Types of Network Switches You Need to Know

Do you wish to add more ports to your existing network to connect more devices? That's where a network switch comes in. It not only facilitates data transfer between devices but also keeps track of which devices are connected. Additionally, it can act as a bridge between two Local Area Networks (LANs).

As you read, you'll learn about various types of network switches and how they're used.

What is a network switch?

A network switch (also called a bridging device or switching hub) is a hardware device that connects multiple IT devices to a computer network using packet switching and a multi-port bridge system with MAC address recognition. It enhances communication between connected devices and facilitates resource sharing in IT environments.

Unlike a router, a network switch sends information to a single device, such as a router, another switch, or a computer, to which it is addressed. It receives packets at an ingress point (a connection to a physical port) and sends them to the destination device over a dedicated port.

In addition to operating at Layer 2 (the data-link layer) of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, switches can work at Layer 3, the routing layer. Today, most switches use Ethernet, though they are also an integral part of InfiniBand, Fibre Channel, and ATM (asynchronous transfer mode) networks.

Contrary to popular belief, a network switch can be a software/virtual device as well as a hardware appliance that manages the physical systems in an office setting. They connect industrial machinery, desktop PCs, Internet of Things (IoT) devices such as access-control systems, and wireless access points.

Today, switches dominate most network gear, connecting servers, storage devices, and most virtual machines in data centers. In telecommunications, switches move vast amounts of data.

Reading the article below will help you gain more knowledge about data transmission.

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Types of Network Switches and Their Uses

Types of network switches include:

1. Unmanaged Switch

They are preconfigured and cheaper than managed switches, typically used to extend LAN connections via Ethernet and to forward data to local devices based on MAC addresses. They offer limited user options and poor performance, making them unsuitable for enterprise use.

2. Managed Switch

This is popular in enterprise environments, because it allows administrators to perform dynamic configurations, such as creating virtual local-area networks that divide a local network into smaller segments. Its protocol proxies also provide troubleshooting information.

3. Smart Switch

This is a small and lower-priced managed switch, more advanced than an unmanaged switch. They are suitable for small networks that require more functionality and budget than a fully managed switch offers.

4. Local Area Network (LAN) Switches

It is also referred to as an Ethernet or data switch, as it connects locations on an internal local area network and prevents overlapping of data packets within the network. This is achieved by allocating bandwidth effectively, and then delivering the transmitted packets to their intended destination by the LAN switch.

5. Modular Switch

This type of switch allows for expansion modules to be added as a network grows, providing greater flexibility. Though more expensive than fixed switches, they are useful in large and growing networks that want to add modules to an existing switch, such as a firewall, wireless connectivity, or network analytics.

Stackable Switch

Stacked switches operate as a single switch, for optimization and reliability, with a cluster of switches. They are powered by a single RMON/SNMP agent, a single domain, and a single Web interface or CLI (command-line interface).

7. Fixed Configuration Switch

As the name implies, these switches have a fixed number of ports that cannot be expanded or added to, which makes them more affordable than other types of switches. Port speeds are typically at least 1 Gbps, with the option to connect via fiber or wired RJ45 Ethernet ports.

8. Power over Ethernet (PoE) Switch

PoE (Power over Ethernet) refers to the delivery of electrical power (DC) over Ethernet cables to low-power devices in a network. This means that low-power devices no longer need a separate power outlet, making it easier, faster, and safer to install Internet of Things (IoT) devices.

9. Data Center Switches

Data center switches have become increasingly prevalent in recent years due to their high speeds, low latency, large port density, support for virtualization, Quality of Service (QoS) capabilities, and robust security features. Nowadays, most organizations consolidate their networks and IT resources into a handful of large data centers for more efficient management.

A three-layer switch.

These operate at Layer 2 of the OSI model; they're also referred to as三层交换机because they operate at Layer 3, the network layer, of the model. They're a hybrid of Layer 2 and Layer 3 devices with more sophisticated software than conventional gear.

What is the purpose of a network switch?

IT administrators should choose the type of switch appropriate for their use case.

Connection to a specific or multiple hosts

While many other devices contribute to data transmission, switches play a critical role in network design. All ports on a switch operate with the same mechanism (forwarding and filtering), allowing users to connect to multiple switches through different ports. Additionally, they can operate each network switch independently within the same group setup.

Optimize Local Area Network Bandwidth

With the rise of bandwidth-intensive applications, video, user devices, and traffic destined for cloud storage and servers, efficient switching is required. Network switches break up a LAN into multiple broadband connections to boost its frequency. Through LAN switching, users benefit from increased speed and reliability.

Traffic control

A network switch helps offload traffic coming in/out or connecting multiple networking devices. It is possible to route network traffic between at least two ports connected to different devices, a process known as forwarding.

Populate MAC address table

Another use case for a network switch is that while the MAC address table is typically empty at the start, it populates with the switch port and source (MAC) address of packets that it collects. As resource sharing takes place between connected devices, the network switch will eventually have a fully populated MAC address table.

Last Words

Globally, knowledge about network switches will become crucial in the coming years, given their importance in maintaining and stabilizing resource allocation in large-scale computing environments. This article aims to shed light on what network switches are, the different types of network switches available, and their respective use cases.