A switch or switch is a computer network interconnection device.
In computing and network computing, a switch is the analog device that allows interconnecting networks operating at layer 2 or the data link level of the OSI or Open Systems Interconnection model. A switch interconnects two or more parts of a network, functioning as a bridge that transmits data from one segment to another. Its use is very common when there is the purpose of connecting multiple networks together so that they function as one. A switch often improves the performance and security of a local area network.
The operation of a switch or switch takes place because it has the ability to learn and store network addresses of devices reachable through its ports. Unlike what happens with a hub or concentrator, the switch makes the information addressed to a device go from a source port to another destination port.
The types of switches are multiple. For example, him store-and-forward, which saves the data packets in a buffer before sending it to the output port. Although it ensures error-free data delivery and increases network confidence, this type of switch requires more time per data packet. He cut through it seeks to reduce the delay of the previous model, since it reads only the first 6 bytes of data and then routes it to the output port. Another type is the adaptive cut-through, which support operations of the two previous models. He layer 2 switch, to cite another example, is the most traditional case that works as a multi-port bridge. He layer 3 switch that incorporates router functionalities. And more recently, the layer 4 switch.
Switches or switches are widely used in all types of networks, small and large scale.
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