What is the difference between Stacking Lite and Original D-Link Stacking?
The table below shows the difference between Stacking Lite and the original D-Link stacking.
| Feature | Stacking Lite | D-Link Stacking |
| Stacking Cost | Maximum stacking cost is 12 | No stacking cost design |
| Primary Master (PM) Election | Comparing priority first and then MAC address | PM non-preemption first and then comparing priority and MAC address |
| BID Assignment | If PM assigns a new BID to a member switch, the member switch will reboot. | The member switch will not reboot |
| PM Non-Preemption | N/A | Yes |
| Stack Bandwidth | Four specific stack bandwidth selections | SIO port configuration |
| Firmware Synchronization | Automatically synchronize firmware to stacking members | Administrator manually synchronize firmware to stacking members |
| Configuration Synchronization | 1. Synchronize to all stacking members 2. The entire configuration file 3. When changes happen in configuration file, a timer will trigger to synchronization processes |
1. Synchronize to all stacking members 2. Only the parts of configuration file that has been changed 3. Real-time synchronization |
| File System Access | PM can access all files in the member’s file system | PM can access all files in the member’s file system |
| Stacking Merge (PM Change) | After new PM is decided, all other switches will reboot | After new PM is decided, rebooting is not necessary |
| System Inheritance | 1. When a BM becomes the PM, it inherits the system MAC address and IP address from the original stacking system. This system MAC address will be the base MAC address of all IP interfaces including the management port and not be saved in any nonvolatile memory 2. All stacking members inherit the system MAC address and IP address |
The stacking member will inherit the PM’s system/port/interface MAC address if the PM is missing |
| Topology | Ring topology is strongly recommended | Chain and ring topology are available |
| PM and BM Missing | When PM and BM are both missing simultaneously, a new PM will be elected. | When PM and BM are both missing simultaneously, a new PM will be elected. |