Comments on: What is a hub and spoke network?

By: maswawan

maswawan — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 11:29:42 +0000

Hub and Spoke is commonly used in WAN connection using FR/ATM/X.25 [NBMA] that describe as one of network topology which has one site functions or acts as a hub and others site as spoke.

for example, if we have 4 sites that we want to interconnect.
Using star topology, you will need 3 links/circuits.
Using ring topology, you will need 4 links/circuits.
Using meshed topology, you will need 6 links/circuits.

As In star topology, all remote site should go to central site first before they can communicate with other remote site.
In hub and spoke, all spoke site should go to hub site first before they can communicate with other spoke site.
Are they the same?
Confused?
I suggest hub/spoke is special condition of star network topology.
A star topology and hub/spoke topology is the same topology, if you use circuit switch communication like leased line, satellite SCPC, Modem dial up PPP etc. for example.
It will be different however, if you use the packet switch communication line FR/ATM/X.25 [NBMA] … and here the term hub/spoke is commonly used.

When you use FR/ATM/X.25, In central site or hub station, you will only need one CSU/DSU [modem/router] to connect to all other three spoke site / remote site.
however When you use leased line, In central site or hub station, you need three CSUs/DSUs [modem/router] to connect to all other three spoke site / remote site, each CSUs/DSUs [modem/router] for each remote site/spoke site.

I hope it is easily understood.

By: samyak1985

samyak1985 — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 09:15:36 +0000

describe with the help of figure hub and spoke

By: yasirirfan

yasirirfan — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 09:56:15 +0000

thanks gentleman for the info. Its pretty useful

By: tloftus2009

tloftus2009 — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:40:58 +0000

A hub and spoke network is precisely what it infers. The router hardware is not particularly significant.
In a hub & spoke design, there is a network core router or routers. That is the hub. There are multiple remote or local LANs that connect to the core routers via LAN or WAN links. These are called spokes. The “Hub & Spoke” or “Wagon Wheel” design is not new and not unusual. In fact, this design is implemented almost everywhere you look. An alternative design would be a “mesh” network where all points are interconnected with many other points on the network. Mesh networks are very expensive. A hybrid design usually is that of a Hub & Spoke design with redundant spokes that may reach the hub via an alternate route for resiliency. The hub typically houses the enterprise applications required by the business. Multiple Hub & Spoke networks, interconnected by high speed spokes are common and are found in larger enterprise networks. A white board would be extremely helpful here.

For examples of hub & spoke networks, see my presentation entitled ‘IBM IT Architect Engagements‘ at http://www.linkedin.com/in/timloftus <View Full Profile> and the page header “OSPF Design Summary” (slide 12) and “University Campus Conceptual Design” (slide 16).