SGE2000 Stacking Questions

[stephenrx7]

I've reviewed both the administrator guide and the switch reference guide and I am still unclear about the following questions.  Will someone please help me out?  Thanks!

My configuration:  2 x SGE2000 switches stacked.  SW1 GBIC3 to SW2 GBIC4.

1. Since I only have 2 switches, I am assuming that there is no benefit from having a ring topology, is this correct?  If not, what would be the benefit and would I just connect another cable from either port SW1 Port 12 to SW2 port 24 to make it a ring?

2. If the stacking cable were to be pulled out by accident (assuming I only have one) I would effectively have two stacks right?  What effect would this have on the devices on my network?  I assume that things would still work correctly, except I would not be able to access the switch management interface since they would both be masters and would share the same IP address.

Thanks in advance.

Stephen

[David Hornstein]

Hi Stephen,

My answers are in red.

My configuration:  2 x SGE2000 switches stacked.  SW1 GBIC3 to SW2 GBIC4. ( excellent stacking interface by default are SGE2000 - Default stacking ports: 12/GBIC 3, 24/GBIC 4.)  Remember that if you don't use stacking make sure you use the console port or telenet session to take the switch out of stack mode.

1. Since I only have 2 switches, I am assuming that there is no benefit from having a ring topology, is this correct?  If not, what would be the benefit and would I just connect another cable from either port SW1 Port 12 to SW2 port 24 to make it a ring?

Why have a ring when you can have link aggregation between the switches. If you link aggregate, you theoreticaly double the bandwidth that connect the swutches together.  A stack switch means that all ports between the two switches appear as one bigger switch.

2. If the stacking cable were to be pulled out by accident (assuming I only have one) I would effectively have two stacks right? Correct, both switches would assume the role of a stacking master

What effect would this have on the devices on my network?  Both switches would still switch packets back into the network.

  I assume that things would still work correctly, except I would not be able to access the switch management interface since they would both be masters and would share the same IP address. Correct, my assumption  would be that  both switches would appear as the same IP address, which would be annoying till the CAT5e/CAT6  or fiber connection was restored.

regards Dave

[stephenrx7]

I'm not looking for bandwidth so much as redundancy.  Most my servers have two NICs which will be plugged into each switch and most of that traffic will be directed out through the WAN rather than between each other.  But you do make a good point, as long as the SGE2000 supports LAG on the two stacking ports.

BTW, I did find out from Cisco that simple plugging in a cable between GBIC 3/4 and Eth 24/12 would create a ring.

Thanks for answering.

Stephen