Network switch (switch) - a special device that serves to integrate various equipment (servers, computers, routers, etc.) in the network. With its help, you can quickly, simply, inexpensively and technically integrate a huge number of different network equipment at the highest possible speeds. Its main difference from more complex routers is that the network switch does not register packet routes from one point to another. Its main task is simply to combine two disparate points among themselves by means of the logic already registered inside it.
A network switch can be of several types.
The simplest is a device that allows you to physically combine two or more channels with each other to ensure the transfer of data flow from one device to another. At the same time, a third-level network switch (with a routing function) is able to perform almost the same functionality as more complex routers. With their help, you can register virtual private networks, aggregate channels, configure the shaping of data streams, and recognize the transmitted protocols by type.
Network equipment is also divided according to the data rates that it can provide. The most common are stomegabit and gigabit. But, lately, ten-gigabit network switches are becoming more widespread. This is not surprising, because the streams of transmitted information are growing day by day. A network switch can be four-, eight-port, and so on in multiples of eight. It allows you to remotely control a huge number of disparate devices spaced geographically and technologically.
In addition, the network switch can be rack-mount or desktop. Desktops are typically used for small home LANs. Rack racks are used to combine already created subnets into one big one, although they can do fine with a local network as well.
Let's look at examples of applications for a small desktop low-port switch:
- a small peer-to - peer type network - if significant data streams are exchanged;
- if the network is divided into groups that individually inside themselves exchange large flows of information, they can be separated from the rest of the network using a switch;
- if the network needs to be connected to one device (for example, a server or a network printer), then the optimal solution would be to use a switch to combine the traffic of requests to this device;
- if you need to physically lengthen any communication channel, the switch can be safely used as a repeater and signal amplifier ;
- switches connected to each other can form branched networks with a large number of connected nodes.
As you can see, there are a huge number of applications for a network switch. This multifunctional device will help to organize high-quality networks with high bandwidth.