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Difficulty: Very hardNetwork Topology Architectures

Match each network architecture layer or topology design model on the left to its correct functional responsibility or operational trait on the right.

  • Spine Layer (Data Center Spine-Leaf)Acts as a high-speed L3 backbone interconnecting nodes without direct peer-to-peer links, enabling equal-cost multipath (ECMP) forwarding.
  • Leaf Layer (Data Center Spine-Leaf)Serves as the network boundary where endpoints connect, acting as the VXLAN Tunnel Endpoint (VTEP) for encapsulation.
  • Distribution Layer (Traditional 3-Tier Campus)Provides policy-based routing, inter-VLAN routing, ACL filtering, and QoS enforcement between access switches and core infrastructure.
  • Collapsed Core Layer (2-Tier Campus)Consolidates high-speed transport routing and policy control functions into a single physical switch tier for smaller enterprise sites.

Answer

Spine Layer matches high-speed L3 ECMP backbone forwarding; Leaf Layer matches endpoint attachment and VTEP encapsulation; Distribution Layer matches inter-VLAN routing, ACL filtering, and policy enforcement; Collapsed Core matches combining Core transport and Distribution policy into a single switch tier.
The pairings correctly align each tier with its defining design attributes: Spine switches provide non-blocking ECMP L3 transport; Leaf switches act as endpoint connection points and VTEPs; Distribution switches manage L2/L3 policy, ACLs, and routing boundaries; Collapsed Core switches combine Core and Distribution capabilities into one physical tier.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze Spine Layer responsibilities in Data Center Spine-Leaf (Clos) design.
Spine switches strictly interconnect Leaf switches, run L3 routing protocols, and provide equal-cost multipath transport without inter-spine links.
Spine nodes form the high-speed backbone core of the Clos fabric.
2
Analyze Leaf Layer responsibilities in Spine-Leaf design.
Leaf switches connect to servers, storage, and firewalls, serving as the edge access and VTEP overlay encapsulation boundary.
Endpoints attach exclusively to Leaf nodes in modern fabric architectures.
3
Analyze Distribution Layer responsibilities in traditional 3-Tier Campus design.
Distribution switches aggregate Access switches, perform inter-VLAN routing, and enforce security ACLs and QoS policies.
The Distribution tier isolates the Access tier from the Core tier and manages network policies.
4
Analyze Collapsed Core (2-Tier) campus design characteristics.
Collapsed Core integrates Distribution policy routing and Core high-speed switching into one combined physical tier.
It simplifies deployment for smaller networks that do not require separate core and distribution switch chassis.

Key Concept

Enterprise Campus (3-Tier & Collapsed Core) vs. Data Center (Spine-Leaf) Architectural Layers
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Topics

Network Topology Architectures

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