How to stack and unstack a member in Dell EMC Networking N4000 switch

1. Update each switch to the latest firmware using the instruction in the .zip file.

2. Configure ports to be used for stacking. It is recommended to use at least two ports on each switch to allow a ring topology connection.

   

Command	Parameters
console>enable	Enter Privileged EXEC mode.
console#configure	Enter configuration mode.
console(config)#stack	Enter Stack Configuration mode.
console(config-stack)#stack-port [Port name] [Port Number] stack	Configure Port as stack port.
console(config-stack)#end	Go Back to Configuration Mode.
console#copy running-configuration startup-configuration	Save Configuration
console#reload	Reboot

The below example demonstrates how to convert a Forty-Gigabit ports port to a stack port.

We are using ports fortygigabitethernet 1/1/1 and fortygigabitethernet 1/1/2 as an example.

console>enable
console#config
console(config)#stack
console(config-stack)#stack-port fortygigabitethernet 1/1/1 stack
console(config-stack)#stack-port fortygigabitethernet 1/1/2 stack
console(config-stack)#end
console#copy running-configuration startup-configuration
console#reload

Below example demonstrates how to convert a 10 Gigabit ports to a stack port.

We are using ports tengigabitethernet 1/0/23 and stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/24 as an example.

console>enable
console#config
console(config)#stack
console(config-stack)#stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/23 stack
console(config-stack)#stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/24 stack
console(config-stack)#end
console#copy running-configuration startup-configuration
console#reload
 

3. After a successful reboot, verify the stack ports are configured properly.

Use command "show switch stack-ports"

Sample output
 

console#show switch stack-ports

              Configured Running

               Stack        Stack      Link        Link           Admin

Interface   Mode      Mode      Status       Speed (Gb/s)  Status

---------------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------ -----------

Te1/0/23     Stack     Stack       Link Up    10       Enabled

Te1/0/24     Stack     Stack       Link Up    10       Enabled

 

4. Power off the switches. Connect the stacking ports in a ring topology.

5. Power on the wanted primary switch first and wait until you can manage it. Afterward power on the next switch one at a time until every switch is powered on. They add themselves to the stack.
 

  
 

To unstack a member from N4000 stack, do the following

1. Power off the member and remove stacking cables from the member which has to be removed from the stack

2. In the primary switch, remove the member id of the member which is powered off
 

Command	Parameters
console>enable	Enter Privileged EXEC mode.
console#configure	Enter configuration mode.
console(config)#stack	Enter Stack Configuration mode.
console(config-stack)#no member <member id>	Remove member

 

Sample output
 

Consider we are removing member 2 from stack.

console(config)#stack
console(config-stack)#
console(config-stack)#no member 2
 

3. If you want to use, convert the stacking ports to Ethernet use the below commands.

NOTE:  You must reboot the switch for ports to transition into Ethernet mode.

 

Command	Parameters
console>enable	Enter Privileged EXEC mode.
console#configure	Enter configuration mode.
console(config)#stack	Enter Stack Configuration mode.
console(config-stack)#stack-port [Port name] [Port Number] ethernet	Configure Port as ethernet port.
console(config-stack)#end	Go Back to Configuration Mode.
console#copy running-configuration startup-configuration	Save Configuration
console#reload	Reboot

Below example demonstrates how to convert a 10 Gigabit port to an ethernet port.

console>enable
console#config
console(config)#stack
console(config-stack)#stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/1 ethernet
console(config-stack)#stack-port tengigabitethernet 1/0/1 ethernet
console(config-stack)#end
console#copy running-configuration startup-configuration
console#reload

4. After a successful reboot verify that the ports have changed to Ethernet mode.

Use command "show switch stack-ports"

Sample output
 

console#show switch stack-ports

               Configured Running

                Stack        Stack      Link        Link           Admin

Interface   Mode      Mode      Status       Speed (Gb/s)  Status

---------------- ---------- ---------- ------------ ------------ -----------

Te1/0/1     Ethernet Ethernet   Link Up    10       Enabled

Te1/0/2     Ethernet Ethernet   Link Up    10       Enabled