350-601 Network Practice Question
In a spine-leaf architecture, what is the primary advantage of using a full mesh between spines and leaves?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the misconception that a full mesh reduces port count or eliminates VLANs, but the real advantage is uniform low-latency paths due to the equal-cost multipath design.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
It provides uniform low-latency paths between any two leaves
In a spine-leaf architecture, a full mesh between spines and leaves ensures that every leaf switch is connected to every spine switch. This design provides multiple equal-cost paths between any two leaf switches, allowing for uniform low-latency forwarding because traffic can traverse a single spine hop without congestion or path asymmetry. The full mesh eliminates the need for complex path selection and guarantees predictable, consistent latency across the fabric.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
It provides uniform low-latency paths between any two leaves
Why this is correct
Each leaf is one hop from any spine, ensuring low latency.
- ✗
It reduces the total number of ports required
Why it's wrong here
Full mesh increases port count.
- ✗
It removes the requirement for Spanning Tree Protocol
Why it's wrong here
STP may still be used in some cases, but routing often avoids loops.
- ✗
It eliminates the need for VLANs in the data center
Why it's wrong here
VLANs are still used for tenant separation.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
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