Network Topology and

Diagrams: Everything
You Need to Know

Network topology is the physical and logical

arrangement of the devices, connections, and data
circuits in a network. When represented visually in
the form of network diagrams, they help data center
professionals document and understand their
network infrastructure.

Networks can be organized in a variety of topologies that each have advantages

and disadvantages. When designing and installing a network, data center
professionals must consider their organization’s goals, budget, and size to
determine the best topology to implement.

The most common network topologies, roughly in order of complexity, are:

Advantages
The simplest network possible

All available bandwidth is dedicated to the two

devices

A device can easily be replaced

Disadvantages
Very few real-world applications
Point-to-Point Devices must be closely situated
In a point-to-point topology,
If either device fails, the network fails
two devices are connected
by a single cable.

Advantages
One of the easiest networks to add devices to

Cheap to install

Minimal cables required

Disadvantages
Network speed is reduced proportionately as
the number of devices increases

Daisy Chain Network speed is reduced proportionately as

In a daisy chain topology, all the number of devices increases
devices are connected in a The entire network needs to be taken offline to
series. Data travels in one perform maintenance
direction from the source until it
reaches its destination. A daisy
chain forms a ring topology when
it is configured as a closed loop.

There are two types of bus topology:

Linear. All devices are connected by a single
bus with two endpoints.

Distributed. The bus branches off into multiple

sections, resulting in more than two endpoints.

Advantages
Suitable for very small networks

Easy and affordable to add new devices

Bus Topology
In a bus topology, all devices are If one device fails, the rest of the network is not
connected to one central cable impacted
called a bus. Data is transmitted
from the source in both Disadvantages
directions until it reaches its
The bus cable is a potential single point of
destination. failure

Performance decreases as devices are added

or traffic increases

Troubleshooting is difficult in larger networks

To provide redundancy and resiliency,

there are variations of the ring topology
such as:
Dual/bidirectional ring. A second connection
is made between devices.

Counter-rotating ring. An additional ring in the

opposite direction is activated if a switch fails.

Collapsed ring. If a device fails, the ring

collapses by connecting that device’s peers to
Ring Topology each other.

In a ring topology, a daisy chain of

connected devices forms a Advantages
closed loop. Data travels in one
Faster than a bus topology while still easy to
direction from the source until it add devices
reaches its destination. An
electrical token travels around Low likelihood of packet collision due to
unidirectional data flow
the ring that a device must have
before it can transmit data. No need for a network server to manage data
transmission

Disadvantages
Performance decreases as devices are added
or traffic increases

Each device is a potential single point of failure

unless redundancy is built in

The entire network needs to be taken offline to

perform moves, adds, and changes

Advantages
Device failures are easy to identify, and they do
not impact the rest of the network

Adding or removing devices is simple and can

be done without downtime

Capable of sustaining a high-performance

network

Disadvantages

Star Topology The switch is a potential single point of failure

and can disable the entire network
In a star topology, each device is
connected to a central switch. All Requires more cabling, resources, and
data travels from the source to maintenance than some alternatives

the switch where it is directed to Overall performance and bandwidth are limited
its destination. It is the most by the technical specifications of the switch
common network topology and is
often used for Local Area
Networks (LANs).

There are two types of mesh topology:

Full mesh. Each device is connected to every
other device in the network for a high level of
redundancy.

Partial mesh. Only some devices are connected

to multiple devices which is more cost-effective
and practical.

Advantages

Mesh Topology Highly reliable as there is no possible single

point of failure
In a mesh topology, devices are
interconnected with each device Many devices can transmit data at the same
being directly connected to many time, allowing for high amounts of traffic

others. Data is transmitted by Moves, adds, and changes can be done

routing (sent the shortest without taking the network offline
distance) and flooding (sent to all
devices). The non-hierarchal Disadvantages
structure results in a lack of Installation and maintenance are time- and
dependency on any single device resource-intensive
or circuit. Requires large amounts of power, cabling, and
port capacity

Potential for many redundant connections

which increases costs and reduces efficiency

Advantages
Simplified troubleshooting and maintenance in
which each “branch” of the tree can be
individually assessed

