Have you ever seen inside a data center? It is filled with racks, cables, and blinking lights all over — It even looks like something out of a science fiction movie! But have you thought about how all those computers talk to each other so quickly? This is where Top of Rack (ToR) and End of Row (EoR) switches come in.
Here is why people like using ToR switches:
• Less cable mess – Mini cables help the rack look clean and easy to manage
• Easy to troubleshoot – It is easy to see which rack has a problem
• Simple if expansion if needed – Need more racks? Just add another ToR switch
I have helped a small business develop a data center with ToR switches, and the setup looked so clean that the manager said "This looks amazing!"
The only drawback is you are going to need more switches, which will cost you more money and power. However, most new data centers still prefer ToR switches because they are faster and more flexible.
The advantages of an EoR switch are:
• Use ToR when you want speed, organization, and ease of growth.
• Use EoR when you want simplicity and lower amounts devices, switches, and lower costs.
Some very large data centers use combinations of ToR and EoR switches, in order to provide the best of both types of devices, and create future expansions.
So next time you see rows of server racks, look around- is the switch at the top, or at the end? Either way, it's a silent, stable service keeping all of us on the internet, on most good days.
What Is a ToR Switch?
A Top of Rack (ToR) switch is a network switch which is a small switch place on top of the rack of servers. All the servers in that server rack connect to the ToR switch using a short cable. It is simple, clean, and easy to manage.Here is why people like using ToR switches:
• Less cable mess – Mini cables help the rack look clean and easy to manage
• Easy to troubleshoot – It is easy to see which rack has a problem
• Simple if expansion if needed – Need more racks? Just add another ToR switch
I have helped a small business develop a data center with ToR switches, and the setup looked so clean that the manager said "This looks amazing!"
The only drawback is you are going to need more switches, which will cost you more money and power. However, most new data centers still prefer ToR switches because they are faster and more flexible.
What Is an EoR Switch?
An End of Row (EoR) switch has a different purpose. EoR switches place a single large switch at the end of each row of racks, and all the servers in the row plug into the larger switch with longer cables.The advantages of an EoR switch are:
- Fewer switches require management - there is only one switch instead of one for each rack!
- Less power consumption, as there are fewer switches requiring power.
- Good for large data center type deployments - great when racks are similar and close together!
Which One do You Prefer?
That is up to you!• Use ToR when you want speed, organization, and ease of growth.
• Use EoR when you want simplicity and lower amounts devices, switches, and lower costs.
Some very large data centers use combinations of ToR and EoR switches, in order to provide the best of both types of devices, and create future expansions.
In Straightforward Language
ToR and EoR switches perform the same function - they link servers so they share data. The only difference is where you locate the switch.So next time you see rows of server racks, look around- is the switch at the top, or at the end? Either way, it's a silent, stable service keeping all of us on the internet, on most good days.