Stack Size; Stacking Topologies - Brocade Communications Systems ICX 6430 Hardware Installation Manual

Stack size

TABLE 10
To connect this device
ICX 6610
ICX 6450
ICX 6610
Stack size
A mixed stack can contain one or two ICX 6610 devices. They form the backbone of the mixed stack.
ICX 6450 devices are peripheral units. There can be one to six ICX 6450 devices in a mixed stack.
Peripheral devices can form one or more substacks. A substack is a topology that is formed by ICX
6450 devices. If ICX 6450 devices are separated by an ICX 6610 device, the ICX 6450 devices belong
to different substacks.

Stacking topologies

Two basic ring topologies are supported in a mixed stack: single ring and dual ring.
In a linear stack topology there is a connection between each switch that carries two-way
communications across the stack. This connection can use one port or two ports per trunk.
In ring stack topology, there is an extra connection between the logical first and last devices forming
a"ring" or "closed-loop." The closed-loop connection provides a redundant path for the stack link, so if
one link fails, stack communications can be maintained.
For example, in a four-unit stack using a ring topology, unit 1 connects to unit 2, unit 2 to unit 3, unit 3
to unit 4, and unit 4 connects to unit 1.
You can connect stacking units using one port per trunk or both ports in a trunk. For maximum
bandwidth and link redundancy, use both ports per trunk on all stack units.
Topology 1: single ring
In the figure below, two ICX 6610 devices form the backbone and there are three ICX 6450 peripheral
devices. There can be up to six ICX 6450 peripheral devices.
40
Cables to connect devices in a mixed stack
To this device
ICX 6610
ICX 6450
ICX 6450
Brocade ICX 6430 and ICX 6450 Stackable Switches Hardware Installation Guide
Use this cable
1 meter passive copper QSFP stacking cable
100 meter QSFP fiber optic cable
SFP+ fiber optic cable
10 Gbps copper stacking cable
SFP+ fiber optic cable
10 Gbps copper stacking cable
53-1003079-01