165Cluster management configurationCluster management overviewWhy cluster managementCluster management is an effective way to manage large numbers of dispersed network switches ingroups. Cluster management offers the following advantages:• Saves public IP address resources. You do not have to assign one public IP address for every clustermember switch.• Simplifies configuration and management tasks. By configuring a public IP address on one switch,you can configure and manage a group of switches without the trouble of logging in to each switchseparately.• Provides a useful topology discovery and display function for network monitoring and debugging.• Allows simultaneous software upgrading and parameter configuration on multiple switches, freefrom topology and distance limitations.Roles in a clusterThe switches in a cluster play different roles according to their different functions and status. You canspecify the following three roles for the switches:• Management switch (Administrator)—Providing management interfaces for all switches in a clusterand the only switch configured with a public IP address. You can specify one and only onemanagement switch for a cluster. Any configuration, management, and monitoring of the otherswitches in a cluster can only be implemented through the management switch. When a switch isspecified as the management switch, it collects related information to discover and definecandidate switches.• Member switch (Member)—A switch managed by the management switch in a cluster.• Candidate switch (Candidate)—A switch that does not yet belong to any cluster but can be addedto a cluster. Different from a member switch, its topology information has been collected by themanagement switch but it has not been added to the cluster.
