Users Guide

This two-tier network design allows traffic to move more efficiently in the core and at a higher bandwidth

with lower latencies than most traditional three-tier networks. Since there is no single point of failure that

can disrupt the entire fabric, the distributed core architecture is more resilient and there is less impact on

the network if a link or node failure occurs. AFM views the distributed core as one logical switch.

NOTE: There are no uplinks on the spines. All the leaves have downlinks. Configure the uplink in the

first two leaves.

Key Advantages

The key advantages of a distributed core architecture are:

• Simplified fabric

• Higher bandwidth

• Highly resilient

• Higher availability

• Low power consumption

• Less cooling

• Lower latency

• Lower cost

• Less rack space

• Easier to scale

Distributed Core Terminology

The following terms are unique to the design and deployment of a Layer 3 distributed core fabric.

• Leaf — A switch that connects switches, servers, storage devices, or top-of-rack (TOR) elements. The

role of the leaf switches is to provide access to the fabric. The leaf switch connects to all of spines

above it in the fabric.

• Spine — A switch that connects to the leaves switches. The role of the spine is to provide an

interconnect to all the leaves switches. All the ports on the spine switches are used to connect the

leaves, various racks together. The spines provide load balancing and redundancy in the distributed

core. There are no uplinks on the spines.

Supported Fabric Types