Using StackMaker

StackMaker enables you to do the following:

• Create a stack from individual devices
  
  
• Identify conflicts within a stack
  
  
• View a list of stackable neighbors that can be added to a stack
  
  
• Reconfigure stacks by adding devices, removing devices, clearing all devices and restoring all devices
  
  

This appendix contains the following sections:

Step 1   Go to CiscoView - Main.

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 want to add to the stack 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 small CiscoView dialog box appears that contains the following buttons:

• StackMaker: Use StackMaker.
  
  
• StackView: View a list of other devices in the same stack as the displayed device. You can also view a list of stack members in the StackMaker window.
  
  
• Cancel: Return to the CiscoView display.
  
  

Step 4   Click the StackMaker button to access, create or change stack information.

A separate window appears to access, create, edit configuration information, or change stack information. The StackMaker window displays all devices in the stack in the order the entries are listed 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.

When you click View Stackable Neighbors, StackMaker appends a region to the bottom of the StackMaker window, listing 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.

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 command line interface (CLI) for the device. When you use 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 use Actions>Apply Stack Configuration. StackMaker updates all other stack members if finds.

Caution 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 same community strings and timeout and retry values as specified in the StackMaker Properties dialog box. Because StackMaker accepts the data you supply, you must ensure that stack members meet the requirements to be included in the stack. For example, you must ensure that devices have not been added to multiple stacks. StackMaker only checks if 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 strings and timeouts 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. It does not process the information stored in the MIB table.

Step 1   From the StackMaker 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   Restart CiscoView.

Or

Step 1   Select Actions>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   Restart CiscoView.

Step 1   From the StackMaker 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.

The Remove Device confirmation dialog box appears. To remove the device from the stack, click Yes. To cancel the command, click No.

The Clear Stack confirmation dialog box appears. To remove the device from the stack, click Yes. To cancel the command, click No.

To restore devices to the stack, click Restore Devices This restores all devices in the stack list that you had deleted by using Remove Device or Clear Devices. Devices are restored up to the last configuration change you made or when you opened the StackMaker window, whichever is the most recent action. After you click Restore Devices, the Restore Stack confirmation dialog box appears. To restore devices to the stack, click Yes. To cancel the command, click No.