialog boxes. |
Status Bar | Provides a brief description of the currently selected device and ongoing operational status. |
The buttons available in the StackMaker Main window are described in Table B-1 and the fields are described in Table B-2.
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
Lists devices that can be added to the stack. | |
Adds a device to a stack. | |
Removes a device from a stack. | |
Clears all devices from a stack. | |
Restores all removed and cleared devices to a stack. If you make changes after removing or clearing devices by selecting Actions>Apply Stack Configuration, those devices cannot be restored to a stack. |
| Fields | Description |
|---|---|
Names stacks containing individual devices | |
Lists each device (by IP address) in a stack | |
Provides the host name for the device | |
Displays the Cisco model name and number | |
Describes the device |
The menu items available in the StackMaker Main window are described in Table B-3 through Table B-5.
| File | Description |
|---|---|
Prints the stack configuration. The printout is a text list showing the stack name, list of inconsistencies, and time and date of printing. | |
Print Setup | Enables you to select a printer and set printing options. |
Exits the StackMaker application. If you change the stack definition but do not update the device information, StackMaker prompts you to apply the new stack configuration to the stack members. If you do not want to apply the update, click No or Cancel. No closes the StackMaker without applying the changes. Cancel returns you to the StackMaker window. |
| Actions | Description |
|---|---|
Lists details for each member in the stack | |
Verify Stack Configuration | Checks that each member of the stack meets the criteria for a stack member |
Updates the stack configuration information | |
Displays the log file of MIB updates | |
Enables you to set polling frequency, retries, timeouts, read community, write community, debug, and debug SNMP, and other properties |
| Help Name | Description |
|---|---|
Contents | Displays the help contents |
Using Help | Displays information about how to use online help viewer |
Using StackMaker | Displays a topic about how to use the StackMaker software |
About StackMaker | Displays version information about the product and software |
When you perform certain tasks, StackMaker appends a region at the bottom of the main window you can view. Append regions by selecting View Stack Member Details or clicking View Stackable Neighbors. For example, when you select Actions>View Stack Member Details, StackMaker appends details for each member in the stack. Table B-6 describes the buttons and fields in this appended region.
| Button/Field | Description |
|---|---|
Removes the appended list of stackable neighbors. | |
SubMember Address | Lists each device (by IP address) in the stack. |
SubMember Name | Shows the name of the stack. |
SubMember Platform | Shows the type of hardware platform that is configured for the device. This information reflects the Cisco model name and number. |
SubMember Description | Describes the device. |
When you click View Stackable Neighbors, StackMaker appends a list of stackable neighbors for the device you select. A stackable neighbor is a device that can be reached using the Cisco Discovery Protocol (CDP) and can be stacked using SNMP. Table B-7 describes the buttons and fields in this appended region.
| Button/Field | Description |
|---|---|
Removes the appended list of stackable neighbors. | |
Enables you to add a device to the stack. | |
Neighbor Address | Lists each device (by IP address) in a stack. |
Neighbor Name | Displays the name of the stack. |
Neighbor Platform | Displays the type of hardware platform for the device. This information reflects the Cisco model name and number. |
Neighbor Description | Describes the device. |
Two additional windows allow you to use the log file associated with StackMaker and to change the management properties. The View Log dialog box buttons are described in Table B-8.
| Button | Description |
|---|---|
Enables you to print the contents of the log file | |
Clear Log | Clears the contents of the log file |
Close | Closes the StackMaker Log window |
Help | Displays the Help topic |
To display the StackMaker Properties dialog box to change management properties, you should select Actions>Options from the StackMaker - Main menu bar.
