Networks that grow unheeded without any plan in place tend to develop in an unstructured format. Dr. Peter Welcher, the author of network design and technology articles forCisco Worldand other publications, refers to unplanned networks as fur-ball networks.Welcher explains the disadvantages of a fur-ball topology by pointing out the problemsthat too many CPU adjacencies cause. When network devices communicate with manyother devices, the workload required of the CPUs on the devices can be burdensome. Forexample, in a large flat (switched) network, broadcast packets are burdensome. A broadcast packet interrupts the CPU on each device within the broadcast domain and demandsprocessing time on every device (including routers, workstations, and servers) for which aprotocol understanding for that broadcast is installed.Another potential problem with nonhierarchical networks, besides broadcast packets, is theCPU workload required for routers to communicate with many other routers and processnumerous route advertisements. A hierarchical network design methodology enables youto design a modular topology that limits the number of communicating routers.Using a hierarchical model can help you minimize costs. You can purchase the appropriate internetworking devices for each layer of the hierarchy, thus avoiding spending moneyon unnecessary features for a layer. Also, the modular nature of the hierarchical designmodel enables accurate capacity planning within each layer of the hierarchy, thus reducing wasted bandwidth. Network management responsibility and network managementsystems can be distributed to the different layers of a modular network architecture tocontrol management costs.Modularity enables you to keep each design element simple and easy to understand.Simplicity minimizes the need for extensive training for network operations personneland expedites the implementation of a design. Testing a network design is made easybecause there is clear functionality at each layer. Fault isolation is improved because network technicians can easily recognize the transition points in the network to help themisolate possible failure points.Hierarchical design facilitates changes. As elements in a network require change, thecost of making an upgrade is contained to a small subset of the overall network. Inlarge flat or meshed network architectures, changes tend to impact a large number ofsystems. Replacing one device can affect numerous networks because of the complexinterconnections.
đang được dịch, vui lòng đợi..
