D-Link DXS-3250E - xStack Switch, Web/Installation Manual

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Stacking
Page 69
Section 7. Stacking
Stacking provides multiple switch management through a single point as if all stack members are a single unit. All
stack members are accessed through a single IP address through which the stack is managed. The stack is can
be managed from the following:
•
Web-based Interface
•
SNMP Management Station
•
Command Line Interface (CLI)
Devices support stacking up to 16 units per stack, or can operate as stand-alone units.
During the Stacking setup, one switch is selected as the Stacking Master and another stacking member can be
selected as the Secondary Master. All other devices are selected as stack members, and assigned a unique Unit
ID.
Switch software is downloaded separately for each stack members. However, all units in the stack must be run-
ning the same software version.
Switch stacking and configuration is maintained by the Stacking Master. The Stacking Master detects and recon-
figures the ports with minimal operational impact in the event of:
•
Unit Failure
•
Inter-unit Stacking Link Failure
•
Unit Insertion
•
Removing a Stacking Unit
Understanding the Stacking Topology
The DXS-32XX provides the following stacking topologies:
•
Ring Topology
•
Chain Topology
Ring Topology
A stacked Ring topology is where all devices in the stack are connected to each other forming a circle. Each
stacked device accepts data and sends it to the device to which it is physically connected. The packet continues
through the stack until it reaches the destination port. The system automatically discovers the optimal path on
which to send traffic.