What is an advantage of a partially meshed network architecture over a fully meshed one?

A partially meshed network architecture offers relatively lower operational costs compared to a fully meshed architecture. In a fully meshed setup, every device connects to every other device, which dramatically increases the number of connections and the complexity of the network. This translates to higher costs in terms of both physical infrastructure and maintenance.

In contrast, a partially meshed architecture allows for selective interconnections, which not only reduces the number of cables and hardware required but also lessens the associated management and maintenance overhead. By only connecting select nodes, organizations can still achieve sufficient levels of performance and reliability while keeping costs in check. Therefore, the balance between connectivity and cost makes a partially meshed architecture an attractive choice for many applications.