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Using the Extreme Stacking Tool

The Extreme Stacking Tool provides an easy way to plan your stack. As you select various switch models and stacking methods, the tool shows you:
  • What switch models can be stacked together and which cannot.
  • Whether switching methods – for example, SummitStack-V and SummitStack-V80 (supported in EXOS 30.1 and prior releases only) – are compatible with the selected switches.
  • Statistics showing the routing options that are available with every stack combination.
  • Recommendations about which switches should be the stack master and backup.
  • Information about the supported versions of ExtremeXOS for every combination.

To use the Stacking Tool, follow these steps.

  1. Open the Stacking Tool (https://stackingtool.extremenetworks.com/StackingTool/) in a web browser.
    Note

    Note

    The Stacking Tool is also available in the Support Tools section of the Extreme Portal.
  2. Find a switch model in the Switches column.
    Each switch model is represented by a rectangle, as shown in the example in the following figure. In this example, stacking ports are represented by S1 and S2 on the right side.
    Click to expand in new window
    X465 Switches Shown in the Stacking Tool
    X645 stacking tool
    Tip

    Tip

    Click a rectangle to display more information about the switch model and the VIMs (if any) that it can use for stacking.
  3. Drag the rectangle to the first slot in the Stack column in the middle of the page.
    To the right of the Stack column, the tool displays statistics about available routes, supported software versions, and master/backup recommendations.
    Tip

    Tip

    If you don't see statistics and other information, click the arrow (> symbol) to the immediate right of the Stack column.
  4. Use the tool in any of the following ways:
    • Select other switches and drag them to the slots in the stacking column.
    • For any switch in the stack, click the S1 and S2 symbols to choose stacking methods – for example, SummitStack-V and SummitStack-V80 (supported in EXOS 30.1 and prior releases only).
    • To remove a switch from the stack, drag it away from the stacking column.

    Whenever you add or remove a switch from the stack, the statistics and recommendations update automatically.

In addition to statistics and recommendations, colors in the display show whether the selected switch models and stacking methods are compatible.
Table 1. Colors in the Stacking Tool Display
Color Meaning
Green Compatible and preferred
Blue Compatible
Yellow Incompatible with the selected master node
Red Incompatible
121248-05 Rev. AH