Swapping stacking ports without blowing away config

[Tom_Taylor]

I've currently got 5 X450-G2's in a daisy chain stack (Bad I know) using the front 10GB ports.

I've got the SFP passive cables for the "S1/2" ports on the back of the switch but I wanted to know if there's any easy way of swapping the stacking ports without having to rebuild the stack?

# show stacking
Stack Topology is a Daisy-Chain
Active Topology is a Daisy-Chain
Node MAC Address Slot Stack State Role Flags
------------------ ---- ----------- ------- ---
*00:04:96:9a:26:e7 1 Active Master CA-
00:04:96:99:ee:b3 2 Active Standby CA-
00:04:96:9a:27:10 3 Active Standby CA-
00:04:96:9a:26:e2 4 Active Standby CA-
00:04:96:9a:27:80 5 Active Standby CA-
* - Indicates this node
Flags: (C) Candidate for this active topology, (A) Active Node

# show stacking-support



Stack Available Ports

Port Native Alternate Configured Current

----- ----------------- ---------- ----------

1 Yes 51 * Alternate Alternate

2 Yes 52 * Alternate Alternate

stacking-support: Enabled N/A



Flags: * - Current stack port selection

[davidj_cogliane]

Tom,

Reading your initial post it sounds like you want to go from front stacking using the 10G SFP+ ports to rear stacking using the QSFP+ ports. I believe Patrick and I are interpreting your question differently.

Can you please clarify which cables and ports you want to use going forward. I would think if you are going to switch to the rear ports you will need to configure stacking support to use the native ports at the very least. I do not know if you can do that on a switch that is already stacked.

Thanks,

[Patrick_Voss]

In theory you should be able to change them all at once, power them down, connect up the native stacking cables and power them up one by one. This is not something we see a ton so it hasn't really been tested.

[Patrick_Voss]

I apologize, I did misread what you were attempting to do. David is right, you need to change the stacking-support configuration in order for this to work properly. Good news is that having this in a daisy chain might make this a little easier to perform.

Making a stacking-support configuration change can be done on an active stack but it requires a reboot of the specific node. You can also mix alternate and native stacking configuration. Since this is a daisy chain you can change the stacking configuration on the unused port to native on both switches, reboot and then connect the stacking cable. It should come up. Then rinse and repeat for the rest ports one link at a time. It may take a while but it will ensure the configuration and the stack remain up and stable.

I will see if I can mock this up in the lab and let you know how it goes.

[Tom_Taylor]

That's what I was fearing, it's a pretty populated stack so was just looking for an easy-way-out approach. If it needs to be done then it needs to be done.