Brocade Network OS Administrator’s Guide v4.1.1 - Manual (Page 37)

Topology and scaling
Up to 24 switches can exist in a Brocade VCS Fabric. Although you can use any network topology to
build a Brocade VCS Fabric, the following topics discuss the scaling, performance, and availability
considerations of topologies more commonly found in data centers:
• Core-edge topology on page 37
• Ring topology on page 38
• Full mesh topology on page 38
Core-edge topology
Core-edge topology, devices connect to edge switches which are connected to each other through core
switches. The example shown below uses three core switches. You could use more or fewer switches
in the core, depending on whether you need higher availably and greater throughput, or a more efficient
use of links and ports.
FIGURE 8 Core-edge topology
This topology is reliable, fast, and scales well. It is reliable because it has multiple core switches. If a
core switch or a link to a core switch fails, an alternate path is available. As you increase the number of
core switches, you also increase the number of link or core switch failures your cluster can tolerate.
Topology and scaling
Network OS Administrator’s Guide 37
53-1003225-04