M05 - Part 1_ Discussion - Network Architecturemo

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Collapse Subdiscussion Noah Caslin Noah Caslin Monday Feb 12 at 12:30pm Manage Discussion Entry In spine-and-leaf architecture: the oversubscription ratio describes the relationship between the bandwidth of leaf switches connecting to servers and the bandwidth of those switches' uplinks to spine switches. An appropriate oversubscription ratio, typically 3:1 or lower, balances cost with performance since some level of oversubscription is acceptable based on average traffic patterns. This ratio helps determine the number of leaf switches supportable in a network considering their uplink capacity. The number of spine switches needed depends on factors such as their port density (higher density allows for more connected leaf switches), desired redundancy levels (e.g., N+1), overall traffic patterns, and the use of technologies like ECMP to balance traffic distribution. Spine-and- leaf design is flexible, and network traffic should be monitored for potential adjustments over time. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Karen Sears Karen Sears Tuesday Feb 13 at 9:43pm Manage Discussion Entry Noah, your explanation provides a clear and concise overview of the oversubscription ratio in spine-and-leaf architecture, as well as considerations for determining the number of leaf and spine switches in a network. It serves as an informative resource for those looking to grasp the essentials of designing and managing networks with this architecture. Well done! Karen Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Robert D Lasalle Robert D Lasalle Thursday Feb 15 at 9:19pm
Manage Discussion Entry Noah. You did a really good job explaining Spine and Leaf Architecture. I agree with Karen about adding depth to the explanation. I like the spine and leaf design due to it flexibility when adding or removing from it. Your explanation is easy to understand. outstanding!! Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Corinna Valenti Corinna Valenti Yesterday Feb 17 at 5:33pm Manage Discussion Entry Noah, I agree with the others that your explanation of the relationships between spine and leaf and oversubcription ratio was done well. I think it was a great idea to add in the different factor that come into play with the number of spine switches needed. I definitely had to reread this module twice. It was not an easy one for me. Thank you for breaking it down further. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Dalton James Shad May Dalton James Shad May 5:20pm Feb 18 at 5:20pm Manage Discussion Entry Hello Noah I had similar conclusions in my own research. The main difference is I found that it is a 2;1 ratio. However this still works with your findings. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Jose Fuentes Jose Fuentes Tuesday Feb 13 at 9:35pm Manage Discussion Entry
The oversubscription ratio ensures that there is no excessive bandwidth contention when all servers send traffic simultaneously. An appropriate oversubscription ratio is 3:1 or less, and this helps you choose the number of leaf switches in a network because port density on the spine limits the maximum number of leaf switches. So, in return port density and leaf throughput determines how many spine switches you have. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Karen Sears Karen Sears Tuesday Feb 13 at 9:46pm Manage Discussion Entry Jose, You mention of port density and leaf throughput influencing the number of spine switches adds depth to the explanation. This reflects the practical considerations that network designers must account for, ensuring that the spine switches can effectively handle the traffic from the leaf switches. The emphasis on industry-appropriate oversubscription ratios and the influence of port density on spine switches enhances the understanding of key considerations in network design. Well done! Karen Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Caleb Lee Hendey Caleb Lee Hendey Wednesday Feb 14 at 1:02pm Manage Discussion Entry Jose, It's clear that keeping the oversubscription ratio at 3:1 or lower helps prevent too much traffic congestion. Your point about how the number of leaf switches depends on the port density of the spine switches makes sense. Understanding this connection is key for making sure the network runs smoothly. Keep up the great insights! Edited by Caleb Lee Hendey on Feb 14 at 1:02pm Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Karen Sears Karen Sears Tuesday
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Feb 13 at 9:41pm Manage Discussion Entry The oversubscription ratio refers to the relationship between the total bandwidth provided by the network's uplinks (typically from leaf switches) to the core (spine switches) and the aggregate bandwidth of the devices connected to the network. An oversubscription ratio of 1:1 implies that the aggregate bandwidth of the access switches equals the total bandwidth of the uplinks. However, a common and cost-effective oversubscription ratio is often in the range of 10:1. This means the total bandwidth of the uplinks is ten times greater than the aggregate bandwidth of the connected devices. To determine the number of leaf switches needed, consider the total bandwidth requirements of the connected devices, and choose leaf switches that, in combination, can handle that load while adhering to the chosen oversubscription ratio. This approach ensures efficient utilization of resources while maintaining acceptable performance levels. Determining Spine Switches: The number of spine switches needed in a spine-and-leaf network is influenced by factors such as the total number of leaf switches, the desired oversubscription ratio, and the overall performance and redundancy requirements. The number of spine switches (S) can be determined using the formula: S = sqrt(N), where N is the total number of leaf switches. If there are 16 leaf switches, the number of spine switches required would be the square root of 16, which is 4. Therefore, a network with 16 leaf switches would typically have 4 spine switches in a full-mesh topology. