The router is very fast, can forward a tremendous number of packets per second, has low packet latency and a high overall throughput capacity. The network's cable plant uses Cat5, Cat5 Enhanced or Level 7 cabling and connectors. The network topology is in the form of a star. Layer 2 switching improves network performance by reducing packet collision domains. A collision is the overlapping transmission of two or more packets across a channel incapable of carrying more than a one at a single time.
Collisions result in the loss of packet integrity.
Layer 2 switching reduces the area in which collision can occur to only the specific ports which are communicating. Green Apple uses Bay Networks' 350-T switches for Layer 2 switching. At Layer 3, Green Apple uses Extreme Networks' Summit switch. Green Apple uses BSDI Unix as the operating system of choice for servers. Fireball IDE hard disk drives, Adaptec drive controllers, Corsair and Micron memory and 3Com 3C905B FastEthernet NICs.