A Frame Relay Cloud
California
Colorado
Florida
Maine
Frame Relay
Cloud
Frame Relay
Cloud
Frame Relay
Cloud
Figure 11.4 The Florida Frame Relay Cloud
Florida
Frame
Cloud
Frame
Cloud
Frame
Cloud
Frame
Cloud
Frame
Cloud
Frame
Cloud
This illustrates why connectivity is available in some areas, but not others.
Panama City is situated on the coastline of the Florida Panhandle, whereas
Pensacola sits on a major junction of highways and cities. Between Panama City
and Tampa, all along the southern coastline, little in the way of major commerce
exists to warrant the high cost of running the fiber optics cables required to carry
Frame Relay communications. Notice how the cities are interconnected in what
is called a “full mesh” that assures each city has two or more paths to take
between cities. All of these circuits are the responsibility of the carrier, or carriers
in some cases, to maintain and grow as demand warrants.
However, cities often expand beyond the coverage of their particular communication
form (like in Figure 11.5, where Frame Relay spreads out of the central
office to the businesses).