Aggregate switches can implement access control lists (ACLs), intrusion detection systems (IDS), and other security measures to protect the entire network from unauthorized access and malicious attacks. They provide a central point for enforcing security policies. An aggregation switch is a network device that consolidates traffic from multiple access switches, wireless access points, or other edge devices and forwards it to core switches or routers. By bundling multiple network connections into a single high-bandwidth link, aggregation switches help. This chapter covers the design recommendations for a data center design deployment consisting of a Cisco Nexus® 7000 Series Switch at the aggregation layer and a Cisco Nexus 5000 Series Switch at the access layer. These switches typically feature multiple 10 Gigabit Ethernet ports and fiber optic connectivity options to ensure sufficient bandwidth for data. The aggregation (sometimes also called distribution) layer is a real crossroad.
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