300-420 Question 133
Single answerA global enterprise is designing its WAN architecture to connect multiple branch offices, data centers, and cloud applications. The design team aims to ensure optimal performance with minimal latency, scalability to accommodate future growth, and simplified management. Which topology is most suitable for this requirement?
- A
Full mesh topology
- B
Hub-and-spoke topology
- C
Partial mesh topology
- D
Point-to-point topology
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C
Explanation
The partial mesh topology is the most suitable choice for a global enterprise WAN with the given requirements. It provides a balance between the performance benefits of direct connections (as seen in full mesh) and the manageability and scalability required for large networks. It avoids the complexity of full mesh while offering better performance than hub-and-spoke or point-to-point topologies in large-scale scenarios.
- A. Incorrect.
Full mesh topology connects every node to every other node, ensuring the lowest latency paths between all locations. However, it is complex to manage and scale due to the high number of interconnections required, especially in large networks.
- B. Incorrect.
Hub-and-spoke topology simplifies management by centralizing traffic through a hub, but it introduces latency issues and bottlenecks, especially when connecting to cloud applications or in large-scale environments.
- C. Correct.
Partial mesh topology strikes a balance between performance and scalability. It allows critical sites to be directly connected while less critical sites can connect through other nodes, reducing complexity while maintaining optimal performance.
- D. Incorrect.
Point-to-point topology is simplest and works well for direct connections between two locations but is unsuitable for large-scale enterprise WANs as it lacks scalability and overall flexibility.