Cisco C9500 StackWise Virtual
1. Prerequisites
Both switches in the Cisco StackWise Virtual pair must be:
- directly connected to each other.
- of the same switch mode.
- running the same license level.
- running the same software version.
- running the same SDM template.
- of the same port speed.
2. Configure StackWise Virtual
Device List
Platform | C9500-24Y4C | C9300-48UB |
Quantity | 2 | 2 (Stacked) |
Version | 17.06.04 | 17.09.04 |
License | DNA Advantage | DNA Advantage |

2.1 StackWise Virtual Base Config
Configure the StackWise Virtual Domain, SVL and DAD link. Reload both switches.
In my first lab test, I leave the 2ndswitch priority as default which is 1 and manually renumber the 2nd switch by switch renumber 2
. In fact, I only need to configure different switch priority and let the stack choose the main and backup chassis.
C9500-1#
switch priority 15
C9500-1(config)#
stackwise-virtual
domain 2
interface range Twe 1/0/21,Twe 1/0/22
stackwise-virtual link 1
interface Twe 1/0/24
stackwise-virtual dual-active-detection
do write
C9500-1#
reload
C9500-2#
switch priority 14
C9500-2(config)#
stackwise-virtual
domain 2
interface range Twe 1/0/21,Twe 1/0/22
stackwise-virtual link 1
interface Twe 1/0/24
stackwise-virtual dual-active-detection
do write
C9500-2#
reload
If I reload the 1st switch and wait for 5 minutes, it reboots and wait for the peer to come up. Then I reload the 2nd switch. They both wait for each other to come up and perform the main chassis selection.
C9500-1# .......
Waiting for remote chassis to join
#######################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################################
Chassis number is 1
When the system is up, the console to the 2nd switch is disabled.
C9500-2# .......
Waiting for remote chassis to join
#############################################
Chassis number is 2
All chassis in the stack have been discovered. Accelerating discovery
C9500-1-stby>
Standby console disabled
Configure BUM traffic optimization.
C9500(config)#svl l2bum optimization (default) C9500#show platform pm l2bum-status vlan 1 Vlan Physical port forwarding count ---- -------------------------------- 1 6 C9500#show platform software fed switch ac fss bum-opt summary FSS BUM Traffic Optimization Summary ==================================== Vlan 1: Opt en 0, svl added 1 l2tun 0 ECs: Etherchannel 127: Local 0, Remote 0 Vlans: Etherchannel 128: Local 2, Remote 0 Vlans:
Check StackWise Virtual status
C9500#show stackwise-virtual Stackwise Virtual Configuration: -------------------------------- Stackwise Virtual : Enabled Domain Number : 2 Switch Stackwise Virtual Link Ports ------ ---------------------- ------ 1 1 TwentyFiveGigE1/0/21 TwentyFiveGigE1/0/22 2 1 TwentyFiveGigE2/0/21 TwentyFiveGigE2/0/22 C9500#show stackwise-virtual link Stackwise Virtual Link(SVL) Information: ---------------------------------------- Flags: ------ Link Status ----------- U-Up D-Down Protocol Status --------------- S-Suspended P-Pending E-Error T-Timeout R-Ready ----------------------------------------------- Switch SVL Ports Link-Status Protocol-Status ------ --- ----- ----------- --------------- 1 1 TwentyFiveGigE1/0/21 U R TwentyFiveGigE1/0/22 U R 2 1 TwentyFiveGigE2/0/21 U R TwentyFiveGigE2/0/22 U R C9500#show stackwise-virtual dual-active-detection In dual-active recovery mode: No Recovery Reload: Disabled Dual-Active-Detection Configuration: ------------------------------------- Switch Dad port Status ------ ------------ --------- 1 TwentyFiveGigE1/0/24 up 2 TwentyFiveGigE2/0/24 up
2.2 StackWise Virtual Additional Config
Configure ePAgP Dual-Active-Detection (Optional).
C9500(config)# int range TwentyFiveGigE1/0/24,TwentyFiveGigE2/0/24 channel-group 1 mode desirable stackwise-virtual dual-active detection pagp trust channel-group
Actually EtherChannel can’t be configured under the DAD link.
C9500(config-if)#? Distributed stack interface configuration commands: default Set a command to its defaults description Interface specific description exit Exit from interface configuration mode no Negate a command or set its defaults stackwise-virtual Configure Stackwise Virtual link values
Configure Port-Channel and Routing
C9500(config)# int range Twe 1/0/1,Twe 2/0/1 no switchport channel-group 1 mode active interface port-channel 1 ip add 172.16.32.1 255.255.255.252 router eigrp 1 network 172.16.32.0 0.0.0.3
C9300(config)# int range Gig 1/0/1,Gig 1/0/3 no switchport channel-group 1 mode active interface port-channel 1 ip add 172.16.32.2 255.255.255.252 router eigrp 1 network 172.16.32.0 0.0.0.3
Show Command Output
C9500#show etherchannel summary Number of channel-groups in use: 1 Number of aggregators: 1 Group Port-channel Protocol Ports ------+-------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------- 1 Po1(RU) LACP Twe1/0/1(P) Twe2/0/1(P) C9300#show etherchannel summary Number of channel-groups in use: 1 Number of aggregators: 1 Group Port-channel Protocol Ports ------+-------------+-----------+----------------------------------------------- 1 Po1(RU) LACP Gi1/0/1(P) Gi1/0/3(P) C9500#show ip eigrp neighbors EIGRP-IPv4 Neighbors for AS(1) H Address Interface Hold Uptime SRTT RTO Q Seq (sec) (ms) Cnt Num 0 172.16.32.2 Po1 14 00:04:47 38 228 0 7
3 Disable StackWise Virtual
C9500(config)# int range Twe1/0/24,Twe2/0/24 no stackwise-virtual dual-active-detection int range Twe1/0/21,Twe1/0/22,Twe2/0/21,Twe2/0/22 no stackwise-virtual link 1 no stackwise-virtual C9500# reload