CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

Which technology uses fast response times for traffic within the same data center?

1. North-south traffic

2. East-west traffic

3. Spine and leaf architecture

4. Three-tier architecture

The correct answer is: East-west traffic

The technology that utilizes fast response times for traffic within the same data center is east-west traffic. This term refers to the data flow that occurs between servers or devices within the same data center, as opposed to north-south traffic, which involves data moving between the data center and external networks. In a data center environment, east-west traffic is typically characterized by low latency and high bandwidth requirements, as it encompasses interactions between virtual machines, storage arrays, and application servers that need to communicate quickly and efficiently to optimize performance. This is crucial for applications that require real-time processing or heavy data transfer. While the other choices describe important network architectures or traffic patterns, east-west traffic specifically highlights the intra-data center communication that benefits from fast response times. Spine and leaf architecture, for example, is designed to enhance data center network efficiency and support scalable east-west traffic, but the term "east-west traffic" directly refers to the traffic type, showcasing its relevance in discussions of performance and response times within the data center context.