• If you manually change the stack member number by using the switch current-stack-member-number renumber new-stack-member-number EXEC command, the new number goes into effect after that stack member resets (or after you use the reload slot stack-member-number privileged EXEC command) and only if that number is not already assigned to any other members in the stack. Another way to change the stack member number is by changing the SWITCH_NUMBER environment variable. If the number is being used by another member in the stack, the switch selects the lowest available number in the stack.
If you manually change the number of a stack member and no interface-level configuration is associated with that new member number, that stack member resets to its default configuration. You cannot use the switch current-stack-member-number renumber new-stack-member-number EXEC command on a provisioned switch. If you do, the command is rejected. • If you move a stack member to a different switch stack, the stack member retains its number only if the number is not being used by another member in the stack. If it is being used, the switch selects the lowest available number in the stack.
• If you merge switch stacks, the switch that join the switch stack of a new active switch select the lowest available numbers in the stack. As described in the hardware installation guide, you can use the switch port LEDs in Stack mode to visually determine the stack member number of each stack member. You can enter the Stack mode on any of these switches by pressing the mode button. Based on the switch number configured on each switch, the corresponding port LED will be blinking green. For instance, if the switch number configured on a particular switch is three, then the port LED-3 will be blinking green when the mode button is set to stack.
Stack Member Priority Values A higher priority value for a stack member increases the probability of it being elected active switch and retaining its stack member number. The priority value can be 1 to 15. The default priority value is 1. You can display the stack member priority value by using the show switch EXEC command. We recommend assigning the highest priority value to the device that you prefer to be the active switch. This ensures that the device is reelected as the active switch if a reelection occurs. Note To change the priority value for a stack member, use the switch stack-member-number priority new priority-value EXEC command.
For more information, see the “Setting the Stack Member Priority Value” section. The new priority value takes effect immediately but does not affect the current active switch. The new priority value helps determine which stack member is elected as the new active switch when the current active switch or the switch stack resets. Managing Switch Stacks Stack Member Priority Values Managing Switch Stacks 4