Module 07 Flashcards
The overall design of a device, network, or other system. In the context of a network, the architecture includes the devices involved, how they’re configured, the services implemented to support the network, and the way devices are connected to the network.
Architecture
A switch that provides plug-and-play simplicity with minimal configuration options and has no IP address assigned to it.
Unmanaged switch
A switch that can be configured via a command-line interface or a webbased management GUI, and sometimes can be configured in groups.
Managed switches
A switch capable of interpreting layer 3 data and works much like a router in that it supports the same routing protocols and makes routing decisions.
Layer 3 switch
A switch capable of interpreting layer 4 data, which means it can perform advanced filtering, keep statistics, and provide security functions.
Layer 4 switch
The use of more than one identical component, device, or connection for storing, processing, or transporting data.
Redundancy
Redundant broadcast transmissions that flood a network in switching loops that are not limited by some protective system such as STP (Spanning Tree Protocol).
Broadcast storm
A switching protocol defined by the IEEE standard 802.1D that functions at the data link layer and prevents traffic loops by artificially blocking the links that would complete a loop.
STP (Spanning Tree Protocol)
The single bridge on a network selected by STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) to provide the basis for all subsequent path calculations.
Root bridge
The most efficient path from each switch to the root bridge in an STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) environment.
Least cost path
The port on a switch designated as the interface facing the root bridge in an STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) switched environment.
Root port
A type of network message that transmits STP information between switches.
BPDUs (Bridge Protocol Data Units)
Layers of security implemented to protect a network from multiple attack vectors.
Defense in depth
A device that distributes traffic intelligently among multiple devices or connections.
Load balancer
A hierarchical network design that organizes switches and routers into three tiers: access layer or edge layer, distribution layer or aggregation layer, and core layer. This design increases both redundancy on the network and network performance.
Three-tiered architecture
Workgroup switches connected directly to hosts. Also called edge layer.
Access layer
Workgroup switches connected directly to hosts. Also called access layer.
Edge layer
A highly redundant mesh of connections between multilayer switches or routers that provides routing within the corporate network as well as traffic filtering and the network’s connection to one or more WANs. Also called aggregation layer.
Distribution layer
A highly redundant mesh of connections between multilayer switches or routers that provides routing within the corporate network as well as traffic filtering and the network’s connection to one or more WANs. Also called distributed layer.
Aggregation layer
A remote location within the corporation’s network that is often connected over a WAN link or the open Internet.
Branch offices
A group of highly efficient multilayer switches or routers that support the network’s backbone traffic.
Core layer
The flow of traffic between peers within a network segment.
East-west traffic
Messages that must leave the local segment to reach their destinations.
North-south traffic
A two-layer network architectural design where spine switches organize traffic and network segments using OSI layer 3 technologies while leaf switches manage traffic by either layer 2 or layer 3 principles.
Spine-and-leaf architecture