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Michaley Kinser Michaley Kinser Yesterday Feb 17 at 1pm Manage Discussion Entry Karen, I like your explanation of determining spine switches and leaf switches and how you provided the formula to do so. Who knew there were so many factors that went into networking!? I sure didn't before starting this class! Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Corinna Valenti Corinna Valenti Yesterday
Feb 17 at 5:35pm Manage Discussion Entry Hello Karen, You did an amazing job of breaking down how to determine the number of spine and leaf switches needed. The article I went off had a 3:1 ratio, although I did see some with the 10:1 ratio like yours. Thank you for your explanation. You did a great job! Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Francisco Ruiz Francisco Ruiz Yesterday Feb 17 at 8:07pm Manage Discussion Entry Your explanation of the oversubscription ratio and its impact on network design is clear and concise. The oversubscription ratio indeed plays a crucial role in determining the balance between available bandwidth and the total bandwidth demanded by connected devices. Your mention of the common oversubscription ratio being around 10:1 aligns with industry standards and reflects the trade-off between cost- effectiveness and network performance. By explaining how this ratio is calculated and its significance, you've provided valuable insight into network planning. Additionally, your approach to determining the number of leaf switches by considering the total bandwidth requirements of connected devices is practical and effective. It ensures that network resources are utilized efficiently while maintaining satisfactory performance levels, which is essential for overall network optimization. Moreover, your explanation of determining the number of spine switches using the square root of the total number of leaf switches is straightforward and easy to understand. This formula provides a quick and efficient method for scaling spine-and-leaf architectures based on the size of the network. Overall, your response demonstrates a solid understanding of spine- and-leaf architecture, oversubscription ratio, and the factors influencing the determination of leaf and spine switches. Keep up the excellent work! Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Robert D Lasalle Robert D Lasalle Tuesday
Feb 13 at 9:55pm Manage Discussion Entry Hello Class, Anyone feeling like our tiny little brains are absorbing a massive amount if information in a VERY short amount of time? Here is the answers to Spine and Leaf Architecture. I found there was a ton of really good information and great examples doing research! What is oversubscription ratio? “This is defined as the maximum amount of traffic a switch can receive from end points (i.e., servers directly attached to the switch), divided by the maximum amount of traffic it can send on the uplinks to the rest of the data centre network.” (Lyons & Zolotow, 2020) What is an appropriate oversubscription ratio for a network? Doing research there were a lot of different answers. I find that an appropriate oversubscription ratio could be 3:1 or even less 2.5:1. This is a very good example to calculate the ratio. I thought this was worth sharing: “The oversubscription ratio can be calculated using the formula: (Pn x Ps): (Un x Us) Pn is the number of connected leaf ports and Ps is their speed of these ports and Un is the number of spine uplinks and Us is their speed. As an example, imagine a Leaf switch with 48x10g ports for attaching endpoints giving 480Gb/s of port capacity. If this Leaf is connected to 4 spine switches at 40Gb/s it will have a total uplink capacity of 160Gb/s. So the oversubscription ratio is: 480:160 and dividing both sides by 160 we get 3:1.” (Lyons & Zolotow, 2020) How does this help you choose the number of leaf switches in a network? The number of leaf switches is determined by how many ports are available on the spine switch. How do you determine how many spine switches a network needs? The number of spine switches is governed by the combination of the required throughput between leaf switches, the number of redundant paths, and their port density. Lyons, M., & Zolotow, C. (2020, September 7). Converged Networking: Over- subscription ratio . Medium. https://mikenovahunter.medium.com/converged- networking-over-subscription-ratio-f1c74348a5f3 Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Caleb Lee Hendey Caleb Lee Hendey Wednesday Feb 14 at 1:06pm Manage Discussion Entry
