Asymmetric routing is a network topology that many IT professionals consider when it comes to designing their network infrastructure. Asymmetric routing is the use of multiple paths to transfer information between two end-points on a network, where none of the paths are identical.
Asymmetric routing can be either active or passive. An active asymmetric routing means that the network uses multiple paths for data transfer all the time, whereas in a passive setup, the network uses multiple paths only if the primary path suffers a failure.
Although asymmetric routing can offer greater flexibility and redundancy in network infrastructure, it’s not always the best choice for every environment. In this article, we’ll explore the pros and cons of asymmetric routing to help you evaluate whether it’s the right choice for your network infrastructure.
Pros of Asymmetric Routing
1. Redundancy – By using multiple paths for data transfer, asymmetric routing can provide a backup path when the primary path fails. This means that data transfer can continue seamlessly without interruption, improving network availability significantly.
2. Improved Bandwidth – By spreading traffic across multiple paths, asymmetric routing can improve bandwidth usage. As a result, this network topology is perfect for environments where there is a lot of data transfer, such as video/audio streaming, cloud computing, and online gaming.
3. Security – Asymmetric routing can offer increased security by hiding the originating IP address of traffic from external networks. This is because traffic from the internal network to external networks can be sent via one path, while return traffic can come back via a secondary path, which can make tracking difficult for cybercriminals.
Cons of Asymmetric Routing
1. Complexity – Asymmetric routing can increase the complexity of network infrastructure, particularly in highly dynamic networks. It can be difficult to manage and debug multiple paths, leading to increased administrative complexity.
2. Packet Loss – A disadvantage of asymmetric routing is that it increases the likelihood of packet loss. In this situation, a packet may take a different route to the destination, which could result in packet loss, delays, and increased latency.
3. Load Balancing – Asymmetric routing does not guarantee that every device on the network is utilized. This can lead to network congestion in specific areas of the network, reducing overall network throughput.
Conclusion
When evaluating whether asymmetric routing is suitable for your network infrastructure, you must understand the advantages and disadvantages of this topology. Asymmetric routing can provide increased redundancy, improved bandwidth, and improved security, but it also comes with increased complexity, packet loss, and load balancing issues. Overall, the benefits of asymmetric routing may outweigh the cons and can be an excellent choice for highly dynamic networks that require high availability and data transfer. However, you should weigh the pros and cons and speak to a reputable IT consultant or network engineer before implementing this network topology into your infrastructure.