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Switching Fabric
typesh
Member Posts: 168
in CCNA & CCENT
Hey!
Can someone help me understand the term "switching fabric?"
I have come across it a few times in my readings.
Wikipedia: Switched fabric, switching fabric, or just fabric, is a network topology where network nodes connect with each other via one or more network switches (particularly via crossbar switches, hence the name).
Does this mean the switching fabric is like a LAN?
I keep thinking of [fabric] material when I come across this term.
Thank you.
Can someone help me understand the term "switching fabric?"
I have come across it a few times in my readings.
Wikipedia: Switched fabric, switching fabric, or just fabric, is a network topology where network nodes connect with each other via one or more network switches (particularly via crossbar switches, hence the name).
Does this mean the switching fabric is like a LAN?
I keep thinking of [fabric] material when I come across this term.
Thank you.
Comments
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Options120nm4n Member Posts: 116I've always understood switching fabric to be all of the backend hardware and software that moves data around, specifically in a switch, i.e., everything it takes to receive a packet, process it, and send it out.WIP: MCITP: EA
70-620 - Done
70-647 - In Progress
70-649 - Soon. -
Optionsncsugrad2002 Member Posts: 131I've always understood switching fabric to be all of the backend hardware and software that moves data around, specifically in a switch, i.e., everything it takes to receive a packet, process it, and send it out.
you'll see switches rated by how much total data their switching fabric can support. you'll see something like "switching fabric supporting 32Gb/s
a lot of people don't realize that even if you have gigabit ports everywhere on a switch you can't max all of them out at the same time unless your 'switching fabric' can support it. -
Optionsbmauro Member Posts: 307ncsugrad2002 wrote: »basically.
you'll see switches rated by how much total data their switching fabric can support. you'll see something like "switching fabric supporting 32Gb/s
a lot of people don't realize that even if you have gigabit ports everywhere on a switch you can't max all of them out at the same time unless your 'switching fabric' can support it.
This is a very good point. I just recently went to a Nexus 7K training - and that came up as well. That even if you have a 10G line card, every port is not a dedicated 10G. They oversubscribe the backplane (ie switching fabric). -
Options120nm4n Member Posts: 116ncsugrad2002 wrote: »basically.
you'll see switches rated by how much total data their switching fabric can support. you'll see something like "switching fabric supporting 32Gb/s
a lot of people don't realize that even if you have gigabit ports everywhere on a switch you can't max all of them out at the same time unless your 'switching fabric' can support it.
That's actually where I got my information. Switch fabric speed was one of the key factors I used when I was comparing switches to replace my company's old setup.WIP: MCITP: EA
70-620 - Done
70-647 - In Progress
70-649 - Soon. -
OptionsJavonR Member Posts: 245I've heard many people also refer to this as the Backplane. IE: switch backplane supports 32gb/s or 720gb/s.
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Optionstypesh Member Posts: 168So this "fabric" is the entire set of hardware (aka Backplane?) and the speed which all devices together can support?
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Optionsncsugrad2002 Member Posts: 131So this "fabric" is the entire set of hardware (aka Backplane?) and the speed which all devices together can support?
yep. you got it.