How to Connect Multiple Switches

Why Connect Multiple Switches Together?

Normally, we combine several Ethernet switches together to meet our needs (port number,
certain functions, etc.) when one switch can't. Then how to connect multiple Ethernet switches in
networking? In general, there are three main technologies: switch cascade, switch stack and
switch cluster. This article aims to elaborate on three technologies and the best way among them
in switch to switch connection.

How to Connect Switches

There are many ways to connect to a switch. You can daisy chain, star link, cascade, cluster or
stack them. In most modern networks, cascades, clusters, and stacks tend to be more common.
This is because they offer specific advantages that many modern web designers appreciate.

These three common connections allow you to highlight the specific properties that make each
configuration better or worse depending on your needs.

Cascading

Cascading is a technique in which each switch is connected to other switches through multiple
ports. By using this configuration, you can freely configure and manage switch cascades. One
switch can control all switches, or any switch can be managed individually. Any switch must be a
slave switch to the master switch, but the option exists.

Configuring the switch in this manner provides the maximum possible number of connected
switches. There is no strict logical limit on the number of switches that can be placed in a
cascade. A cascaded configuration does not increase network bandwidth. In a cascade, each
switch has its own IP address.

Stacking

Stacking is a method designed to maximize port access (not necessarily the total number of
ports). In a stack, port density is equal to the sum of all ports on all switches in the stack. In other
words, there is a theoretical limit to the number of switches that can be stacked.

This brings up another important point. When you stack switches, they must be compatible with
each other. In most cases, this means you have to stack multiple switches of the same model.

For these trade-offs, stacking greatly improves network bandwidth. In a stack, bandwidth
between switches on the stack can be combined to achieve higher overall data throughput rates.

On the management side, one switch manages the entire switch, and a backup switch can be set
up to maintain the stack in the event of a primary switch failure.
Another note related to stacks: the entire stack uses one IP address.

Clustering

Clustering is a bit of a combination of the ideas involved in cascades and stacks. With this
configuration, one device handles the logic to manage all of the other switches connected to it.
This is not a daisy chain, though. Instead, each additional switch connects directly to the
command switch.

An important point to note is that the command switch is assigned a single IP address, which is
sufficient for the whole cluster.

There is a hard limit to the number of switches you can have in a single cluster (determined by
the available ports on the command switch). Since clustering can mirror cascading and/or
stacking, bandwidth gains depend on how you design the cluster. If you use stacking in your
cluster, then you can net bandwidth gains from the configuration. If you cascade your cluster,
then there are no bandwidth gains.

Lastly, you cannot mix and match models in a cluster. Only cluster-compatible switches will work
together.

There is often a best way to connect multiple switches. It depends on what you really need out of
your network. When you take the time to learn how the different configurations compare, you
can strategize around the best configuration and budget yogurt networking switches
appropriately.