Having too many switches in a network can contribute to switch overload, but it is not the sole cause. Switch overload is typically caused by a combination of factors, including the amount of data being transmitted, the capacity of the switch, and the network design. In this article, we'll walk through: The goal is not to declare "Layer 2 bad, Layer 3 good," but to give you a practical mental model: When should I stop stretching VLANs and start routing closer to the edge? 1. How We Ended Up with VLAN Trunks Everywhere For years, the default access design has. In a 2 or 3 layer model, if you have more than 4 aggregation/distribution layer switches but only 4 uplink ports on access layer switches, how do you go about connecting the two layers? Everything is fine if you only have 4 or less aggregation/distribution switches but any more and you can no. For the followings topologies, they explain that : A limitation of those solutions is that it is optimal for networks where each access layer VLAN can be constrained to a single access switch.
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