At the moment, there are many concepts related to computer technology, which the average user may not know about. For example, one of the most exciting questions for many may be the question of what a switch is. It is worth saying that this is not a simple device.
A switch is a device focused on solving problems associated with connecting several nodes of one
computer network, and here we are talking about the limited limits of a particular site. The switch
transfers data only to the recipient, which distinguishes it from a hub, which is busy distributing traffic to all connected devices from one. Thanks to the use of switches, the security and performance of the network becomes significantly higher, which eliminates the need for other nodes to process data that was not intended for them.
So, if with
what a switch is, in general terms, it’s clear that it’s worth mentioning other nuances. The installation of this device is carried out at the nodal points of the network, where it takes on the task of a segmenter or network splitter. It reads the field of the physical destination address of the data packet, which is received at one of the ports, and then, according to the switching table, the packet is transmitted through the corresponding port, or the information will be filtered out if the specified port address is not in the specified segment. The functionality of the switch is similar to a bridge, it is another representative of the hardware that is widely used in building local networks. The bridge must receive the packet in full in order to implement its further transmission, and the switch, already at the time of reception, begins the process of transmitting the packet. This feature and higher capabilities in terms of organizing a simultaneous connection between arbitrary pairs of switch ports make it a device with a large total bandwidth compared to a bridge. For example, HP switches have become very popular for organizing small local area networks.
In addition to issues related to the principle device, there are still questions related to the selection of such complex equipment. So, if you understand what a switch is, is it worth it to figure out how to choose it? First of all, you should consult with a specialist working in the field of subscription service of equipment. He will help in choosing the best model in terms of cost and performance. However, you also need to understand this issue on your own. The first point is about the number of ports. Everything is very simple here: the choice depends on how many devices should be switched, however, you should take a switch that has free ports just in case. Another important parameter is the speed of work. In this case, the higher this indicator, the better.
So what is a switch, you know. It should be said that the choice of this device is best done only after consulting with an experienced specialist.