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Routing & Switching · Advanced

Clos Network

A multistage non-blocking switching topology, the theoretical basis for spine-leaf and multi-tier data center fabrics.

Definition

Named after Charles Clos (1953), the design provides many equal-cost paths so capacity scales by adding stages or switches. A three-stage folded Clos is the familiar spine-leaf; five-stage designs add super-spines.

Example

A five-stage Clos connects multiple pods through super-spines.

Exam tip

Clos fabrics rely on ECMP, so routing protocol multipath must be enabled.

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