Users Guide

Stacking Installation Tasks
The following are the stacking installation tasks.
• Create a Stack
• Add Units to an Existing Stack
• Split a Stack
Create a Stack
Stacking is enabled on the device using the front end ports.
Stack Group/Port Numbers
By default, each unit in Standalone mode is numbered stack-unit 0.
A maximum of eight 10G stack links or two 40G stack links can be made between two units in a stack. The
front end ports are divided into 16 stack groups, each with 40G of bandwidth. Stack groups 0 through 11
correspond to 10G stack groups with four ports each. Stack groups 12 to 15 are one 40G port each.
The front end ports accommodate SFP, SFP+ and QSFP+.
• Ports are divided into 16 stack-groups (0 to 15) as shown in the following example. The stack groups
must be of a single speed - either all 10G or all 40G.
• stack-group 0 corresponds to ports 0-3, stack-group 1 corresponds to ports 4-7, so on through
stack-group 11.
• stack-group 12 corresponds to the 40G port 48, stack-group 13 corresponds to port 52, so on
through stack group 15.
Figure 128. Stack-Group Assignments
You can connect the units while they are powered down or up. Stacking ports are bi-directional.
When a unit is added to a stack, the management unit performs a system check on the new unit to ensure the
hardware type is compatible. A similar check is performed on the Dell Networking OS version. If the stack is
running Dell Networking OS version 8.3.12.0 and the new unit is running an earlier software version, the new
unit is put into a card problem state.
• If the unit is running Dell Networking OS version 8.3.10.x, it is upgraded to use the same Dell Networking
OS version as the stack, rebooted, and joined the stack.
Stacking 1015