D-Link DGS-1005D [5/18] Switching technology

Switching Technology

Another key development pushing the limits of Ethernet technology is in the field of

switching technology. A switch bridges Ethernet packets at the MAC address level

of the Ethernet protocol transmitting among connected Ethernet or fast Ethernet

LAN segments.

Switching is a cost-effective way of increasing the total network capacity available

to users on a local area network. A switch increases capacity and decreases network

loading by making it possible for a local area network to be divided into different

segments which don’t compete with each other for network transmission capacity,

giving a decreased load on each.

The switch acts as a high-speed selective bridge between the individual segments.

Traffic that needs to go from one segment to another is automatically forwarded by

the switch, without interfering with any other segments. This allows the total

network capacity to be multiplied, while still maintaining the same network cabling

and adapter cards.

Switching LAN technology is a marked improvement over the previous generation

of network bridges, which were characterized by higher latencies. Routers have

also been used to segment local area networks, but the cost of a router and the setup

and maintenance required make routers relatively impractical. Today’s switches are

an ideal solution to most kinds of local area network congestion problems.