Stackable Switch - Comparison With Other Switch Architectures

Comparison With Other Switch Architectures

A stackable switch is distinct from a standalone switch, which only operates as a single entity. A stackable switch is distinct from a switch modular chassis.

Stackable switches have these benefits:

1. Simplified network administration: Whether a stackable switch is operated alone or “stacked” with other units, there is always just a single management interface for the network administrator to deal with. This simplifies the setup and operation of the network.
2. Scalability: A small network can be formed around a single stackable unit, and then the network can be grown by adding additional units over time if and when needed, with little added management complexity.
3. Deployment flexibility: Stackable switches can operate together with other stackable switches or can operate independently. Units one day can be combined as a stack in a single site, and later can be run in different locations as independent switches.
4. Resilient connections: In some vendor architectures, active connections can be spread across multiple units so that should one unit in a stack be removed or fail, data will continue to flow through other units that remain functional.
5. Improving backplane: A series of switches, when stacked together, improves the backplane of the switches in stack also.

Compared with a modular chassis switch, stackable switches have these drawbacks:

1. For locations needing numerous ports, a modular chassis may be lower cost. With stackable switching, each unit in a stack has its own enclosure and at minimum a single power supply. With modular switching, there is one enclosure and one set of power supplies.
2. High-end modular switches have high resiliency / high redundancy features that are not found in all stackable architectures.