Cabletron Systems STS-LM, SmartStack STS-LM Installation Manual

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STS-LM Stacker Link Module

Introduction

The SmartStack STS-LM St acker Link Modu le is a single p ort
interf ace module, used to stack s w it ches, that is in s t alled into
the rear slot of the S martSta ck Toke n Ring S witch. When two
SmartStack switches are connected through two STS-LM
modules, the switches can be combined to form one logical
switch. The STS-LM front panel is shown in Figure 1.

Figure 1. SmartStack STS-LM Front Panel

SmartStack STS-LM Package Conte nts

The STS-LM package contains the following items:

•

One STS-LM Stacker Link Module for the SmartSta ck
Token Ring Switch

•

One Stacke r Lin k ca b le

•

One Smar tStack STS-LM I n s ta ll at ion Guide (th i s
document)

Installation

Use the following steps when installing the STS-LM module
in the SmartStack switch.

Note:

Stacker Link modules are

not

hot-swappable. Always
be sure that the power is off before installing or removing a
module. If the power is on, damage to the equipment may
result. Once the module is installed in the Cr ossFire 8600
Token-Ring Switch, external cables may be connected or
removed without having to remove power from the switch.

1. Disconnect power to the switch.

2. If a blank cover is ove r the stacker slot on the back panel,

remove it by unscrewing the two attachment screws.

3. To pr e v ent p os sible st atic da mage t o t he module, hol d it by

its edges only. Be careful not to touch the top or bottom.

4. Slide the mod ule int o t he slot e ven ly, ta king car e to l ine up
the edges with the guides.

5. Seat the module by pressing the front of the module with
your thumbs.

6. Secure the module to the chass is by tightening the thumb
(panel) screws at the left and right edges of the module’s
front panel. Do not overtighten the screws.

7. Return power to the switch.

SmartStack STS-LM Connectors and LEDs

The foll owing ta bl es d escr i be th e co nn ec tors an d LEDs on t he
STS-LM front panel.

Connecting the Stacker Link Cable

The proprietary 50-pin cable mu st be us ed to connect the
STS-LM in a stack.

The SmartStack switch c an be configured in three different
ways to form a stack of switches:

•

Tw o SmartStack switches via two STS-LM modules

•

Up to five SmartStack switches via four STS-LM modules and
one STS-5SU Stack er Unit

•

Up to eight SmartStack switches via eight STS-LM modules
and one STS-8SU Stack er Un it

When inserting the cable connector, keep the connector
straight to minimize the ris k of bent or damaged pins.

W orking with a Stack

When the SmartStack switch powers up, it runs through a
series of diagnostics. I mmedi ately after the diagnosti cs are
complete, the SmartStack switch enters the stack discovery
mode. The discovery mode is used to sense if the unit is cabled
to other SmartStack switch units. If the SmartStack switch is
connected to other units during the discovery mode, the
switches au t o m at i cally combine to fo r m a stack.

Each unit is assigned a box number. The swit ch with the lowe r
MAC address becomes Box 1, the swi tch with the higher
MAC address becomes Box 2 and so forth. When accessing
switch specific settings from a management consol e, you will
be prompted for a box number.

The switches in the stack combi ne certain configuration
parameters so that the st ack as a u ni t uses one set of
parameters. These parameters are discussed below in “Inte r ­box Parameters”.

The stack can now be managed as a single enti ty from a
management console or management application.

Inter -bo x Parameters

The SmartStac k switches participating in the stack must
combine configuratio n information so that the s tack as a whole
uses common parameters. One of the participating switches
becomes the provider of inter-box parameters.

If the switches have the same configuration information, the
switch that becomes Box 1 becomes the provider. If the
configuration information is different, a split-stack will be
formed and a warning message will be displayed on the
console screen. You will be requested to briefly press the
SysReq button on the switch that is to be the provider of inter ­box parameters. When you have sel ec ted the provider, the
other switch will replace its stack related configura tion
parameters with those of the provider.

Connector Description

Stacker Port 50-pin SCSI-2 connector for proprietary

Stacker Link cable.

T able 1. STS-LM Network Connector

LED State Description

TX On Data is being transmitted to the

attached switch.

RX On Data is being received from the

attached switch.

ATTACH Off No connection has been established.

On A connection has been established.

T able 2. STS-LM LEDs

4

Checking the Installation

The SmartStack Token Ring Switch performs a diagnostic
self-test during the power on cycle. From a management
console, check that the s w itch lists the STS-LM port along
with the switch ports and that there are no error messages. The
STS-LM port will be list ed as port 29.

If, after installation, there is poor system performance or the
STS-LM module does not work at a ll, re move the module and
check for any damaged or bent conn ector pi ns. You ma y need
a bright light to see inside the stacker slot to check for bent
pins. Also, verify that the module is set firmly in place.

❏

Getting in Touch With Tec hnic al Suppor t

For additional su pport related to this device or document,
contact Cabletron Sys tems using one of the following
methods

:

Menu Parameter

IP Configuration IP Address, IP Gateway, IP Subnet, IP

State

Spanning Tree STP Enabling/Disabling, STP Switch

Priority, STP Maximum Aging, STP
Hello Time, STP Forward Delay

Virtual LAN
Name
Configuration

Changing VLAN names

Password System password
Console

Configuration

Console Time-out

Telnet
Configuration

Number of Allowed Telnet Sessions,
Disallow New Telnet Sessions

TFTP Download TFTP Server Address, Download

Domain, Download Filename

Switch/Sta ck
Information

Stack Timeout, System Name, System
Contact, System Location

SNMP
Configuration

Send Authentication Traps, changing
the Trap table in any wa y, chang i ng th e
Community Name table in any wa y

Table 3. Inter-box Parameters

World Wide Web http://www.cabletron.com/
Phone [phone]
Internet mail [e-mail]
FTP ftp://ftp.cabletron.com/

Login

anonymous

Password

your email address

To send comments or suggest ions concerning this
document, contact the Cabletron Systems Technical
Writing Department via the following email
address: [e-mail]

Make sure to include t he document Part Number in the
email message.

STS-LM Stacker Link Module

for

SmartStack Token Ring Switch

Installation Guide

Trademarks

SmartStack is a trademark of Cabletron Systems, Inc. All other brands or product names are trademarks
or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Copyrights

Cabletron reserves the right to modify the information give n in this publication without p rior notice. The
warranty terms and conditions applicable for your purchase of this equipment are given at the time of
purchase. Please consult them for details.

All rights reserved

. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Publication: OC-705 7 v. 1.0, 710001713
Part Number: 9032991

©

February 1 999 by Cabletron Systems, Inc.

FCC Compliance

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with th e limits for a C lass A d igital dev ice, pursuan t
to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment. This equipment generates,
uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the
instruction manual, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this
equipment in a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be
required to correct the interference at his own expense.

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

CLASS 1 LASER PRODUCT

*710001713*