Installation Manual

28 Installing the Switch

Connecting Two Switches

Insert one end of the special stacking cable into a stack port, and insert the other end into a stack port of the

adjacent switch. Optionally, insert a second cable into the other open stack port, as shown in Figure 14.

The second cable provides both backup connectivity and increased data transfer between the units.

Figure 14 Stack Ports of Two S25V Switches Connected in a Ring

fn00151s25V

Stack Port B Stack Port A

FG -48V -48V Current

RTN Sharing

FG -48V -48V Current

RTN Sharing

STACK STACK

STACKSTACK

Note: Figure 14 and Figure 15 and these instructions use “Stack Port A” and “Stack Port B” for clarifying

the connections, but the modules are not label

ed.

Connecting Three Switches

Force10 recommends the ring topology, as outlined above (Figure 12 on page 27), because that provides

redundant connectivity. Using the example of three switches in the stack (Figure 15), and starting with the

switch at the bottom of the stack:

1 Insert one end of the first ca

ble into S

tack Port A.

2. Insert the other end of the cable into S

tack Port A of the middle switch.

3. Insert the second cable into Stack Port B of the middle and top switches.

Connect the remaining cable to the top and bottom

switches by inserting one end of the cable into the

open Stack Port B of the bottom switch and the other end of the cable into Stack Port A of the top

switch.

Figure 15 S25V Rear View Showing Ring Topology Stacking

STACKSTACK

fn00152s50V1

Stack Port A Stack Port B

FG -48V -48V Current

RTN Sharing

FG -48V -48V Current

RTN Sharing

FG -48V -48V Current

RTN Sharing