Recommended Stack Deployment Scenarios

Scenario 1: The Stack System Operates on Aggregation Switches

This is the most common scenario when aggregation switches set up a stack system, as shown in Figure 1.

The following switch models can set up a stack system in this scenario: S6700-EI, S6720S-EI, S6720-EI, S6720-HI, S6730-H, S6730S-H, S5700-HI, S5710-HI, S5710-EI, S5700-EI, S5700-SI, S5720-EI, S5720-HI, S5710H, S5730-HI, S5731-H, S5731S-H, S5732-H.

In this scenario, each switch in a stack connects to a core device through Eth-Trunk. The stack system simplifies management of aggregation devices and improves uplink reliability of aggregation devices.

Figure 1 Stack system operating on aggregation switches

Scenario 2: The Stack System Operates on Access Switches

This is the most common scenario when Layer 2 access switches set up a stack system, as shown in Figure 2.

The following switch models can set up a stack system in this scenario: S2720-EI, S2750-EI, S5700-LI, S5700-EI, S5710-C-LI, S5710-X-LI, S5720-LI, S5735-L, S5735S-L, S5735S-L-M, S5720S-LI, S5700-SI, S5720-SI, S5735-S, S5735S-S, S5720S-SI, S5720I-SI, S5700S-LI, S5730-SI, S5730S-EI, S5731-S, S5731S-S, S6720-LI, S6720S-LI, S6720-SI, S6720S-SI, S6730-S, S6730S-S.

In this scenario, each switch in a stack connects to an aggregation device through Eth-Trunk. The stack system simplifies management of and improves uplink reliability of access devices.

Figure 2 Stack system operating on access switches

Scenario 3: The Stack System Operates on an Access Ring

This scenario rarely occurs. Figure 3 shows the networking of this scenario.

The following switch models can set up a stack system in this scenario: S2720-EI, S2750-EI, S5700-LI, S5700-EI, S5710-C-LI, S5710-X-LI, S5720-LI, S5735-L, S5735S-L, S5735S-L-M, S5720S-LI, S5700-SI, S5720-SI, S5735-S, S5735S-S, S5720S-SI, S5720I-SI, S5700S-LI, S5730-SI, S5730S-EI, S5731-S, S5731S-S, S6720-LI, S6720S-LI, S6720-SI, S6720S-SI, S6730-S, S6730S-S.

In this scenario, multiple stack systems form a ring through Eth-Trunk, and one stack system connects to aggregation switches through Eth-Trunk. This scenario reduces the number of management IP addresses of access devices.

Figure 3 Stack system operating on an access ring

Recommendations

The following recommendations are provided based on the positioning of fixed switch models. If customers have special requirements, it is recommended to deploy high-end devices at a lower network layer; it is not recommended to deploy low-end devices at a higher network layer. For example, it is recommended to deploy aggregation switches at the access layer rather than to deploy access switches at the aggregation layer.

To ensure stack reliability and bandwidth, you are advised to do as follows:

• Ensure that each member device connects to the core device through an uplink port. This connection prevents upstream traffic forwarding from being affected when any member device fails.
• When using multiple devices to set up a stack, ensure the same stack bandwidth between any two devices. Otherwise, the bandwidth of the stack system is the minimum stack bandwidth.