Allied Telesis AT-8100S/24 User Manual

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Chapter 2: Stacking Overview
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Stacking Guidelines
A stack is a group 8100S Series switches linked together with the S1 and 
S2 stacking ports to function as a unified Fast Ethernet switch. They 
synchronize their actions so that network operations, such as spanning 
tree protocols, virtual LANs, and static port trunks, span across all of the 
Fast Ethernet ports.
A stack has two principal advantages over stand-alone units:
You can configure all of the switches in a stack from the same 
management session, rather than individually from different 
sessions, thereby simplifying network management.
You have more latitude when configuring some of the features. For 
instance, to create a static port trunk on a stand-alone switch you 
have to choose ports from the same switch. In contrast, a static 
trunk on a stack can have ports from different switches in the same 
stack.
Here are the general guidelines for 8100S Series stacks:
All 8100S Series switches support stacking.
A stack can have up to eight switches or 208 ports.
The switches of a stack may be the same model or different 
models. For instance, a stack can have AT-8100S/24C, AT-8100S/
24, and AT-8100S/16F8-SC Switches.
Stacking is not supported on the 8100L Series switches.
An 8100S Series stack cannot contain other stacking devices, 
such as the AT-9400Ts Series switches.
The 8100S Series switches do not need any additional modules or 
software for stacking.
Each switch must be assigned a unique stack ID number, in the 
range of 1 to 8, with the STACK command in the Global 
Configuration mode. It must be assigned before the switch is 
connected to the stack. The stack will not function properly if there 
are two or more switches that have the same ID number.
The default value for the stack ID number is 0, which is reserved 
for stand-alone switches.
A stack must have one master switch. The master switch is the 
switch with the lowest stack ID number, usually ID number 1.
The master switch can be any switch in the stack.
If the master unit fails or is removed from the stack, the member 
switch with the next lowest ID number takes over as the new 
master switch.