Switching it up

When it comes to networking, switches play a key role and are one of the most essential pieces of equipment. Their job is to facilitate the sharing of resources by connecting all the devices, including computers, printers, and servers, in a business network.

They are also the front line in network security for the physical connection of devices to the network and through DAI (Dynamic ARP Inspection) and DHCP Snooping, providing added security to the network to prevent ARP flooding attacks and man-in-the-middle attacks on the network.

Thanks to the switch, these connected devices can share information and talk to each other, regardless of where they are in a single building or in multiple buildings across the nation. In this blog we will look at the role of the switch, how it functions and the types of switches in a network.

What is a network switch?

A network switch connects devices in a network to each other, enabling them to talk by exchanging data packets. Switches such as the Cisco Meraki models deployed by Xcomm can be hardware devices that manage physical networks or virtual devices which are software-based.

A network switch operates on the data-link layer, or Layer 2, of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model. In a local area network (LAN) using Ethernet, a network switch determines where to send each incoming message frame by looking at the media access control (MAC) address. Switches maintain tables that match each MAC address to the port receiving the MAC address. More advanced Switches use Layer 3 which allows more complex routing using IP addresses as opposed to MAC addresses.

Why are network switches so important?

Switches relay information between different endpoints and offer a range of benefits including:

• Most network devices in modern data networks are switches and carry huge amounts of traffic.
• They offer full-duplex communication, connect network segments, boost network performance and make the best use of the bandwidth available.
• Switches provide the wired connections to desktop computers, wireless access points (APs), printers, industrial machinery and some internet of things (IoT) devices, such as card entry systems.
• They connect the computers in data centres that host virtual machines (VMs), as well as physical servers and much of the storage infrastructure.
• Most modern switches employ Power over Ethernet technology, which can deliver up to 100 watts of power to support the connectivity of network devices. This enables businesses to set up equipment like outdoor lighting, security cameras, voice over IP phones and various kinds of sensors for monitoring remote areas in locations where a separate power source is not available.
• Network switches can collect data from IoT devices which can be used by artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to optimise smarter surroundings.

How does a network switch work?

All switches relay data from one location to another, but the configurations of the hardware and software can vary greatly. A network switch can be utilised in the following ways:

• Edge switches. These switches manage traffic either coming into or exiting the network. Devices like computers and APs connect to edge switches.
• Aggregation switches. These switches are placed within an optional middle layer in a network topology. Edge switches connect into these and send traffic from switch to switch or send it up to core switches.
• Core switches. These network switches form the backbone of the network. Core switches connect aggregation or edge switches, users or device edge networks to data centre networks and enterprise LANs to routers.

How do switches work inside a network?

A spine-leaf architecture is adopted in many data centres, which eliminates the aggregation layer. In this architecture, servers and storage connect to leaf switches (edge switches). Every leaf switch connects into two or more spine (core) switches. This reduces the number of legs data takes to get from source to destination, therefore reducing latency.

A fabric or mesh network design is used by some data centres making every device appear to be on a single, large switch. This reduces latency to its minimum. High-demanding applications that use high-performance computing (HPC) often use this design.

For small business and home networking, network switches provide the benefit of additional Ethernet ports for connecting to Gigabit Ethernet.

However, not all networks use switches. A network might be designed in a token ring or connected via a bus, hub or repeater. In these networks, every network-connected device sees all traffic and reads the traffic addressed to it. A network can also be established by connecting computers directly to one another without a separate layer of network devices. This approach is mostly for HPC, which requires sub-5-microsecond latencies and is quite complex to design, wire and manage.

What switch types are there?

In networking there are several types of switches:

• Virtual switches are software-only switches inside VM hosting environments.
• Routing switches connect LANs. Routing switches are an innovative amalgam of two core networking devices a router and a switch, allowing them to achieve greater capability and performance. A routing switch can perform nearly all the same operations as a router and switch by transmitting data on LAN using Layer 2 switching techniques, and over distant LAN by integrating Layer 3 routing operative methods.
• Managed switches let a user make adjustments to each port on the switch. This enables monitoring and configuration changes.
• switches enable Ethernet devices to pass data automatically using auto negotiation, which determines parameters such as data rate. The configuration is fixed and cannot be edited.
• Smart switches can be configured to enable more control over data transmissions, but they have more limitations compared to managed switches. Smart switches are also known as partially managed switches.
• Stackable switches are fixed switches that may be connected to one another via a backplane cable interface to form a single logical switch from two or more physical switches.
• Modular switches are switch cards for modular or chassis-based switches and can be inserted into a sizable, fixed-form factor chassis that can accommodate two or more cards. Since switch interfaces can be changed as needed, this kind of switch gives the greatest flexibility and upgradeability.

How can network switches be used?

A switch plays a crucial role in delivering internet connectivity and network communication across a network.

They can be used in the following ways:

• Network switches provide effective connectivity, speed and ease of use among network devices by automating link connections, which removes manual and time-consuming settings.
• Switches help with building a more reliable and secure network as they provide some level of control over how data is transferred.
• Network switches are required when separate network devices need to be connected using a physical connection as they have several ports in the front.
• Switches can also operate in full-duplex mode, which enables simultaneous data transmission and reception across the network. Compared to hubs, which only enable half-duplex mode, switches practically quadruple the network’s speed.
• Network switches can be deployed where high-powered streaming services are used regularly. They are especially beneficial if one needs a reliable way to stream or play 4K video.
• Since network switches maintain a list of the distinct MAC addresses of every device connected to them, most of the network communication is only routed to the intended destination and not broadcast to all connected devices. This reduces collisions and eliminates broadcast domains in a network.

Networking services from Xcomm

Whether you require a fully managed NaaS (Network as a Service) solution, need help with your business continuity requirements, or simply want network monitoring and fault notification services, Xcomm’s expert team design, build and maintain bespoke networks.

Created to address your specific business needs, geographical requirements and individual location conditions, Xcomm’s networks use market leading technology from global providers such as Cisco and Cisco Meraki, all managed via a Cloud-first platform.

To find out how Xcomm can help with your networking requirements and improve your company’s security, contact our sales team now at sales@xcomm.co.uk or call 03333 447 092.

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