Enterprise Network Architecture Options – Two Tier Design (Collapsed Core)

Smaller networks may have their departments spread across multiple floors within a building.

These environments may not require a separate core network, so collapsing the core function into the distribution layer may help on costs in designing a suitable network.

The combined distribution and core layer will provide connectivity to the WAN (remote data centres, other branches), Internet, and Network Services (WLC, ISE, CUCM) areas of the network as well as the connections to the access layer switches.