 of stacking is that the backplane of the stack is lim- ited to 32 gigabits per second (Gbps). For comparison, some of the larger modular switches can support 720 Gbps on their backplanes. These large modular switches are usually more expensive then a stack of fixed-configuration switches, however. The benefits of fixed-configuration switches include: Price Fixed-configuration switches are generally much less expensive than their modular cousins. Fixed-configuration switches are usually only 1 RU in size. They can be used in closets, and in small spaces where chassis-based switches do not fit. Two switches stacked together are still smaller than the smallest chassis switch. Weight Fixed-configuration switches are lighter than even the smallest chassis switches. A minimum of two people are required to install most chassis-based switches. Power Fixed-configuration switches are all capable of operating on normal household power, and hence can be used almost anywhere. The larger chassis-based switches require special power supplies and AC power receptacles when fully loaded with modules. Many switches are also available with DC power options. Chapter 2: Hubs and Switches On the other hand, Cisco's larger, modular chassis-based switches have the following advantages over their smaller counterparts: Expandability Larger chassis-based switches can support hundreds of Ethernet ports, and the chassis-based architecture allows the processing modules (supervisors) to be upgraded easily. Supervisors are available for the 6500 chassis that provide 720 Gbps of backplane speed. While you can stack up to seven 3750s for an equal number of ports, remember that the backplane speed of a stack is limited to 32 Gbps. Flexibility The Cisco 6500 chassis will accept modules that provide services outside the range of a normal switch. Such modules include: Firewall Services Modules (FWSMs) Intrusion Detection System Modules (IDSMs) Content Switching Modules (CSMs) Network Analysis Modules (NAMs) WAN modules (FlexWAN) Redundancy Some fixed