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Hello, Robert You did a great job of explaining the oversubscription ratio of being between 3:1 and less than 2.5:1. I agree with you that that is the appropriate oversubscription ratio. That is also a good example to calculate the ratio. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Dylan Michael Bays Dylan Michael Bays Wednesday Feb 14 at 10:53am Manage Discussion Entry The ratio is (Pn x Ps):(Un x Us). Based on the research on oversubscription, the ratio should be 1:1 but there are some factors that may not always allow for it to be 1:1. It depends on the traffic of the network and what the administrators took into account to accurately place within the ratio. Pn is the number of connected leaf ports, Ps is the speed, Un is the number of spine links, and Us is the speed. This can help making a 1:1 ratio over the factors in the ratio for maximum efficiency. To determine the amount of spine switches you need is based off scalability, redundancy, and performance. It depends on the needs of your network. You can determine the number of spines you need based on the ratio I provided above. Lyons, M. (2020, September 7). Converged networking: OVER-subscription ratio. Medium. Converged Networking: OVER-Subscription Ratio | by Mike Lyons | Medium Links to an external site. Noction. (2021, July 27). Oversubscription in networking. Noction. https://www.noction.com/blog/oversubscription-in-networking Links to an external site. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Javeil Mack Javeil Mack 9:19am Feb 18 at 9:19am Manage Discussion Entry hey Dylan. thank you for your insight. I do agree that there are some factors that may not allow the 1:1 ratio. that is why I put 3:1 or 4:1. I think that is the most common, but you and a couple others also put
1:1 as a common ratio. thank you for providing that link as a reference Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Caleb Lee Hendey Caleb Lee Hendey Wednesday Feb 14 at 12:59pm Manage Discussion Entry The oversubscription ratio in networking is about how much bandwidth is available compared to what devices might need. A good oversubscription ratio balances cost and performance, usually between 1:1 and 20:1, depending on how much traffic you expect and what your applications require. When you're picking the number of leaf switches in a network, you think about this ratio to make sure there's enough bandwidth for devices without spending too much. Deciding how many spine switches a network needs means looking at things like how much backup you want, how big you expect your network to grow, and how much traffic you think you'll have. You want to make sure there are enough spine switches to handle traffic between leaf switches smoothly, while also being ready for future growth and making sure everything stays working if one switch goes down. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Noah Caslin Noah Caslin 5:29pm Feb 18 at 5:29pm Manage Discussion Entry Hi Caleb, That's a great, concise explanation of oversubscription. You make the concept accessible, which is important when discussing network design. I particularly like how you emphasize the balance between cost and performance which is a key consideration for any network engineer. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Michaley Kinser Michaley Kinser Wednesday
Feb 14 at 6:02pm Manage Discussion Entry An oversubscription ratio is the ratio between the upstream bandwidth and the downstream capacity. I've found two different answers for the appropriate oversubscription ratio of a network one answer I found was 3:1 or less and the second answer I found was no more than 4:1. The number of leaf switches is determined by the port density of the spine switches. The Spine switches are determined by the combination of required throughput between the leaf switches, the number of redundant/ECMP paths, and their port density. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Dylan Michael Bays Dylan Michael Bays 11:19am Feb 18 at 11:19am Manage Discussion Entry After reading the information that you provided, it gave me better insight on what the ration should be. I said 1:1 but it may not work all the time. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Dalton James Shad May Dalton James Shad May 5:22pm Feb 18 at 5:22pm Manage Discussion Entry Michaley, Your insights on the oversubscription ratio within spine-and-leaf architecture make perfect sense. Keeping this ratio at 3:1 or lower strikes a good balance between cost-effectiveness and performance optimization. I agree that factors like port density, redundancy levels, and traffic patterns are key determinants in figuring out the right number of spine switches. The adaptability of spine-and-leaf design allows for smooth adjustments to address changing network requirements. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Corinna Valenti
