Build Stacks; Introduction To Stacking - Extreme Networks Extreme 7520 Series Hardware Installation Manual

Build Stacks

Introduction to Stacking

Plan to Create Your Stack
Set up the Physical Stack
A stack consists of a group of up to eight switches that are connected to form a ring.
The stack offers the combined port capacity of the individual switches; it operates as if
it were a single switch, making network administration easier.
Stacking is facilitated by the SummitStack feature – part of the Switch Engine and
ExtremeXOS Edge license.
This topic describes the supported configurations for stacking switches, the
considerations for planning a stack, and the steps for setting up the hardware. Read
this chapter before installing the switches that will make up the stack.
Refer to the Stacking chapter in the
about configuring a stack, maintaining the stack configuration, and troubleshooting.
Introduction to Stacking
When stacking switches, the stack operates as if it were a single switch with a single IP
address and a single point of authentication. One switch – called the primary switch –
is responsible for running network protocols and managing the stack. The primary runs
Switch Engine software and maintains all the software tables for all the switches in the
stack.
All switches in the stack, including the primary switch, are called nodes.
four nodes in a stack, connected to each other by SummitStack cables.
All connections between stack ports must be directly between switches. A stacking
connection cannot pass through a third device, for example a Virtual Port Extender or
an LRM/MACsec Adapter.
20 Extreme 7520 Hardware Installation Guide
on page 20
on page 29
on page 33
Switch Engine 32.4 User Guide
for information
Figure 5 shows