Brocade FastIron Ethernet Switch Stacking Configuration Guide - Manual (Page 16)

• Interprocessor Communications (IPC) - The process by which proprietary packets are
exchanged between stack unit CPUs.
• IronStack - A set of Brocade stackable units (maximum of eight) and their connected stacking
links so that: all units can be accessed through their common connections, a single unit can
manage the entire stack, and configurable entities, such as VLANs and trunk groups, can have
members on multiple stack units.
• Non-Functioning Stack Unit - A stack unit that is recognized as a stack member, and is
communicating with the active controller over the Control Path, but is in a non-functioning state. A
non-functioning stack unit will drop or discard traffic from non-stacked ports. This may be caused
by an image or configuration mismatch.
• Sequential Connection - Stack unit IDs, beginning with the active controller, are sequential. For
example, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 is sequential if active controller is 1. 1, 7, 6, 4, 3 are non-sequential in a
linear topology, but become sequential in a ring topology when counted from the other direction
as: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7. Gaps in numbering are allowed.
• Standalone Unit - A unit that is not enabled for stacking, or an active controller without any
standby controller or stack members.
• Stacking Link - A cable that connects a stacking port on one unit to a stacking port on another
unit.
• Secure-setup - A software utility that establishes a secure stack.
• Unit Replacement - The process of swapping out a unit with a Clean Unit. No configuration
change is required.
• Reserved / Provisional Unit - A unit configuration number that has no physical unit associated
with it.
• Trunked Stacking Port (Trunk) - A trunk consists of multiple stacking ports and is treated as one
logical link. It provides more bandwidth and better resilience.
• Stack Path - A data path formed across the stacking links to determine the set of stack members
that are present in the stack topology, and their locations in the stack.
• Stacking Port - A physical interface on a stack unit that connects a stacking link. Stacking ports
are point-to-point links that exchange proprietary packets. Stacking ports must be 10 Gbps
Ethernet ports (except for the ICX 6430 that uses 1 Gbps ports), and cannot be configured for any
other purpose while operating as stacking ports. Brocade stacking units contain two ports that can
be stacking ports. However, the flexible stacking port feature also allows you to use one port as a
stacking port and the other port as a regular data port.
• Stack Slot - A slot in a stack is synonymous with line model in a chassis.
• Stack Topology - A contiguously-connected set of stack units in an IronStack that are currently
communicating with each other. All units that are present in the stack topology appear in output
from the show stack command.
• Static Configuration - A configuration that remains in the database of the active controller even if
the unit it refers to is removed from the stack. Static configurations are derived from the startup
configuration file during the boot sequence, are manually entered, or are converted from dynamic
configurations after a write memory command is issued.
• Dynamic Configuration - A unit configuration that is dynamically learned by a new stack unit
from the active controller. A dynamic configuration disappears when the unit leaves the stack.
Supported traditional stacking topologies
This section describes how to build traditional stack. Before you begin, you should be familiar with the
supported stack topologies and the software requirements. When you are ready to build your stack,
you can go directly to the instructions.
Supported traditional stacking topologies
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