switch stacking - confused - which method is better?

[gnaveen]

We are stacking 2 switches (sounds simple), 2 debates which we are caught in now. Need some real Cisco person to answer this, as the documentation sometime just not right and gets confusing.

Option 1:

A-sw1 stack1 to B-sw2 stack1
A-sw1 stack2 to B-sw2 stack2

Option 2:

A-sw1 stack1 to B-sw2 stack2
A-sw1 stack2 to B-sw2 stack1

Both options showing that the stack is using full bandwidth

Stack Ring Speed          : 32G

Stack Ring Configuration: Full

Stack Ring Protocol       : StackWise

Which one is the preferred method? Option 1 or Option 2 and Why?

-NG

[Leo Laohoo]

Only two switches?  Then it doesn't make any difference whether the cable goes parallel or "x".  At the end of the day, there's redundancy.  Now if you say you want to stack four switches, for example, there are ways to do it.

[lal.antony · Accepted solution]

@Gaveen,

Above is right, there is no right or wrong method when it comes to stacking two switches. But Cross methods is prefered atleast in my view. Option 2 is the way to go, using that if you add more switches down the track you just keep repeating the cabling and bring the last switches' stack port 1 to top switches' stack port 2 at the end to complete the loop; Below is example for what I am trying to say.

A-sw1 stack1 to B-sw2 stack2

B-sw1 stack1 to C-sw2 stack2
C-sw1 stack1 to A-sw2 stack2

Hope that helps, please rate.

Cheers

Lal Antony

www.lalantony.com

[sdheer]

Hi,

connect the switch stack in the following way

Switch1(port1)------->switch2(port2)

Switch2(port1)------->switch1(port2)

Regards,

Swati

Please rate the thread as answered if your query is resolved so that other could also benefit from it

[stephengun]

Ultimately, it doesn't matter, except to a pedant.

I recommend you go with option 1, the parallel cables. Then if you add a third switch, move the cable from 2B to 3A, and add a cable between 2B and 3B. This method is repeatable for any number of switches, and you never need to run stack cables with more than one switch in between. See my blog post at https://community.cisco.com/t5/networking-blogs/connecting-stack-cables-a-better-way/ba-p/4109155 if you want to visualise it.