Solved: 9300 Stackwise cableing order

AFlack20 · ‎10-05-2021

We have 9300 switches that we're trying to deploy with zero touch provisioning (ZTP) for DNAC and these switches have already been deployed in stacks. Problem is they are not showing up stacked in the correct order. I just need to confirm that we've done the cabling correctly. Does anyone know where I can find the documentation on how to cable the stackwise cables for 9300 series switches so that the join the stack in the correct order?

Leo Laohoo · ‎10-05-2021

@AFlack20 wrote:

Does anyone know where I can find the documentation on how to cable the stackwise cables for 9300 series switches so that the join the stack in the correct order?

This is the process we have done:

DO NOT ATTACH any stacking cables. If a stacking cable is detected during the power-up stage, the stack master will wait for the rest of the stack member to boot up. This will prolong the process by, a minimum, two minutes.
Power up switch 1.
Look at the front panel: Wait for the two left-most LED, one on top of another to start blinking. When this happens, connect ONE stacking cable to switch 2 and power up switch 2.
Repeat step 3 with switch 2.
Rinse. Repeat.
Once all the switch members are powered up and joined in correct order, connect the "return" stacking cable.

NOTE: Some installation guide says "wait for two minutes", that is not a good indication because the switch is doing ROMMON upgrade or having problems with the OS. Looking at the LED panels is the best method.

IMPORTANT: Before letting DNAC push out configuration template, make sure to configure the switch priority.

WARNING: There is a DNAC bug involving setting of the stack priority. If the stack priority was manually configured with the stack master having a priority number of "15", DNAC will change this to "10".

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Leo Laohoo · ‎10-05-2021

@AFlack20 wrote:

Does anyone know where I can find the documentation on how to cable the stackwise cables for 9300 series switches so that the join the stack in the correct order?

This is the process we have done:

DO NOT ATTACH any stacking cables. If a stacking cable is detected during the power-up stage, the stack master will wait for the rest of the stack member to boot up. This will prolong the process by, a minimum, two minutes.
Power up switch 1.
Look at the front panel: Wait for the two left-most LED, one on top of another to start blinking. When this happens, connect ONE stacking cable to switch 2 and power up switch 2.
Repeat step 3 with switch 2.
Rinse. Repeat.
Once all the switch members are powered up and joined in correct order, connect the "return" stacking cable.

NOTE: Some installation guide says "wait for two minutes", that is not a good indication because the switch is doing ROMMON upgrade or having problems with the OS. Looking at the LED panels is the best method.

IMPORTANT: Before letting DNAC push out configuration template, make sure to configure the switch priority.

WARNING: There is a DNAC bug involving setting of the stack priority. If the stack priority was manually configured with the stack master having a priority number of "15", DNAC will change this to "10".

AFlack20 · ‎10-08-2021

So this did work, although there's one issue.

We were able to get the switches to show up in the stack correctly ordered, but when I go to provision the switch it isn't showing the switch as a stack (the little icon next to the device name that if you hover over it, it says "this device represents a stack").

To resolve this I have to provision the switch with our day 0 config so that I can then ssh to the device set priority and factory default the switch with the pnpa service reset command. After the switch reboots and is discovered by DNA again it will show up with this stack symbol.

Might just be something that the guys that are in the field aren't doing correctly when powering up the devices but seems to be a relatively easy fix. Inconvenient but easy.