Get Moving with Network Switches
A network switch, or network bridge, is a device that is used to connect network segments. This is accomplished by processing and routing data throughout a system. The type of switch used, however, depends upon its purpose. Therefore, it is important to know about the different types and configurations of switches as well as what they do in order to select the right one. Cisco is regarded as one the best makers of routers and switches. Visit MLCP for a selection of refurbished and used Cisco routers and switches hardware.
Exploring Various Forms of Switches
There are three basic forms of network switches that you may purchase for your network. These include:
- Desktop
- Rack Mounted
- Chassis
Unlike rack mounted switches, desktop switches are not mounted in any type of enclosure. In addition, these switches are usually meant for home use or for use in an office environment. Chassis switches, on the other hand, come with swappable switch module cards such as the Cisco Catalyst switch 4500 and 6500.
Exploring Switch Configuring Options
Just as there are various forms of switches to select from, there are also several different types of configurations. The two main types of configurations are unmanaged and managed switches.
Unmanaged switches do not have a configuration interface and do not offer options to the user. Therefore, they are commonly referred to as "plug-and-play" switches. Since these switches do not have options and can not be individualized, they are usually the lease expensive switches. As such, these are the switches that are most commonly found in home networks as well as small business networks.
Managed switches offer one more interfaces, which can be modified to suit specific needs. There are two subcategories of switches that fall within this group: smart switches and enterprise managed switches.
Smart switches, which are also referred to as intelligent switches, come with a limited number of management features. One type of switch that is often placed is this category is the web managed switch, which is less expensive than fully managed switches while also providing the user with a web interface.
Enterprise managed switches, which are often referred to as fully managed switches, offer a full set of management features. Some of the management features that are found with enterprise managed switches include SNMP agent, Command Line Interface and web interface. In addition, these switches include features that allow the user to manipulate many of the configurations, including providing the user with the ability to modify, display, restore and backup configurations. These switches are usually found within networks containing a large number of connections and other switches
Exploring Traffic Monitoring
Although switches are helpful for routing data through a system, it is actually difficult to monitor the traffic that flows through the switch. This is because the parts are isolated, which means only the ports that are sending and receiving can view the traffic. On consumer-grade switches, the monitoring featuring generally is not included. For higher end switches, however, a port mirroring monitor or a SMON "switch monitoring" device may be added in order to assist with monitoring traffic. It is also possible to connect a hub between the switch port and the device being monitored, though this does cause a minor delay.
Although the term "switch" is largely a marketing term used to describe how different layers of a network are interconnected, it is a term that is frequently used in the networking businesses to describe this special connection. By using every bit of your dedicated bandwidth with the help of your switches, you can get the most out of all of your network devices. Therefore, when setting up a network, be certain to have the proper network switches in place in order to achieve the best connectivity and the fastest transmission of data possible.
MLCP is a used Cisco equipment specialist.