Adding devices or entire new star networks is

straightforward

Can accommodate high bandwidth and low

latency

Disadvantages
Tree Topology
A tree topology is a hybrid The central bus cable is a potential single point
of failure
topology in which multiple star
topologies are connected in a Difficult and expensive to install initially
large-scale bus topology. Maintenance and configuration are difficult
due to its large size

Advantages
Scalability makes it easy to add devices
without disrupting the existing network

Flexibility to be designed according to an

organization’s specific requirements and
available resources

Faulty components can be isolated from the

rest of the network for maintenance without
affecting the rest of the network

Hybrid Topology Disadvantages

In a hybrid topology, two or more
High complexity makes it difficult and
distinct network topologies are
expensive to design, install, and maintain
connected. It is more common in
Large scale networks require a lot of power,
the largest networks.
space, and cooling resources in addition to
cabling and ports

Difficult to document and manage, leading to

long times tracing cables and troubleshooting
issues

Which Network Topology is Right for You?

When planning your network, consider the following:

Effort. Media types.

The topologies that require the most cable will be The type of cable you use may have an impact on
the most difficult and time-consuming to install. the topology you choose since some topologies
Bus, ring, and star topologies can be simple while require more cable than others. For copper,
mesh and hybrid topologies often require more twisted-pair cables are cheaper than coaxial
time and resources. cables but have less bandwidth. Fiber-optic
cables are faster than copper but are far more
expensive.

Cost. Scalability.
You must weigh your budget, installation costs, If your network is likely to expand over time,
and required level of performance when scalability must factor into the topology you
choosing a network topology. Some typologies select. Star topologies are popular because
may be more cost-effective but at the expense of moves, adds, and changes don’t have a large
insufficient performance and reliability. impact on the rest of the network.

What are the Benefits of Network

Topology Diagrams?
An average data center with 100 Tracking the locations and details of these
racks will have: assets and knowing how they are connected is
critical to being able to manage data center
3,000 servers operations and resource capacity.

10,000 in-rack patch ports

To reduce complexity, data center
10,000 far-end patch ports professionals must follow network
10,000 ethernet ports documentation best practices by maintaining
highly accurate network diagrams of their
20,000 patch cords real-time network infrastructure.

Network topology diagrams enable you to:

Improve uptime. Accurate network documentation enables quick diagnosis in the

event of network issues or planned maintenance.

Increase efficiency. A real-time view of your network helps you maximize the
utilization of your existing capacity and forecast when you will run out of capacity.

Boost productivity. Reliable network diagrams allow you to save time troubleshooting
issues and deploying new equipment so you can focus on more strategic projects.

What are the Challenges of Documenting

Network Topologies?
Legacy management tools such as spreadsheets and traditional diagramming
software are commonly used for network documentation. However, they often
fail modern data center professionals.

These outdated tools are:

Time-consuming. Network topology diagrams must be manually updated every time

there is a move, add, or change. Resources need to be spent on this job instead of
more productive work.

Inaccurate. When network diagrams are updated manually, human error is bound to
occur. Inaccurate data can lead to costly downtime and stranded capacity.

Difficult to manage. Poor version control results in different team members having
different documentation and data. Poor data sharing and collaboration practices can
wreak havoc across the organization.

Automatically Create Network Topology

Diagrams with DCIM Software
Modern Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) automatically
renders network topology diagrams so you can visualize your entire data
network in a single pane of glass.

You can filter by types of equipment, click any node to highlight connections to other nodes,
see details of assets and connections, edit the layout, and drill down to see circuit trace
diagrams. You can even view a tiered layout where the devices are organized by core network,
distribution network, and access network.

Automatic network topology diagrams greatly decrease the time spent troubleshooting and
performing impact analysis. Second-generation DCIM makes it easy to visualize what’s
connected to what, across both active and passive network components, and across all sites.

Cutting-edge data center professionals also deploy DCIM software to:

Visualize all assets and connections on their floor map in 3D

Map device relationships and report on upstream/downstream impacts

Marry network items with other objects such as racks, rack PDUs, floor PDUs, and busways

Create clear port-to-port instructions on work orders

Understand port capacity by port types with zero-configuration dashboards and reports

Validate available and compatible physical connections before deploying equipment

Accurately measure cable lengths before purchasing