Description
Product Outline of the Cisco C2960S-STACK Flexstack Stacking Module
The Cisco C2960S-STACK is a stacking module designed to enhance the performance and scalability of the Catalyst 2960S Series switches. It plays a crucial role in enabling seamless communication and collaboration within a network infrastructure. This Catalyst 2960S series is renowned for delivering high-performance, secure, and scalable switching solutions. Whether you’re managing a small business network or a large enterprise, the 2960S Series caters to diverse needs, offering a robust platform for your networking requirements.
Key Features of Catalyst 2960S Series
- Expansion Slots for Versatility: With expansion slots, users have the flexibility to add additional modules and expand the switch’s functionality according to their evolving needs.
- External Stacking Capability: External stacking capability is a standout feature, enabling the connection of multiple switches to form a cohesive and efficient network.
- Stack Ports for Enhanced Connectivity: The Catalyst 2960S switches come equipped with stack ports, allowing users to create a unified and scalable network infrastructure.
Bridging Connectivity
The Cisco C2960S-STACK comes with 2 stack ports, serving as the linchpin for connecting multiple switches seamlessly. These stack ports play a pivotal role in creating a stacked system, where multiple switches operate as a single logical unit. This stacking capability brings numerous advantages, including increased bandwidth, simplified management, and enhanced resilience.
Minimizing Downtime
The Cisco C2960S-STACK boasts a wired hot-swappable design, allowing for the replacement or addition of the stacking module without powering down the entire stack. This feature is instrumental in minimizing downtime during maintenance or expansion activities, ensuring that the network remains operational even as changes are implemented.
Adaptive Stacking
At the heart of the Cisco C2960S-STACK is the Flexstack technology. This technology enables adaptive stacking, allowing switches to dynamically adjust their stacking configuration based on the number of connected units. This adaptive capability streamlines the scaling process, providing an efficient and responsive solution for growing network requirements.
Benefits of Cisco C2960S-STACK External Stacking Module
Now that we have explored the features of the Cisco C2960S-STACK, let’s delve into the tangible benefits that it brings to the table.
Scalability of Grow with Confidence
The stacking module facilitates the creation of a scalable network infrastructure. As business needs evolve, the Cisco C2960S-STACK empowers organizations to expand their network seamlessly by adding more switches to the stack. This scalability ensures that the network can accommodate increasing data loads and user demands without compromising performance. As the demand for resources and bandwidth grows, stacking multiple switches becomes a seamless solution. This scalability ensures that the network can evolve alongside the organization, accommodating increased workloads and data traffic.
Simplified Management
By forming a stack with multiple switches, the Cisco C2960S-STACK enables centralized management. Administrators can configure and monitor the entire stack as a single entity, streamlining the management process. This centralized control not only simplifies network administration but also enhances the overall efficiency of the IT infrastructure.
Enhanced Redundancy
The stacked configuration created by the Cisco C2960S-STACK enhances network redundancy. In the event of a switch failure, traffic seamlessly reroutes through the remaining switches in the stack, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous connectivity. This high level of resilience is crucial for mission-critical applications where uninterrupted network access is paramount.
Cost-Effective Expansion
With the inclusion of an expansion slot, the Cisco C2960S-STACK adheres to a modular approach to network expansion. Instead of investing in entirely new switches, organizations can leverage the expansion slot to add specific modules that cater to their evolving needs. This cost-effective approach allows for strategic and targeted investments in network infrastructure.
Hot-Swappable Design
The wired hot-swappable design of the Cisco C2960S-STACK ensures minimal disruption during maintenance or upgrades. The ability to replace or add stacking modules without powering down the entire stack is a key advantage in environments where continuous uptime is a critical requirement.
Flexstack Technology
The Flexstack technology embedded in the Cisco C2960S-STACK adds a layer of adaptability to the stacking process. The switches can dynamically adjust their stacking configuration based on the number of connected units, optimizing performance and responsiveness. This adaptive capability ensures that the network operates efficiently, even as demands fluctuate.
Performance and Reliability
The Model Cisco Optional FlexStack Hot-Swappable Stacking Module is designed to provide high performance and reliability when used with Cisco Catalyst 2960-S series switches. It has a stacking bus that operates at a speed of 80 Gbps, which allows for fast communication and resource sharing between the stacked switches. It also supports up to 8 switches in a stack, allowing for a large network to be managed as a single entity.
In terms of reliability, this module includes features such as hitless stacking, which allows switches to be added or removed from the stack without interrupting network traffic, and redundant stacking links, which provide an additional level of redundancy in case of a failure of the primary stacking link. These features help to ensure that the network remains stable and available even in the event of equipment failures or other issues.
The Advantages of Stacking
The Cisco Optional FlexStack Hot-Swappable Stacking Module (C2960S-STACK) is a stacking module designed for the Cisco Catalyst 2960-S switch series. It offers several advantages to users, including:
- Increased Scalability: The C2960S-STACK allows users to stack up to eight switches, providing increased scalability and network growth without having to replace the entire switch.
- Hot-Swappable: The stacking module is hot-swappable, meaning it can be added or removed without having to shut down the entire switch. This reduces downtime and allows for easy maintenance and upgrades.
- Improved Network Resilience: With stacking, network resilience is improved as all switches in the stack can communicate with each other, allowing for automatic failover in case of a switch failure.
- Easy Management: The C2960S-STACK provides a single management interface, making it easier to manage multiple switches as if they were one. This reduces administrative overhead and improves network management efficiency.
- Enhanced Performance: Stacking provides increased bandwidth and performance, as switches can communicate with each other directly, without having to go through a router or other network device.
General Information about this Cisco C2960S-STACK Stacking Module
- Manufacturer: Cisco
- Part Number or SKU# C2960S-STACK
- Product Type: Stacking Module
Technical Information
- Application/Usage: Stacking
- Form Factor: Hot-swappable
- Cables Included: 1 x stacking cable (external) – 1.6 ft
Networking
- Connectivity Technology: Wired
- Data Transfer Rate: 10 GBPS
- Features: Full duplex capability
Expansion / Connectivity
- Interfaces: 2 x stack port
- Compatible Slots: 1 x Expansion slot
In short, the Cisco C2960S-STACK is a crucial component that enhances the capabilities of the Catalyst 2960S Series switches. With its stack ports, expansion slots, external stacking cable, hot-swappable design, and Flexstack technology, this stacking module brings scalability, simplified management, enhanced redundancy, cost-effective expansion, and adaptive performance to network infrastructures.
As organizations continue to navigate the complexities of modern networking, the Cisco C2960S-STACK stands as a reliable solution, empowering them to build resilient and high-performance networks that can evolve with their needs. Whether it’s the seamless integration of switches, the adaptability to changing demands, or the minimization of downtime, the Cisco C2960S-STACK plays a pivotal role in shaping a robust and efficient network ecosystem.
