9500,9400,9300 stack

[Hisoma Sama]

Hi

i have few questions regarding stacks

Q1 how many 9500 or 9400 i can stack together? all document i have seen all about 2 switches only, can i do more?

Q2 while connect stacking cables for 9300 how to make it in the right order like master will be on top etc etc

thanks

[balaji.bandi]

Q1 how many 9500 or 9400 i can stack together? all document i have seen all about 2 switches only, can i do more?

Cat 9500 and Cat 9400 called Stack Wise Virtual - Only 2 Switch per domain. (old name called VSS)

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/catalyst-9000/nb-06-cat-9k-stack-wp-cte-en.html

Q2 while connect stacking cables for 9300 how to make it in the right order like master will be on top etc etc

It all depends on how the business wants to rack based on MDF room rules, Some people do Top to bottom as standard, some do

Bottom to TOP to easy understanding where the Master switch will be Located.

Make sure Master Switch has high priority and slave next (then members)

9300#switch <number> priority 15

!Set priority 15 to elect switch in ACTIVE role

9300#switch <number> priority 14

!Set priority 14 to elect switch in STANDBY role

You can find how you can connect the cables and configuration here step by step guide :

https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/products/collateral/switches/catalyst-9300-series-switches/white-paper-c11-741468.html

Note: f=For any Model Cat 9500 / Cat 9400 / Cat 9300 - check the stacking rules, All should be compatible model, running the same IOS Code.

[paul driver]

Hello

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@Hisoma Sama wrote:

Q2 while connect stacking cables for 9300 how to make it in the right order like master will be on top etc etc

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The stack cabling has no bearing on what switch becomes the master/standby, it’s to do with as Bajai stated the switch priority's (if configured) or the base mac-address of the switch in the stack if no manual stacking priority is applied, However all these can be negated by manually powering up the switches in a defined manner as such even a specified master switch if powered up after all the other switch's in the stack wont preempt to be the master unless the elected current stack master is lost.

Lastly it is recommended that if you have more than 2 switches in a stack that the defined master/standby switches should be those that have no uplinks so to reduce convergence in times of an outage.

[Joseph W. Doherty]

"Q2 while connect stacking cables for 9300 how to make it in the right order like master will be on top etc etc"

Individual member units have numbers that they retain across reloads.  This so you can identify each unit's ports (much like a chassis line card).  It's up to you to insure the numbers are physically placed to your liking.  BTW which switch is master or standby and/or how units are cabled does not impact unit numbering.

Usually you number units (in the same physical stack) so they are in sequence either top to bottom, bottom to top, left to right or right to left.  You might also label each with its unit's host name and number so it can be easily identified in the rack.

BTW, as noted by other posters, multiple factors impact what unit is current master.  Although as also noted by other poster, there are recommendations on which unit(s) should be master, in my experience, with older stackable switches, we didn't encounter any operational issues that were dependent on which unit was current stack master.

[Leo Laohoo]

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@Hisoma Sama wrote:

Q1 how many 9500 or 9400 i can stack together? all document i have seen all about 2 switches only, can i do more?

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Maximum is two.  

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@Hisoma Sama wrote:

Q2 while connect stacking cables for 9300 how to make it in the right order like master will be on top etc etc

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9300 can be stacked up to 16 units. 
NOTE:  Cisco will "support" only up to 8 and anything more than that is "unsupported" but do-able. 

9300 can be stacked with "plain" 9300 and 9300X.  9300L can only be stacked with 9300L.  

Firmware must be either in Install Mode or Bundle Mode.  Mixing will not work.