What is a stackable switch?

[RicN]

Some switches is called "stackable", but I am unsure what that means? Some kind of switch group management, but how does it work?

Is it commonly used and what are the advantages?

[Matt Hobbs]

"Stackables" are just your fixed port 1U type of switches. They do also support the 'virtual stacking' feature which allows you to assign one IP address to manage all of them. Personally, I don't like this feature (I prefer to manage them all with individual IP addresses through PCM+).

[RicN]

Thank you Matt for your answer.

>They do also support
>the 'virtual stacking' feature which allows
>you to assign one IP address to manage all
>of them.

With this "virtual stacking", does that mean to physicaly connect the switches in any other way than just ordinary ethernet switch-to-switch-link?

Do they act like "one switch" in terms of frame forwarding and similar?

[Matt Hobbs]

It's virtual because it just uses the same ethernet connection, nothing special, and it's really just for ease of management and to save IP addresses. I'll agree it saves IP addresses but it does have other limitations that end up just being annoyances.