Understanding Cisco StackPower
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Understanding Cisco StackPower
Some reasons for connecting individual switches in a power stack are:
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Cisco StackPower uses these terms:
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These sections describe Cisco StackPower:
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StackPower Modes
A power stack can run in one of two modes, configured by using the command-line interface:
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In addition, you can configure the mode to run a strict power budget or a non-strict (relaxed) power
budget. In both modes, power is denied when there is no more power available in the power budget.
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Catalyst 3750-X and 3560-X Switch Software Configuration Guide
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Configuring Cisco StackPower, page 1-6
In case of power supply failure, if there is enough spare power budget in the rest of the power stack,
switches can continue to function.
You can replace a defective power supply without having to shut down all powered devices in the
systems.
System operation can become more green by maximizing power supply efficiency and working with
the most efficient load (30 to 90% of their maximum load).
Available power is the total power available for PoE from all power supplies in the power stack. To
see the available power in a stack, enter the show power inline privileged EXEC command.
Budgeted power is the power allocated to all powered devices connected to PoE ports in the stack.
Budgeted power is referred to as
Consumed power is the actual power consumed by the powered devices. Consumed power is
typically less that the budgeted power. To see the consumed power in a stack, enter the show power
inline police privileged EXEC command.
StackPower Modes, page 1-2
Power Priority, page 1-3
Load Shedding, page 1-4
In power-sharing mode (the default), all input power is available to be used for power loads. The
total available power in all switches in the power stack (up to four) is treated as a single large power
supply, with power available to all switches and to all powered devices connected to PoE ports. In
this mode, the total available power is used for power budgeting decisions and no power is reserved
to accommodate power-supply failures. If a power supply fails, powered devices and switches could
be shut down (load shedding).
In redundant mode, the power from the largest power supply in the system is subtracted from the
power budget, which reduces the total available power, but provides backup power in case of a
power-supply failure. Although there is less available power in the pool for switches and powered
devices to draw from, the possibility of having to shut down switches or powered devices in case of
a power failure or extreme power load is reduced.
In strict mode, when a power supply fails and the available power drops below the budgeted power,
the system balances the budget through load shedding of powered devices, even if the actual power
being consumed is less than the available power.
Chapter 1
in the output of the show power inline command.
Used (Watts)
Configuring Catalyst 3750-X StackPower
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