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Networking Fundamentals · Foundational

Ring Topology

A topology in which each device connects to two neighbors, forming a closed loop through which data travels.

Definition

Single rings fail if one link breaks, while dual counter-rotating rings, such as legacy FDDI and modern SONET or Metro Ethernet rings, provide redundancy. Token Ring used a logical ring over a physical star.

Example

A SONET dual ring reroutes traffic within 50 ms after a fiber cut.

Exam tip

Dual rings add fault tolerance; a single ring has a single point of failure on any link.

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