- Catherine
- July 16, 2023
- 9:43 am
In Super Pod networking, if the last SU has less than 32 nodes, such as only 16 nodes, can the last SU's Leaf switch use only 4 switches? This will cause two network cards of the same node to access the same leaf switch, will there be any problem with the SHARP tree?

John Doe
Answered on 9:43 am
In Super Pod networking, if the last SU has less than 32 nodes, such as only 16 nodes, then the last SU’s Leaf switch can use only 4 switches. This can save the number of switches and costs, but it will sacrifice some network performance and reliability.
SHARP tree is a topology structure based on multi-layer switches, which can achieve efficient global aggregation and broadcast. The construction of SHARP tree requires the following conditions:
- Each node has two network cards, which are connected to different Leaf switches.
- Each Leaf switch has two uplink ports, which are connected to different Spine switches.
- Each Spine switch has two downlink ports, which are connected to different Leaf switches.
If the two network cards of the same node are connected to the same Leaf switch, then the SHARP tree cannot meet the above conditions, and the following problems will occur:
- Network redundancy is reduced. If the Leaf switch or its uplink port fails, the node will lose network connection.
- Network bandwidth is reduced. Because each node can only use the bandwidth of one network card, instead of the aggregated bandwidth of two network cards.
- Network latency is increased. Because the communication between each node may need to go through more hops.
Therefore, if you want to use SHARP tree as the topology structure of Super Pod networking, it is recommended that the two network cards of each node are connected to different Leaf switches, to ensure network performance and reliability.
People Also Ask
Related Articles

800G SR8 and 400G SR4 Optical Transceiver Modules Compatibility and Interconnection Test Report
Version Change Log Writer V0 Sample Test Cassie Test Purpose Test Objects:800G OSFP SR8/400G OSFP SR4/400G Q112 SR4. By conducting corresponding tests, the test parameters meet the relevant industry standards,

The Ultimate Guide to Choosing a 16-Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch
That decision will likely prove painstaking for many businesses and advanced home networks trying to optimize performance and scalability. Choosing the right networking equipment is a crucial decision for any

How to Choose the Best Network Switch for Your Needs
Given the reality of the modern world, choosing a network switch is one of the first and foremost steps for creating a functional and effective network infrastructure. All home offices,

The Era of AI Optical Communication: Three Major Industry Changes for CPO
Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) is a new type of optoelectronic integration technology. CPO is based on advanced packaging technology, integrating optical transceiver modules and ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) chips into a

Insights on DeepSeek and the New Era of AI
Although OpenAI o1 proposed the reinforcement learning (RL), it did not break the circle for various reasons. DeepSeek R1 solved the puzzle of RL and pushed the entire industry into

AI Computing Hardware: ConnectX-8 SuperNIC
Product Overview The ConnectX-8 SuperNIC is NVIDIA’s seventh-generation smart network interface card designed for next-generation AI computing clusters, large-scale data centers, and high-performance computing (HPC) scenarios. It deeply integrates network

Managed Switch vs. Unmanaged Switch: 5 Key Differences You Need to Know
The selection of the switch has an enormous bearing on how well the network performs, its speed, and how scalable it is, making it a choice that shouldn’t be taken