UnderstandingtheDifferencesbetweenTier1andTier2
IfyouarefamiliarwithITnetworkarchitecture,youhaveprobablyheardoftheterms\"Tier1\"and\"Tier2.\"Thesearetwoconceptsthatplayanessentialroleinthedesignandimplementationofanetwork.Inthisarticle,wewillexplorethefundamentaldifferencesbetweenTier1andTier2,soyoucanbetterunderstandwhateachonestandsforandhowtheyworktogether.
WhatisTier1Network?
Tier1isthehighestlevelofnetworkarchitecture.ItreferstoanetworkthathasdirectaccesstotheInternetbackbone.Tier1networksareknowntohaveexcellentspeed,reliability,andavailability,makingthemperfectformission-criticalapplicationssuchasfinancialtransactions,onlinegaming,ande-commerce.Inotherwords,Tier1networksarethebackboneoftheinternetintermsofconnectivityandbandwidth.
WhatisTier2Network?
Tier2networksarethesecondlevelofnetworkarchitectureandareoftencalled\"regionalISPs.\"TheyaretypicallysmallernetworkoperatorsthatpeerwithTier1networkstogainaccesstotheInternetbackbone.Tier2networksusuallydonothaveadirectlinktotheInternetbackbonebutratherconnecttoaTier1networkthroughpeeringagreementsorpaidtransit.Theyareresponsiblefordeliveringinternetservicestoend-users/customersinaspecificgeographicareawhilealsointerconnectingwithotherISPstoensureglobalconnectivity.
TheDifferencesbetweenTier1andTier2Network
ThereareseveralfundamentaldifferencesbetweenTier1andTier2networks.Herearesomeofthemajordistinctions:
- NetworkCoverage:Tier1networksofferglobalcoveragewhileTier2networksprovideregionalcoverageonly.
- Connectivity:Tier1networkshavedirectconnectivitytotheInternetbackbone,whileTier2networkstypicallyconnecttotheInternetthroughpeeringarrangementsorpaidtransitfromTier1networks.
- Bandwidth:Tier1networksoffersignificantlygreaterbandwidththanTier2networks.
- Cost:ThecostofentryintotheTier1networkmarketisprohibitive,andassuch,itisdominatedbyafewlargeplayers,whileTier2networksaremadeupofmanysmallerplayers.
- Reliability:Tier1networksareknownfortheirhighreliabilityduetotheirdirectconnectionstotheInternetbackbone.
Inconclusion,Tier1andTier2aretwodistinctlevelsofnetworkarchitecture.WhileTier1networksprovideglobalcoveragewithdirectconnectivitytotheInternetbackbone,Tier2networksofferregionalconnectivitybypeeringwithTier1networksorpayingfortransit.Tier1networksaregenerallymoreexpensivetoenterintoanddominatedbylargerplayers,whileTier2networksaremadeupofmanysmallerplayers.However,bothTier1andTier2networksserveanessentialroleinensuringglobalconnectivity,andbotharecriticaltothefunctioningoftheinternet.