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Corinna Valenti Wednesday Feb 14 at 7:45pm Manage Discussion Entry Oversubscription ratio in networking is the ratio between the required bandwidth and the available bandwidth. I found several differences when comparing oversubscription ratios. On www.noction.com Links to an external site. , it suggests that the ratio be 3:1. So, for every spine switch, there should be no more than 3 leaf switches. The number of spine switches needed depends on the size and scale of the network and how much bandwidth is required. I am going to share the way it was described to me in hopes that it helps me understand it better and may help someone else that is struggling with it. The spine switch would be the main switch. This switch does all the routing and is the core of the network. The leaf switches are what a company would connect devices like cameras, network phones, access points, etc. The number of switches needed depends on the bandwidth that is being used and when it is being used. If most of the bandwidth is being used during the day, you may want more core switches to spread the bandwidth accordingly. You may have a server (leaf switch) strictly for cameras because you know this is something that runs constantly and uses bandwidth 24/7. I am not sure I entirely understand these concepts, so I look forward to reading everyone else’s boards. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Robert D Lasalle Robert D Lasalle Thursday Feb 15 at 9:14pm Manage Discussion Entry Corinna, I completely understand how you feel about understanding it better. I researched a lot of information. There are a few sites that do a really good job of explaining things less technical. You did a good job explaining it! Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Michaley Kinser
Michaley Kinser Yesterday Feb 17 at 1:09pm Manage Discussion Entry I think you did a great job as well breaking it down in a less technical way! I too have struggled to fully understand the concept. So the way you have broken it down like this has definitely help me to understand it a little bit better! Way to go! Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Evan Harrell Evan Harrell Yesterday Feb 17 at 2:19am Manage Discussion Entry I learned a lot about the spine-and-leaf architecture in the last module. This design offers some advantages over the older three-tiered setup, such as improved redundancy, reduced latency, enhanced performance, better scalability, increased security, and reduced costs. It's also highly adaptable to newer networking technologies such as virtualization and hybrid cloud. I did some research on the concept of oversubscription ratio. Basically, it's the ratio of available bandwidth in the network to the bandwidth provisioned to end devices. An appropriate oversubscription ratio depends on factors like traffic patterns and application needs and can range from 1:1 to 20:1. This ratio directly impacts the number of leaf switches needed in a network, helping administrators calculate the required bandwidth for end devices. When it comes to determining the number of spine switches, it's a critical decision that depends on factors such as the scale of the data center, traffic patterns, and growth. It's about finding balance in oversubscription ratios, aggregate bandwidth requirements, and the need for redundancy/resilience. The oversubscription ratio influences the number of leaf switches, allowing administrators to balance performance, cost, and scalability. Determining the spine switches accounts for network scale, traffic patterns, and the need for resilience, ensuring there's enough bandwidth and redundancy for effective data center networking. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Francisco Ruiz Francisco Ruiz Yesterday
Feb 17 at 8:06pm Manage Discussion Entry Your understanding of spine-and-leaf architecture and the concept of oversubscription ratio is quite thorough. It's evident that you've grasped the key advantages of this architecture and how oversubscription ratio impacts the design of such networks. Your explanation of oversubscription ratio and its impact on the number of leaf switches is spot on. Indeed, finding the right balance between performance, cost, and scalability is crucial in network design, and oversubscription ratio plays a significant role in achieving this balance. Similarly, your consideration of factors in determining the number of spine switches demonstrates a holistic approach to network design. Traffic patterns, scalability, and redundancy are indeed critical factors that need to be carefully evaluated to ensure the network can efficiently meet the demands of the data center. Overall, your research and understanding of spine-and-leaf architecture, oversubscription ratio, and the determination of spine switches are impressive. Keep up the good work! If you have any further questions or need clarification on any aspect, feel free to ask Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Noah Caslin Noah Caslin 5:35pm Feb 18 at 5:35pm Manage Discussion Entry Hi Evan, I agree with your assessment of spine-and-leaf architecture! It's flexibility for virtualization and evolving to the cloud are huge benefits as technology continues to progress. You're also right about oversubscription being dependent on application requirements. One other thing to consider is that many devices aren't always utilizing their maximum bandwidth simultaneously, allowing for some efficient oversubscription while ensuring everyone has good service. Your emphasis on redundancy for spine switches is spot-on as well. Losing a spine switch could negatively impact a huge portion of the network. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion
