What are network switches and how can they help your business? Learn more here.
Commercial IT networks are what countless people use every day to communicate and work together. Whether one works remotely or in the office, all who use a computer work on a business network composed of many intricate and efficient parts. If you are setting up your in-house commercial IT network or are looking to improve an existing one, Axus Technologies can help you with the whole process, including one key component: network switches.
What Are Network Switches?
Network switches are hardware devices that connect computers, smartphones, printers, etc. together, often through the ethernet. Whatever information you need to send to another computer, such as an email or a document, the switch can direct the incoming data package to one or more connected devices.
How Do They Work?
Every hardware, such as laptops and computers, has a MAC (media access control) address. When you send information from your device to another, the network switch receives the data package, identifies your address and the recipient’s, and sends the package to the right destination. A switch allows one to send the same data package to one or more recipients at once. To avoid traffic jams between packages, switches usually come with full-duplex functionality, so people can send information to each other at the same time without the system crashing.
Types of Network Switches
There are three main types of network switches.
- Unmanaged: Unmanaged switches are the most inexpensive, but probably won’t serve your business well. They come with default settings for quality, but otherwise they offer few if any features.
- Managed: Managed switches are standard for commercial IT uses. Depending on the manufacturer, one can generally expect them to offer bandwidth configuration, enablement of specific ports, quality of service for specific ports, access control features, traffic monitoring, and more.
- Smart: Smart or intelligent switches are more advanced than unmanaged ones but offer fewer features than managed ones. They count as managed switches, but are better for small commercial IT networks with fewer needs.
Network Switches vs. Hubs
A network hub allows one device to send information to no fewer than all the other devices on the network at once. Because network switches are more nuanced, hubs generally attach to switches.
Network Switches vs. Routers
While switches connect devices in one network, routers connect other networks. With a router, one can communicate with those outside of your own company through the Internet. Routers also allow devices within one network to share data, however, so they too are a type of switch.
Contact Axus Technologies for Your Commercial IT Needs
Axus Technologies, LLC (Axus) is a provider and integrator of first-class technology solutions for organizations of all sizes. We work with the best manufacturers and vendors in the IT industry to deliver top of the line results. We closely partner with our customers through all project cycles to ensure that our work exceeds expectations. Our main office is located in the Tampa Bay area, but we operate from coast to coast with a clientele footprint mainly concentrated in the Northeast, Midwest, and South. For more information about our technology services, call us today at 813-922-2323, fax us at 813-922-2325, or email us at info@axustechnologies.com. For helpful technology tips and company updates, find us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Pinterest.