3com 5500-SI Manual Do Utilizador

C

HAPTER

 32: C

LUSTERING

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Topology collection: Clustering implements NTDP (Neighbor Topology Discovery 
Protocol) to collect information on device connections and candidate devices 
within a specified hop range.

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Member recognition: Members in the cluster can be located, thus the 
management device can recognize them and deliver configuration and 
management commands.

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Member management: Devices can be added into or removed from a cluster on 
the management device. Management device authentication and handshake 
interval can also be configured on the management device.

Related configurations are described in the following sections.

Switches in a cluster are assigned with different roles according to their own 
functions. You can specify or change the role for a switch.

A switch in a cluster can be the management device, a member device or a candidate 
device.

Figure 175 shows the role changing rule.

Table 655   Devices in a cluster

Management 
device

 

Is configured with a 

public IP address.

 

Receives management 

commands that the user 
sends through the public 
network for processing.

 

Provides management interfaces for all 

switches in the cluster.

 

Manages member devices through command 

redirection.

 

Forwards commands to be executed on 

member devices to the proper member for 
processing.

 

Supports neighbor discovery, topology  

collection, cluster management, cluster state 
maintenance and proxies.

Member device

Often is not configured 
with public IP address.

 

Acts as cluster members

 

Supports neighbor discovery, being managed 

by the management device, running commands 
from proxies and failure/log report. 

Candidate 
device

Often not configured with 
a public IP address.

Candidate devices are switches that are not 
cluster members and can be added into a cluster.