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Francisco Ruiz Francisco Ruiz Yesterday Feb 17 at 8:05pm Manage Discussion Entry Oversubscription Ratio: Definition: Oversubscription ratio refers to the relationship between the total available bandwidth of an uplink or backbone connection and the total bandwidth of the downlink ports it serves. It indicates how much traffic can potentially contend for a shared bandwidth resource. Appropriate Oversubscription Ratio: The appropriate oversubscription ratio for a network depends on various factors such as traffic patterns, application requirements, and tolerance for potential congestion. Typically, oversubscription ratios range from 1:1 (no oversubscription) to higher ratios like 10:1 or even 20:1. Choosing Leaf Switches: When determining the number of leaf switches in a network, one considers the oversubscription ratio along with the aggregate bandwidth demand of the downlink ports connected to each leaf switch. Higher oversubscription ratios mean more downlink ports can be served by a single uplink port, potentially reducing the number of required leaf switches. However, excessively high oversubscription ratios can lead to network congestion and performance issues, so a balance must be struck. Determining Spine Switches: Factors to Consider: Traffic Patterns: Analyzing expected traffic flows and data exchange patterns within the network helps in understanding the interconnectivity requirements. Bandwidth Requirements: Evaluate the aggregate bandwidth demand of leaf switches and ensure spine switches can handle the combined traffic efficiently. Redundancy and Resilience: Determine the level of redundancy required in the spine layer to ensure high availability and fault tolerance. Scalability: Plan for future growth and expansion by considering the scalability of spine switches to accommodate additional leaf switches or increased bandwidth demands. Rule of Thumb: A common approach is to have a fully connected mesh of spine switches to provide optimal east-west traffic forwarding without any bottlenecks. The number of spine switches is often chosen to ensure sufficient bandwidth and redundancy while balancing cost considerations. Some organizations follow a guideline of having a 1:1 ratio of spine switches to leaf switches for simplicity and scalability.
In summary, determining the appropriate oversubscription ratio and the number of spine switches involves careful consideration of network requirements, traffic patterns, and scalability needs to ensure efficient and resilient network design. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Javeil Mack Javeil Mack 9:16am Feb 18 at 9:16am Manage Discussion Entry you broke down step by step in a easy way what the definition was and how to choose leaf switches. the way you explained it was easy to understand and well written. I think I put 3:1 as my common ratio but I think 1:1 is also good as well Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Javeil Mack Javeil Mack 9:10am Feb 18 at 9:10am Manage Discussion Entry after doing some research about spine and leaf and oversubscription ratio, it is defined as The ratio of a network's maximum potential demand to its contracted rates. the appropriate for a ratio could be 3:1 or 4:1. this seems to be the most common. it helps choose the number of leaf switches because of the traffic patterns it produces and the the level of performance requirements needed to be used. to determine how many spine switches a network needs depends on a factor of things such as topology. this factor is the most important. other factors include the cost, and the scale for expansion Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Dylan Michael Bays Dylan Michael Bays 11:20am Feb 18 at 11:20am Manage Discussion Entry
Thank you for explaining the information of the oversubscription ratio better for me to understand. It was very helpful in helping me understand. Thank you for your help. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Dalton James Shad May Dalton James Shad May 5:13pm Feb 18 at 5:13pm Manage Discussion Entry The oversubscription ratio in networking refers to the balance between available bandwidth on uplink and downlink ports, where maintaining a lower ratio is key for reducing congestion and enhancing performance. In data center networks, it's common practice to aim for an oversubscription ratio of 2:1 or lower. When determining the number of leaf switches, it's vital to factor in the desired oversubscription ratio. Having more leaf switches provides added bandwidth and redundancy, which helps alleviate congestion. Similarly, the appropriate number of spine switches should efficiently manage traffic between leaf switches, ensuring multiple pathways to destinations and boosting performance. This consideration involves evaluating both the total number of leaf switches and the desired oversubscription ratio, focusing on scalability and redundancy. Reply Reply to Comment Collapse Subdiscussion Kaleb James Carwile Kaleb James Carwile 7:14pm Feb 18 at 7:14pm Manage Discussion Entry Oversubscription ratio refers to the relationship between the total available bandwidth in a network and the aggregate bandwidth of the devices connected to it. It is expressed as a ratio, indicating the potential for congestion or contention in the network. The appropriate oversubscription ratio depends on the specific network requirements and traffic patterns Higher oversubscription ratios can lead to cost savings by requiring fewer physical links and switches. However, this may result in potential congestion during peak usage periods. Lower oversubscription ratios provide more dedicated bandwidth but can be costlier due to increased infrastructure requirements. Determining the number of spine switches in a network involves considering
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factors such as redundancy requirements, scalability goals, and the specific design characteristics of the spine-and-leaf architecture