When designing a data center network, your company wants to minimize the number of network...

The Top-of-Rack (ToR) cabling layout places an access switch directly inside each rack. Each server in that rack only requires a short patch cable to connect to the switch, and only one or two uplinks per rack connect to aggregation switches. This greatly reduces the number of long horizontal cables across the data hall.

In contrast, an End-of-Row (EoR) design centralizes switches at the row end, requiring long horizontal cables from each server to the row cabinet. This can lead to thousands of extra copper or fiber runs in large deployments.

ANSI/TIA-942 and Cisco Design Guides emphasize that ToR is the best solution for minimizing cable bulk, improving airflow, and reducing cost in hyperscale or dense rack environments.

Thus, if the explicit design goal is to minimize cable quantity, ToR design is superior.