Stacking Dell PowerConnect 7000 Series Switches
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Scenario 3
The following example contains a similar condition with a master unit failover and consequent stack
split with five units in the stack, as #Figure 5 shows.

Figure 5. Stack Split with Manager Failure

In this example, there is no link back to Switch 5 fro m Switch 1. In this case, if the manager of the
stack goes down (failed/rebooted), the stack is split into two different stacks with units 1 and 2 in one
stack and units 4 and 5 in another. With this condi tion, none of the stacks will have a working master
within the stack, so both of the stacks will elect new masters for each stack through the process based
on which unit has the highest base MAC address.
Switch 1
Switch 2
Switch 3
Switch 4
Switch 1
Switch 2
Switch 3
Switch 4
Switch 5 Standby
Switch 5 Master
Stack 1
Stack 2