Configuration Guide User guide

FastIron Configuration Guide 237
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Brocade IronStack overview
Brocade IronStack terminology
Stack unit roles
• Active Controller - Handles stack management and configures all system- and interface-level
features.
- Future Active Controller - The unit that will take over as Active Controller after the next
reload, if its priority has been changed to the highest priority. When a priority for a stack
unit is changed to be higher than the existing Active Controller, the takeover does not
happen immediately to prevent disruptions in the stack operation.
• Standby Controller - The stack member with the highest priority after the Active Controller. The
Standby Controller takes over if the current Active Controller fails.
• Stack Member - A unit functioning in the stack in a capacity other than Active or Standby
Controller.
• Stack Unit - Any device functioning within the stack, including the Active Controller and Standby
Controller.
- Upstream Stack Unit - An upstream unit is connected to the first stacking port on the
Active Controller. (The left-hand port as you face the stacking ports.) Refer to Figure 14
and Figure 15.
- Downstream Stack Unit - A downstream unit is connected to the second stacking port on
the Active Controller. (The right-hand port as you face the stacking ports.) Refer to
Figure 14 and Figure 15.
General IronStack terminology
• Bootup Role - the role a unit takes during the boot sequence. This role can be standalone,
Active Controller, Standby Controller, or stack member. The Active Controller or a standalone
unit can access the full range of the CLI. Until a stack is formed, the local consoles on the
Standby Controller and stack members provide access to a limited form of the CLI, such as the
show, stack, and a few debug commands. When the stack is formed, all local consoles are
directed to the Active Controller, which can access the entire CLI. The last line of output from
the show version command indicates the role of a unit, unless it is a standalone unit, in which
case it is not shown. For example:
My stack unit ID = 1, bootup role = active
• Clean Unit - A unit that contains no startup flash configuration or run time configuration. To
erase old configuration information, enter the erase startup-config command and reset the
unit. For FCX devices, the run-time configuration on a clean unit may also contain default-port
information,
• Control Path - A path across stacking links dedicated to carrying control traffic such as
commands to program hardware or software image data for upgrades. A stack unit must join
the control path to operate fully in the stack.
• Default Port - FCX devices use the default-port command to define stacking port candidates.
• Interprocessor Communications (IPC) - The process by which proprietary packets are
exchanged between stack unit CPUs.