Redundancy Protocols vs Stacking: Pros and Cons

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Excerpt: I was recently asked whether or not I preferred to use a router redundancy protocol like HSRP, VRRP, or GLBP, or stack switches together to form a sort of “virtual router”, and use that for redundancy. Just like anything else, the immediate answer is “it depends”, but there are a few things to remember when considering a redundant design with your routers or Layer 3 switches. First, redundancy protocols can be found nearly everywhere. Cisco’s proprietary HSRP and “everyone else’s” VRRP are pretty similar in concept, and with tweaking, perform nearly exactly the same. Either can allow for sub-second failover between…