Allied Telesis AT-S63 - Manual (Page 65)

AT-S63 Management Software Features Guide
Section I: Basic Operations 65
Introduction
The switches in the AT-9400 Series are divided into the Layer 2+ group
and the Basic Layer 3 group. The two groups share many of the same
features, but there are a number of significant differences. For instance,
the Internet Protocol version 4 packet routing feature and the Virtual
Router Redundancy Protocol are supported only on the Basic Layer 3
switches.
Three models in the Basic Layer 3 series support an additional feature
called stacking. What stacking allows you to do is assemble the switches
so that they function as a unified Gigabit Ethernet switch, rather than as
independent units. As a stack, the switches synchronize their actions so
that network operations, like spanning tree protocols, virtual LANs, and
static port trunks, are able to span across all of their Gigabit Ethernet
ports.
The two principal advantages of AT-9400Ts Stacks are:
 You can configure all of the switches in a stack simultaneously from
the same management session, rather than individually from different
sessions. This can simplify network management.
 You have more latitude in how you configure some of the features. For
instance, when creating a static port trunk on a stand-alone switch you
have to choose ports from the same switch. In contrast, a static trunk
on a stack can have ports from different switches in the same stack.