Comments on: The dawn of the flat network?

Over time, device-centric changes could alter the way we build networks and greatly impact the networking industry.

[nwjerseyliz]

Where can I find more information about flat computing?

[The_Decider]

Real time, or near real time traffic does better in a connection oriented environment, rather than the packet oriented model. Is this supposed to be news? High performance networks already do much of this because they don't need to be as generic as the internet.

[Cantwell_Onpath]

Networks become multi-layered and unmanageable over time because they are built in an evolutionary fashion using low to medium port count switches and routers relative to the overall network size. In order to break through to the flatter network, you need to build out your infrastructure from the ground up (Layer 1) with this in mind, using large scalable network elements as building blocks.
- Larry Cantwell, CTO of OnPATH Technologies

[meh130]

Actually, in the data center, Layer 2 adjacency requirements are growing due to the proliferation of VMware and clustering technologies. This has actually caused a reversal of the move to a flat, Layer 3 network, and the reemergence of a hierarchical Layer 2 access, Layer 3 aggregation/distribution architecture.

[benjaminstraight]

Pretty cool tech.