Need advice on how to add a new 5520-48 switch to an Existing Stack.

[hhood]

I need some help in adding a Nortel 5520-48T to an existing stack. Here is the scenario:

I have in production, two Nortel Switch (A 5520-48 PWR and a 5520-24 PWR configured as a 2 member stack. I want to extend the stack with another 48 port switch. I have done some research but I am getting conflicting feedback; some say its very simple and very easy other say it is very dangerous (can destroy you existing stack configuration.)

I have attached a snap-shot of the Stack's configuration hoping that you Nortel experts here can guide and offer some advice on possible "pittfalls" to avoid. The stack is in production and I only have about 30 mins down-time to play with. Here a some snapshots of the existing Stack configuration.

Thanks for your assistance. I am a System administrator with a working knowledge of Dell's power switches, but I have absolutely no practical experience working with Nortel switches. So any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Hendy

[Jon Hurtt]

Since this is your first time, I would make sure you do this during an outage window. I would make sure to backup the configurations (Both Binary and ASCII). This will be your backout plan if you cannot get the third unit to stack.

Since you have two switches in the current stack, i would first break one of the connections removing only redundancy in the stacking cables. It should be as easy as making sure the new unit is not set to Base (by a dip switch on the back of the switch). Make sure to connect the unit in the stack and then power on the New unit. The New Unit should show up as a member of the stack.

If you want to be extra safe and have an outage window, prior to connecting the new unit, go ahead and power the stack down. Then after the New Unit is connected, power each unit in the stack starting with the base unit, and waiting till it is completed booted before starting the next one...

You can minimize your down time by having all racked prior to starting.... Good Luck.

[telecom116]

I know that the stack can automatically upgrade code on a new switch, from personal experience over many years of 5520 installs I would HIGHLY recommend setting up the new switch on a test bench and getting its image and diag code to match that of both existing switches.  If the code version on your new switch is newer than the old switch/stack (and going to your screenshots it is VERY old code; your new switch will probably come with a 6.x version) I would recommend using this time to upgrade your old stack to the newest code versions, then getting the new switch up to that code version.

Following are my personal 55xx code observations:
If you don't want to try out EDM and stay with the 6.1.x code stream, I've had no issues with v6.1.4 code, although I am upgrading to 6.1.7 with no issues (stay away from 6.1.6).  Note that since you have a 5.x code you WILL have to install 6.0 code first, then do the upgrade to your final 6.x code version, otherwise there can be corruption; which further underlines you DO NOT want to install 6.1.6 code as it may (from my personal experience, WILL) crash due to the switch originally having code earlier than 6.0 on it.

If you have 6.2.x running or want to get EDM, whcih is where Avaya appears to be heading for management, 6.2.3 appears to also be a stable version.

[hhood]

Jon and Telecom, thanks for your replies. The new switch is not really new. It has has a much older firmware on it (4.x.x). So I guess it makes since to update it firmware to that of the production switched before adding it to the snack?

[Jon Hurtt]

Jon and Telecom, thanks for your replies. The new switch is not really new. It has has a much older firmware on it (4.x.x). So I guess it makes since to update it firmware to that of the production switched before adding it to the snack?

Yes it would make sense to bring that device up to the same firmware and software as the rest of the stack, make sure to read the release notes as there are some intermediate steps needed to upgrade to 6.2.3