A core-edge Fibre Channel fabric is the suitable topology for many-to-many connectivity, changing I/O traffic patterns, and SAN-wide storage pooling. High-bandwidth core switches form a central backbone, while edge switches connect hosts and storage arrays. Inter-switch links carry frames between the two layers and allow resource access without requiring every edge switch to connect directly to every other edge switch. This structure supports predictable growth, centralized connectivity, and straightforward path analysis. Redundant fabrics and appropriately provisioned ISLs provide additional resilience and reduce the risk of congestion. A cascade becomes increasingly dependent on successive switch hops; a ring gives alternate paths but is not optimized for complex workload distribution; and a mesh requires numerous ISLs and careful traffic engineering. HPE ' s SAN design reference explicitly associates the requirements in the question with a core-edge topology. Designers should still calculate oversubscription, path redundancy, and projected peak traffic before finalizing the topology. The SAN topology must also be reviewed against the site’s chosen redundancy tier and expected switch-port growth.

Study Guide Reference: SAN topology: core-edge, cascaded, ring and mesh fabric; ISLs, backbone design, multipathing.

Official reference(s): SAN Design Reference Guide | Advanced HPE Storage Solutions course