What is DC Network Technology?

Have you ever wanted to walk around a data center and see how it is wired? Those of us innately curious about everything in the IT space would jump at the opportunity. Most data centers don’t open their doors to strangers, however. So, you’re stuck reading about the data center (DC) network topology instead, which we are going to discuss in this article. 

What is DC Network Technology?

You might be familiar with a campus network. Campus networks are typically deployed at places like office buildings or schools. Data center networks look a little different, however. 

That doesn’t mean you should be scared of a data center network. So, let’s take a look at the DC network topology and how it’s different from a campus network. 

An Overview of DC Network Technology

In this video, CBT Nuggets trainer Jeff Kish covers the network topology in a data center. He will also compare the differences between a traditional campus and a data center network.

What is the Difference Between a Campus and a Data Center Network?

Did you know the DC network topology has a lot in common with the traditional campus network? Let’s explain some of those similarities. 

Both the data center and campus networks use tons of switches. That doesn’t change. After all, we need a way to pass network communication between devices. 

Those switches still connect to a lot of edge devices, too. Campus networks attach to servers, storage devices, and appliances in the same way a data center does. 

We still manage those networks for various things, too.  For instance, we might use VLANs to segregate portions of a network. We still need to configure subnets and IP addresses, as well. 

We use a lot of the same protocols in both types of networks. Though data centers use fewer routers, we still use BGP and OSPF in both the DC and campus network topologies. 

Here’s where data centers differ, however. 

We already mentioned that data centers don’t use as many routers as a campus network. That’s because data centers are primarily housed in large buildings. The DC network topology doesn’t span between buildings and satellite offices in the same way. 

That leads us to our first difference. A campus network is typically structured in three layers:

• Core

• Distribution

• Access

The DC network topology can be structured similarly, but the distribution layer is called the aggregation layer. However, in a more modern data center, we use a spine-leaf system. Leaves sit at the bottom of the network, and each leaf connects to each spine. Spines don’t connect to each other, however. Data needs to pass through each leaf to get to each other. That also means the core connects to a leaf, too. 

Unlike a campus network, a data center network depends on Layer 2. A data center needs the flexibility that a Layer 2 network offers. 

The point of a data center is to provide storage, processing, and servers. If a VM needs to be moved from one compute node to another, the sysadmin needs the flexibility to perform that operation. You need Layer 2 services to make that migration. Data centers need to scale easily, too.  That’s another reason the DC network topology depends on Layer 2. 

What about storage? One of the biggest reasons to build a data center is to aggregate things like processing power and storage. That’s why you will typically find Fibre Channel in a data center but not in a campus network. 

If you like speed, you’ll love the data center network. In a data center, speed is king. That’s why data centers start with a minimum of 10Gb connections. Though, it’s common to see much faster network speeds in the data center. Most data centers use 25Gb or better switches. 

There are still many differences between a campus and a data center network, but our final example will be redundancy. In a data center, everything is redundant. Servers have multiple power supplies. Network routes use multiple switches. Each appliance and server connects to multiple parts of the network. Etc… There’s seldom a singular point of failure in a data center. 

Start Your Data Center Training Today

Now that you know the difference between a campus and a data center network, maybe you would like to learn more. This is vital information to know to pass the CCNP, too. So get started with online CCNP data center training today. CBT Nuggets has everything you need to study for and pass the CCNP exam right now.