Allied Telesis AT-S63 - Manual (Page 65)

AT-S63 Management Software Features Guide
Section I: Basic Operations 65
Enhanced Stacking
If you have prior experience with Allied Telesis products, you might
already be familiar with a feature that happens to have a similar name to
the feature discussed in this manual. The feature is enhanced stacking
and what it allows you to do is manage the different Allied Telesis switches
in your network from one management session by redirecting the
management session from switch to switch. This can save you time as
well as reduce the number of IP addresses that you have to assign to the
managed devices in your network.
It is important not to confuse the stacking feature explained in this guide
with enhanced stacking because they have no functional or operational
similarities. Their principal differences are outlined here.
In an AT-9400Ts Stack:
ˆ The AT-9400Ts Gigabit Ethernet Switches operate as a single, logical
unit in which functions such as static port trunks and port mirrors, are
able to span all the devices in the stack.
ˆ The switches are managed as a unit.
ˆ The switches in a stack have the same MAC address tables.
ˆ The switches must be installed in the same equipment rack.
ˆ The switches are linked together with the AT-StackXG Stacking
Module.
ˆ The stacking feature is only supported on the AT-9424Ts, AT-9424Ts/
XP, and AT-9448Ts/XP Switches.
In enhanced stacking:
ˆ The AT-9400 Gigabit Ethernet Switches operate as independent units.
ˆ Though the switches of an enhanced stack can be accessed from the
same management session, they must still be configured individually.
ˆ Each switch maintains its own MAC address table.
ˆ The devices can be located across a large geographical area.
ˆ The switches are connected together with a common virtual LAN.
ˆ Enhanced stacking is supported by all of the AT-9400 Gigabit Ethernet
Switches, as well as other Allied Telesis managed products.
The AT-9400Ts Stack does not support enhanced stacking. A stack can
be managed locally through the Terminal Port on the master switch of the
stack or remotely with a Telnet or SSH client or a web browser.