Master Redundancy Scheme for Stacked Switches

Explanation

The master redundancy scheme for stacked switches is the 1:N scheme.

A stack of switches consists of multiple physical switches that are configured to act as a single logical switch. The switches are interconnected using stack cables, which allow the stack to function as a unified system with a single IP address.

In a 1:N redundancy scheme, one switch in the stack is designated as the master switch, while the others are designated as member switches. The master switch is responsible for managing the stack, including handling configuration changes and maintaining the stack's single IP address. If the master switch fails, one of the member switches takes over as the new master.

In contrast, a 1:1 redundancy scheme involves pairing each switch in the stack with a standby switch. If the active switch fails, the standby switch takes over its functions. This scheme can provide faster failover times than 1:N, but it requires more hardware and may be less efficient in terms of resource utilization.

The N:1 scheme involves having multiple master switches and a single backup switch. While this scheme can provide redundancy at the master level, it can also lead to increased complexity and decreased reliability due to the potential for conflicts between the multiple masters.

The 1+N scheme involves having a single active switch and multiple backup switches. If the active switch fails, one of the backup switches takes over. This scheme can provide high levels of redundancy, but it can also result in underutilized resources and increased complexity in managing the backup switches.

Therefore, the 1:N redundancy scheme is the most commonly used and recommended scheme for stacked switches.