AT-8500 Series Fast Ethernet Switch Installation Guide
43
Collapsed
Backbone
Topology
In the topology illustrated in Figure 9, an AT-8524M Fast Ethernet Switch
connects together 10/100 Mbps Ethernet hubs. This type of topology is
often referred to as a collapsed backbone topology. The switch
functions as the focal point of the network by acting as a bridge
between the different workgroups. The switch transfers an Ethernet
frame from hub to hub only when the destination end node for the
frame is on a different hub than the end node that originated the frame.
This reduces the amount of unnecessary data traffic in each workgroup,
freeing up bandwidth and improving network performance.
Figure 9
Collapsed Backbone Topology
MODE
STATUS
AT-8524M
Fast Ethernet Switch
1
5
4
3
2
6
7
8
1
5
4
3
2
6
7
8
1
5
4
3
2
6
7
8
Legend
10 Mbps
100 Mbps
AT-8524 Fast
Ethernet Switch
Ethernet
Hubs
