136 Managing a Switch Stack
When units are in a stack, the following activities occur:
• All units are checked for software version consistency.
• The switch Control Plane is active only on the Master. The Control Plane
is a software layer that manages system and hardware configuration and
runs the network control protocols to set system configuration and state.
• The switch Data Plane is active on all units in the stack, including the
Master. The Data Plane is the set of hardware components that forward
data packets without intervention from a control CPU.
• The running configuration and application state is synchronized between
the Master and Standby during the normal stacking operation.
In a stack of three or more switches, Dell strongly recommends connecting
the stack in a ring topology so that each switch is connected to two other
switches. Figure 8-1 shows a stack with three switches as stack members
connected in a ring topology.
Figure 8-1. Connecting a Stack of Switches
The stack in Figure 8-1 has the following physical connections between the
switches:
• The XG1 port on Unit 1 is connected to the XG2 port on Unit 2.
• The XG1 port on Unit 2 is connected to the XG2 port on Unit 3.
• The XG1 port on Unit 3 is connected to the XG2 port on Unit 1.
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
XG1 Port XG2 Port
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