White Papers

Table Of Contents
Even if mixed-mode stacking is enabled on any switch other than the S4048-ON or S4048T-ON switches, the new unit is
not allowed to join a stack that contains S4048-ON or S4048T-ON switches.
Important Points on Mixed-mode Stacking
To form a mixed-mode stack, use only the 40G ports between the range 49 to 54.
You cannot form a mixed-mode stack using the 10G ports. Because, the 10G ports on the S4048T-ON are copper ports;
where as, the 10G ports on the S4048-ON are SFP ports.
It is mandatory to enable mixed-mode stacking on the S4048-ON and S4048T-ON switches before joining a mixed-mode
stack.
Stack election is based on the priority or the MAC address of the stack units as in homogenous stacking. The stack-unit with
the highest priority or MAC address is chosen as the master.
Hardware Watchdog in Mixed-mode stacking
The Hardware watchdog command is enabled by default in the S4048T-ON. In the S4048-ON switch, hardware watchdog is not
supported.
In a mixed-mode stacking scenario, you must enable Hardware Watchdog on the S4048T-ON switch.
You can enable the hardware watchdog tiner using the following command: hardware watchdog stack-unit {stack-
unit-number | all}
In a mixed-mode stack, where the S4048T-ON is the master, the system allows configurations to be pushed to a newly joined
the S4048T-ON switch. If the newly joined member unit is a S4048-ON switch, then the configurations are not pushed to the
switch.
NOTE:
Similarlly, the TDR feature is available only, when the S4048T acts a master. The TDR specific command is disabled
when the S4048ON is the master.
In a mixed-mode stack, where the S4048-ON is the master, the hardware watchdog timer must be enabled on the S4048-ON
switch. The system allows configurations to be pushed to a newly joined S4048T-ON switch. If the newly joined member unit is
a S4048-ON switch, then the configurations are not pushed to the switch.
Important Points to Remember
You can stack up to six systems.
You cannot stack one system with other system types.
You cannot enable stacking and virtual link trunking (VLT) simultaneously on the device. To convert a stacked unit to VLT,
see Reconfiguring Stacked Switches as VLT.
Data ports are configured as stacking ports in predefined groups of four 10G ports called stack-groups.
When using the 40G ports, you can configure a single port as a stack port; each 40G port is a stack-group.
All the ports in a stack-group are placed in stacking mode. Unused ports in that group cannot be used as data ports.
Stacking on the device is accomplished through front-end user ports on the chassis.
All stack units must have the same version of Dell EMC Networking OS.
Stacking Installation Tasks
The following are the stacking installation tasks.
Create a Stack
Add Units to an Existing Stack
Split a Stack
904
Stacking