A customer requires a highly scalable SAN environment. Which SAN topology should be
recommended?

A.
Token ring

B.
Full mesh

C.
Bridged

D.
Core-edge

Explanation:
Core-Edge Topology
The core-edge fabric topology has two types of switch tiers. The edge tier is usually composed of
switches and offers an inexpensive approach to adding more hosts in a fabric.
Each switch at the edge tier is attached to a switch at the core tier through ISLs.
The core tier is usually composed of directors that ensure high fabric availability. In addition,
typically all traffic must either traverse this tier or terminate at this tier. In this configuration, all
storage devices are connected to the core tier, enabling host-to-storage traffic to traverse only one
ISL. Hosts that require high performance may be connected directly to the core tier and
consequently avoid ISL delays.
In core-edge topology, the edge-tier switches are not connected to each other. The core edge
fabric topology increases connectivity within the SAN while conserving the overall port utilization. If
fabric expansion is required, additional edge switches are connected to the core. The core of the
fabric is also extended by adding more switches or directors at the core tier. Based on the number
of core-tier switches, this topology has different variations, such as, single-core topology and dualcore topology. To transform a single-core topology to dual core, new ISLs are created to connect
each edge switch to the new core switch in the fabric.
EMC E10-001 Student Resource Guide. Module 5: Fibre Channel Storage Area Network (FC
SAN)