Set up a switch's ports once, such as 48 RJ45 plus 4 SFP+, and its faceplate appears. Give each port its speed, PoE, VLANs and link aggregation, connect it to the next device, and TekStacks warns you when the two ends disagree.

Overview

Every piece of equipment can have a port map: switches, firewalls and routers, and a server's or storage array's NICs. The port map shows:

• The faceplate, drawn in blocks wherever the port type changes, the way switches are built. Hover a port to see what it reaches; click it to describe or connect it.
• Link aggregation: groups of ports bundled into an LACP port channel or a static bond.
• Every port: a table with each described or connected port's type, VLANs, group, what it connects to, and the cable.

The faceplate legend shows Connected, Free, Uplink, SFP or fiber, PoE, Link aggregation and Ends disagree.

The equipment's own page shows a small faceplate in its Network section, with how many ports are connected and a link to Open the port map.

Requirements

• Role: to see port maps, See VLANs, subnets and addresses (every built in role by default). To set up and change ports, Add, edit and delete VLANs, subnets and addresses (Admin, Manager and Technician by default).

Step 1: Set up the ports

1. Open the equipment's page. In its Network section, click Map its ports (or Open the port map once it has ports).
2. Click Set up ports.
3. Each line is a run of ports in order. Enter How many, the Type (RJ45, SFP, SFP+, SFP28, QSFP, Fibre Channel or Other), the Speed (empty means the usual speed for that type) and PoE (PoE, PoE+, PoE++ or Passive PoE).
4. Click Add ports for the next run, for example 24 RJ45 at 1GbE with PoE+, then 2 SFP, then 2 SFP+.
5. Save. The faceplate is drawn.

To change the runs later, click Ports and types. Any single port can still be changed by clicking it.

Note: When you add rack mount equipment by picking a model from the device library, and the library entry lists its ports, the ports are set up for you.

You can also set only a port count from the equipment page with Set ports in its Network section.

Step 2: Describe a port

Click a port on the faceplate. The form has:

• Name (such as Gi1/0/24), Type, Speed, PoE, and Technology (Ethernet, iSCSI, Fibre Channel, InfiniBand or SAS) for SAN and storage ports.
• Link aggregation: the group the port belongs to. You can create a new group from here.
• Uplink: marks the port with a ring on the faceplate.
• VLANs: the Mode (Access, Trunk or Hybrid) and the VLAN. For a trunk or hybrid port, choose the Native (untagged) VLAN and either the Tagged VLANs or Tags every VLAN.
• Note.
• Connected to: the equipment and port at the other end, or a circuit, with the cable. See Cables and patch panels.

Click Save. The VLANs come from your VLANs list.

Step 3: Group ports with link aggregation

1. On the port map, in Link aggregation, click Add link aggregation.
2. Enter a Name (such as Po1, LAG 1 or bond0), choose the Protocol (LACP or Static) and pick the Member ports.
3. Save.

Click Edit beside a group to change it, or Remove to delete the group. Its ports stay, outside any group.

Record a console port

For a device whose serial or management console is cabled to a console server:

1. Open the device's page and, in its Network section, click Console.
2. Choose the Console server (equipment of the Console server type) and Its port. Add a Cable label if you like.
3. Save.

The device's Network section shows its console server and port. A console server port takes one device: choosing a port another device uses moves that device off it. To remove the record, choose Not connected.

When the two ends disagree

When both ends of a link record a mode or a VLAN, TekStacks compares them and rings the port in red. The Every port table says why, for example:

• "Trunk here, access on the far end."
• "Untagged VLAN 10 here, VLAN 20 on the far end."
• "Tagged VLANs differ: 30 only here."

Nothing is flagged until both sides are documented.

Notes

Note: A port's VLAN settings also show on the VLANs page, under each VLAN's ports.

Note: Connecting a port updates the far end too. The far device's port map shows the same link.

Troubleshooting

The equipment page has no Network section. Your role cannot see network records. Ask an Admin.

I cannot click the ports. Your role can see port maps but not change them.

A VLAN is missing from the port form. Only VLANs of the same client as the equipment are offered. Add it on the VLANs page first.

The table says "Not matched to a port". A connection on this device names a port that is not a number on the faceplate. Edit the connection from the equipment's Network section, or set up enough ports to include it.