At the moment, there are many concepts associated with computer technology, which the average user may not know. For example, one of the exciting issues for many may be the question of what a switch is. It's worth saying that this is not a simple device.
A switch is a device oriented to solving tasks connected with the connection of several nodes of the same computer network, and here it is a question of the limited limits of a particular site. The switch transmits data only to the recipient, which distinguishes it from a hub that is busy spreading traffic to all connected devices from one. With the use of switches, the security and performance of the network becomes significantly higher, which makes it possible to save all other nodes from the need to deal with data that was not intended for them.
So, if what is a switch is in general terms clear, it is worth mentioning about other nuances. Installation of this device is carried out at the nodes of the network, where it takes on the task of a segmenter or a network splitter. It reads the physical address field of the data packet destination, which is received on one of the ports, and then, according to the switching table, this packet is transmitted via the corresponding port, or the information is filtered if the specified port address is missing 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 accept the packet in its entirety in order to realize its transfer further, and the switch already starts the process of transmitting the packet at the time of reception. This feature and higher capabilities in the organization of simultaneous connection between arbitrary pairs of switch ports make it a device with a large total capacity in comparison with the bridge. For example, HP switches have become very popular for the organization of small local networks.
In addition to issues related to the fundamental device, there are still issues related to the choice of such complex equipment. So, if you understand what a switch is, you should figure out how to choose it? First of all, you should consult a specialist working in the field of customer service technology. It will help in choosing the optimal model in terms of cost and performance. However, one must also deal with this issue on its own. The first point concerns the number of ports. Here everything is very simple: the choice depends on how many devices should be switched, however, you should take such a switch, which will have free ports just in case. Another important parameter is the speed of work. In this case, the higher this figure, the better.
So, what is a switch, you know. It should be said that the choice of this device is best done only by consulting with an experienced specialist.