How network topologies affect traffic flow, failure domains, scalability, redundancy, and operational complexity.
Topology describes how network components connect and how traffic and failures propagate. Select a topology for the traffic pattern, scale, availability target, and operating constraints.
| Topology | Typical characteristic |
|---|---|
| Star | Endpoints connect to a central switch or access device |
| Hub-and-spoke | Remote sites depend on a central hub for intersite connectivity |
| Mesh | Multiple paths improve resilience but increase complexity |
| Collapsed core | Core and distribution functions combine in a smaller environment |
| Spine-and-leaf | Each leaf connects to every spine, supporting predictable data-center east-west paths |
Redundancy reduces single points of failure but introduces routing, switching, and operational complexity that must be designed and tested.