NET-04 · Network path · review-required
Three-tier network
Access, aggregation and core layers create distinct network roles, but traffic paths and oversubscription depend on the actual design.
How it works
Connect endpoints at an access layer, consolidate policy and paths at aggregation, and provide broader connectivity through the core.
Where it fits
Established enterprise patterns where role separation and north-south services align with the operating model.
Where it breaks
A tier count is treated as a performance guarantee for east-west-heavy workloads.
Tradeoff register
- Clear functional hierarchy
- Can centralize policy services
- May create additional hops or concentration points
Interactive teaching model
This card connects to the network lab. Its output is a bounded calculation or an illustrative directional model, not measured site data or a commissioned design result.
Source register
These sources support the teaching summary. Use current standards, site engineering and authority approval for real work.
- Cisco Application Centric Infrastructure Design Guide
Cisco · Public web guide · reviewed 2026-08-26. Rights note: Link and summarize with vendor context; do not present a product architecture as a universal standard. - ANSI/TIA-942 Telecommunications Infrastructure Standard for Data Centers
Telecommunications Industry Association · Public overview; full standard is paid · reviewed 2026-08-26. Rights note: Link and summarize the public overview; do not reproduce normative text.