Network Topologies

Concept	Definition	Used For	Pros	Cons
Mesh	Every node connected to every other	WAN, data centers	Redundant	Expensive
Hybrid	Mix of multiple topologies	Large networks	Flexible	Complex
Star / Hub-and-Spoke	Central device connects all others	LAN	Simple	Central failure
Spine-Leaf	All leafs connect to all spines. Spine switches and the core layer and interconnect all leaf switches. Leaf switches connect servers and devices.	Data centers	Scalable, low latency	Cost
Point-to-Point	Single dedicated link	WAN or VPN	Simple	Not scalable
Three-Tier	Core(Fast backbone, high-speed switching), Distribution(Policy enforcement, routing between VLANs), Access(Connects end devices (PCs, printers))	Enterprise networks	Organized	Costly
Collapsed Core	Core + Distribution merged	Small networks	Cheap	Less redundancy
North–South Traffic	In/out of data center	Client-server	Controls external flow	Can be bottleneck
East–West Traffic	Within data center	Server-server	Efficient internal flow	Needs fast switching

NETWORK TOPOLOGIES