Table B-9 describes the Properties fields in this dialog box.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
Retries | Sets the number of times CiscoView attempts to reach an unresponsive device. In busy networks, SNMP datagrams be get discarded. The Retries value allows the application to continue operation during network problems. A setting of 5 is considered reasonable. The value can be increased if the device is not responsive. The default is 3. |
Timeout | Sets the number of seconds that CiscoView attempts to reach a device. The default is 3. As a guideline, the timeout value should be twice the average end-to-end delay in your network. If your network has several slow links, you might need to set the timeout to a higher value. If you have only LAN links in your network, 2 seconds is enough time to account for processing delays and timer accuracy. |
Read Community | Allows you to view device status. |
Write Community | Allows you to change device parameters. You can enter the write community string for a device after you display the device. |
Debug | Prints debug messages to the StackMaker Debug Log file when the option is set to On. The default is Off. |
Debug SNMP | Prints SNMP debug messages to the console when the option is set to On. The messages show the SNMP packets that have been sent and received. The default is Off. |
Each device you want to add to the stack must have an IP address, and you must preset the SNMP community strings by using the device CLI. When you select Actions>Apply Stack Configuration, StackMaker looks for each stack member. If StackMaker cannot find one of the stack members, the MIB information in that stack member does not change when you select Actions>Apply Stack Configuration. StackMaker updates all other stack members it finds.
| Caution Make sure that all other stack members are updated. If one member in the stack is not updated, conflicts within the stack can occur. |
If CiscoView is not integrated with an SNMP Manager platform, all members of a stack must share the community string, timeout, and retry values specified in the StackMaker Properties dialog box. Because StackMaker accepts the data you supply, you must ensure that stack members meet the requirements for inclusion in the stack. For example, you must ensure that devices have not been added to multiple stacks. StackMaker only verifies whether a device can belong to a stack. It does not check the StackMaker MIB table to determine if the device has already been added to another stack.
If an SNMP Manager platform is not available, all members of a stack must share the same community string, timeout, and retry values.
Because StackMaker accepts the data you supply, you must manually maintain data integrity across devices. You must ensure that the data is consistent and that devices have not been added to multiple stacks.
To add a device to a stack, do one of the following procedures:
Step 1 From the StackMaker Main window, click Add Device.
The Add Device dialog box appears.
Step 2 Enter the IP address for the device you want to add.
Step 3 Click OK.
Step 4 Apply the changes by selecting Action>Apply Stack Configuration.
Step 5 Close StackMaker.
Step 6 Reopen the device in CiscoView.
Or
Step 1 Click View Stackable Neighbors.
StackMaker lists all stackable neighbors at the bottom of the window.
Step 2 Select a device from the stackable neighbors list.
Step 3 Click the Up arrow.
Step 4 Apply the changes by selecting Action>Apply Stack Configuration.
Step 5 Close StackMaker.
Step 6 Reopen the device in CiscoView.
To remove a device from a stack, do the following:
Step 1 From the StackMaker Main window, select the device you want to remove.
Step 2 Click Remove Device.
StackMaker displays a confirmation dialog box.
Step 3 Click Yes to remove the device.
Step 4 Apply changes by selecting Actions>Apply Stack Configuration.
 | Caution After you apply the stack configuration changes, you cannot restore a device. |
To remove all devices from the StackMaker window, do the following:
Step 1 Click Clear Devices.
StackMaker displays a confirmation dialog box.
Step 2 Click Yes to remove the device.
Step 3 Apply changes by selecting Actions>Apply Stack Configuration.
| Caution After you apply the stack configuration changes, you cannot restore a device. |
To restore device information, do the following:
Step 1 Click Restore Devices. The Restore Stack confirmation dialog box appears. Devices are restored up to the last configuration change you made or when you opened the StackMaker window, whichever is the most recent action.
Step 2 Click Yes.
Step 3 Apply changes by selecting Actions>Apply Stack Configuration.
To resolve StackMaker error messages, perform the appropriate recommended action. If you receive an error message and cannot resolve the problem, refer to Chapter 4, "Troubleshooting," for more information.
Explanation The device is not reachable via SNMP with the configured Read Community string. This error occurs when you try to launch StackMaker by clicking the Stack icon from a device display in CiscoView.
Recommended Action Ensure that the device is in operation and reachable by SNMP. Then launch StackMaker again.
Explanation StackMaker finds the device via SNMP, but the device is not stackable because it does not contain the StackMaker MIB. This error occurs when you attempt to stack a device (such as Catalyst 2820) that does not have the latest firmware containing the StackMaker MIB.
Recommended Action Upgrade your firmware to a compatible version. To do this, go to Cisco Connection Online (CCO) and download the firmware. For more information on downloading from CCO, see the "Downloading Device Packages" chapters.
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