We’re excited to announce a powerful new capability in Sophos Central that’s set to change the way you and your customers manage your networks: Switch Stacking.

With the launch of switch stacking in Sophos Central, we’re giving network administrators a way to streamline management, reduce complexity, and scale with confidence. Switch stacking makes it easier and faster to get more done; for network teams that are already stretched, this will be a welcome addition.

Stacking without limits

Traditional switch stacking is often associated with limitations: proprietary stacking cables, fixed port requirements, and restrictions on which models can be stacked together. We’re not following that playbook.

With Sophos, any port on your switch can be used to form a stack, giving you complete flexibility (it’s best to use your faster SFP+ or SFP ports for optimal performance). There’s no need for dedicated stacking ports, no proprietary hardware; you simply build your stack using the existing SFP+, SFP, or Ethernet ports to physically wire the switches. To increase performance and improve resiliency between the wired switches, Sophos recommends using LAG ports.

As real-world networks don’t always follow the network textbook, there’s no cap on the number of switches you can stack (although we recommend up to 8 or you’ll soon block all your ports), and you can mix and match models as needed to fit your deployment scenario. Customers with a large number of switches will find it easier to create multiple stacks per site, rather than putting all switches into one stack.

Manage more, work less

All stacked switches appear and are managed as a single logical unit in Sophos Central.

The benefits:

• One interface, one config, one update; no matter how many physical devices are in the stack.
• Simplified VLAN management, port configurations, and monitoring.
• Less time spent jumping between devices and more time focusing on strategic priorities.

This is operational efficiency that admins will feel immediately, especially in larger deployments.

While Power-over-Ethernet budget sharing across switches is not supported, each PoE-capable switch continues to independently provide reliable PoE power to connected devices based on its own power budget. Sophos Central provides PoE monitoring and details for each switch.

Work smarter

Switch stacking in Sophos Central isn’t just about connecting devices; it’s about empowering network admins to move faster and work smarter. Whether your customers are expanding their infrastructure, replacing aging hardware, or centralizing their management, stacking makes it easier to scale and stay in control.

Give it a try today and experience next-level efficiency.

Explore more: Learn about Sophos switches or log into Sophos Central to get started.