Creating A Stack; Configuring The M8024-K Stack; Figure 4. Sfp+ Four Port Expansion For The M8024-K - Dell PowerConnect M8024-k User Manual

Stacking PowerConnect 10G Switches: M8024-k, 8024, 8024F
Note: If Simple Mode is enabled it will need to be disabled prior to using this document. Consult the
User Guide for more information on Simple Mode, and how to disable it.
Note: Any stack configuration should be removed prior to downgrading firmware to version 4.1.x.x or
earlier, in the event a downgrade is desired.
All M8024-k scenarios below assume the switches are using external ports 17-20 and that no modules
are installed providing additional external ports. If an SFP+ expansion module is installed (Figure 4), it
provides four additional ports which can be used for stacking. These ports are labeled as Module-Port
1/1 through 1/4 in the "show switch stack-ports" command as seen in the console#show switch stack-
ports
below.
Figure 4.
SFP+ Four Port Expansion for the M8024-k
Be sure to enable the Spanning Tree protocol on all network devices for proper functioning before
setting up any of the configurations mentioned in this documentation.

Creating a Stack

Examples below provide steps on how to create a stack. Graphics shown in this section only depict
some of the possibilities of how to cable together members of a stack. While the cable pictures below
come before the configuration steps, it is important not to cable the stack until instructed to do so.
Cabling is one of the last steps and will come after configuring all switches to be used.

Configuring the M8024-k Stack

PowerConnect M8024-k modular blade switches can only be stacked using 10G SFP+ fiber ports. You can
use the built-in SFP+ ports or SFP+ ports in a module installed in the expansion slot. These 10G SFP+
ports default to Ethernet mode and must be reconfigured as stacking ports to create the stack. The
steps in this section will show the process.
Stacking over the 10G SFP+ ports is supported at distances of up to 100M when the switch is configured
to use Priority Flow Control on any port. Stacking using LR/LRM transceivers is supported up to the
maximum distance supported by the transceiver/fiber combination (10 km for 10GBase-LR).
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