A network backbone that consists of the backplane of a single switch, rather than multiple switches connected together. From the ports of the single switch, cables connect to the hubs of individual LANsegments.
Collapsed backbones are typically used for mid-sized LAN networks. The architecture is easier to manage, easier to keep secure and less costly as there are fewer networking devices.
However, a collapsed backbone architecture typically uses more cabling over longer distances and a failure in the central switch will cause the whole network to go offline.
