The Altran white paper explains multi-unit switch stacking, which links multiple physical switches into one logical unit for scalable, flexible networks. Stacking simplifies management, allowing administrators to treat several switches as a single device while adding ports as needed without major disruption. Common topologies include daisy chain, ring, and mesh, each balancing cost, redundancy, and complexity. Key operations involve master election, topology discovery, loop prevention, and failover handling. Vendor implementations (Cisco, Juniper, Huawei, Dell, Extreme) vary in election methods and resiliency features. Altran’s ISS framework accelerates deployment with stacking-ready software, reducing cost and time-to-market.

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