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Allied Telesis AT-8000SSwitch
Installation Guide
Chapter 3. Stacking
Stacking provides multiple switch management through a single point as if all stack members are a single unit. All
stack members are accessed via a single IP address through which the stack is managed. The stack can be
managed from the following:
•Embedded Web-based Interface
•Command Line Interface (CLI)
Devices support stacking up to six units per stack, or can operate as stand-alone units.
During the Stacking setup, one switch is selected as the Stacking Master and another stacking member can be
selected as the Backup Master. All other devices are selected as stack members. All stack units are assigned a
unique Unit ID.
Switch software can be downloaded for the entire stack unit or separately for each stack member. However, all
units in the stack must be running the same software version.
Switch stacking and configuration is maintained by the Stacking Master. The Stacking Master detects and
reconfigures the ports with minimal operational impact in the event of:
•Unit Failure
•Inter-unit Stacking Link Failure
•Unit Insertion
•Removing a Stacking Unit
This section provides an introduction to the user interface, and includes the following topics:
•Understanding the Stack Topology
•Stacking Chain Topology
•Stacking Members and Unit ID
•Configuring Stacking

Understanding the Stack Topology

Stacked devices operate in a Ring topology. A Ring topology is where all devices in the stack are connected to
each other forming a circle. Each stacked device accepts data and sends it to the device to which it is physically
connected. The packet continues through the stack until it reaches the destination port. The system automatically
discovers the optimal path on which to send traffic.