In this presentation , it talks about the function of a switch and the varied types of a switch

1. SWITCH

2. WHAT IS A SWITCH?
• A network switch also called switching hub, is a networking hardware that
connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive
and forward data to the destination device.

3. WHAT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SWITCH TO
THE LOCAL AREA NETWORK?
• It provides connection point for end users
into the enterprise network and are also
primarily responsible for the control of
information within the LAN environment
• It uses MAC addresses to forward data at
the data link layer (layer 2) of the OSI
model

4. TYPE OF NETWORK SWITCH
There are two main categories of switches: modular and fixed configuration
• Modular Switches
• Fixed-configuration switches
a) Unmanaged switches
b) Managed switches
c) Smart switches

5. MODULAR SWITCH
• Modular switches let you add
expansion modules as needed, giving
you flexibility as network requirements
change. Expansion modules are
application-specific and include those
for firewalls, wireless connectivity, or
network analysis. They may also allow
for additional interfaces, power
supplies, or cooling fans. This type of
switch provides you with the most
flexibility, but at a higher cost

6. FIXED-CONFIGURATION SWITCHES
• Unmanaged switches
Unmanaged switches are typically used to
provide basic connectivity. They're
designed to be plug and play; no
configuration is needed. Unmanaged
switches are most effective when only
basic switching and connectivity are
required. You will often see them in home
networks or wherever only a few ports
are needed, such as at a desk, in a lab, or
in a conference room

7. FIXED-CONFIGURATION SWITCHES
• Smart switches
• Smart switches offer some management and
segmentation, quality of service, and security
capabilities, so they can be a cost-effective
alternative to modular switches. Still, they are
not as scalable as managed switches. These
switches are typically deployed at the edge
of a large network (while managed switches
are used in the core), as the infrastructure for
smaller networks, or for low complexity
networks

8. FIXED-CONFIGURATION SWITCHES
• Managed switches
• Among fixed-configuration switches, managed
switches are designed to deliver the most
comprehensive set of features to provide the best
application experience, the highest levels of
security, the most precise control and
management of the network, and the greatest
scalability. As a result, managed switches are
usually deployed as aggregation/access switches
in very large networks or as core switches in
smaller networks.
• Managed switches are the most expensive option
of fixed-configuration switches and are most
common in organizations with large- or growing-
networks

9. FOUR SWITCH OPTIONS TO KEEP IN MIND
In addition to evaluating switch categories, you should also consider network switch speeds, number of ports, power-over-
Ethernet features, and stacking capabilities.
• Switch speeds
• Switches are available in different throughputs or speeds, the rate they transmit data in megabits per second (Mbps). For example,
fixed-configuration switches can provide Fast Ethernet (10/100 Mbps), Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps), Ten Gigabit
(10/100/1000/10000 Mbps), and even 40/100 Gbps (gigabits per second) speeds. The switch speed you choose depends on the type
of throughput you need. If, for example, you need to move large data files on a regular basis, you should consider a Gigabit Ethernet
switch.
• Number of ports
• As is the case with switch speed, the number of ports available in a switch can vary. The bigger your small business and the more
network users you have, the more ports you'll need. Fixed-configuration switches are usually available with five, eight, 10, 16, 24, 28,
48, or 52 ports.
• Power over Ethernet (PoE) vs. non-PoE
• PoE lets you power a device—such as an IP phone, surveillance camera, or wireless access point—over the cable that is used for data
traffic. This allows you to place endpoints anywhere, even in those areas that are usually difficult to reach. Switches with PoE are more
expensive, however. As you evaluate your options, think about the devices you would like to connect to determine whether PoE is
required.
• Stackable vs. standalone switches
• As your business (and your network) grows, you will likely need to support more and more devices, which will mean investing in more
switches. Just as its name implies, a standalone switch is managed and configured as an individual entity with limited capacity. If there
is a problem, troubleshooting is also switch specific.
• In contrast, stackable switches can be connected to increase the capacity and availability of your network. Rather than configuring,
managing, and troubleshooting each switch, you can treat the "stack" as a single unit. This means that if any part of the stack fails, the
stack will route around the failure, so your network keeps running

10. HOW DOES A SWITCH WORK?
• A network switch is a device that connects
devices together on a LAN. A switch is
essentially a multiport network bridge and
performs the same basic functions as a
bridge, but at much faster speeds and with
many additional features. Each port on a
switch is in a separate collision domain and
can run in the full duplex mode, which means
that hosts connected to a switch port can
transmit to the switch at the same time that
the switch transmits to them.
• An Ethernet switch usually works at the Data
link layer of the OSI model (Layer 2). It
manages the flow of data across a network by
inspecting the incoming frame’s destination
MAC address and forwarding the frame only
to the host for which the message was
intended. Each switch has a dynamic table
(called the MAC address table) that maps
MAC addresses to ports. With this
information, a switch can identify which
system is sitting on which port and where to
Host A is trying to communicate with Host C and sends a
packet with the Host C’s destination MAC address. The
packet arrives at the switch, which looks at the destination
MAC address. The switch then searches that MAC address
in its MAC address table. If the MAC address is found, the
switch then forwards the packet only out the port
connected to the frame’s destination. Hosts connected to
other ports will not receive the frame.