software tool for offline stack configuration and design

[tato386]

Do any of the Cisco tools support the designing and/or architecturing (if that is a word) of a switch stack without having access to the actual stack?  What I want to do is to build and configure my stack on the computer and then be able to generate a config file that I can later download into the actual stack.  Should be available, no?  Thanks

[Edison Ortiz]

The services and features are driven by hardware which are very hard and time consuming to emulate in software.

We don't have such tool at this moment.

[tato386]

Thanks Edison.

So what about after I have the stack up and running with a basic config?  What would be the best tool to use to manage/configure VLANs, port channel groups, trunking and so on?

Thanks,

Diego

[Edison Ortiz]

You can look into the Cisco Prime line of products, I personally use the command line interface.

[Leo Laohoo]

I don't know if this is what you are looking for:  How to use Zero-Touch SmartInstall

[tato386]

Looks like a nifty tool but not quite what I had in mind.  I was visualizing a Visio type thing where I could drap and drop different switch models on a window.  Then interconnect them and create VLANs, assign ports and all that.

I guess I can use the command line like Edison suggest.  However most important to me was having some type of visual legend or map to the switch configuration.  For example, lets say I have a stack consisting of around 200 copper ports and a few dozen fiber ports which consists of 5-6 switches.  Furthermore, let's say I have about a dozen VLANs configured.

Its all up and running but I need to troubleshoot something or connect a new node.  If I had some kind of visual guide I could quickly see which ports are assigned to which VLANs and I could see how the free ports are configured and so on.  This would be a lot easier than standing there in front of the stack with a 40 page config file printout.  Also would help second tier techs that aren't as familiar with the stack configuration.

I guess I could just draw up something with Visio but it would not be linked to the actual configuration.  If I made a changes to the stack I would then have to update the Visio.  What about Configuration/Network Assistant or CiscoWorks?  Would something like this give me the visual representation I am looking for?

Thanks,

Diego