Network Switch Types and Selection
Network switches emerged in the early 1990s to overcome the performance limitations of Ethernet networks. They addressed the inefficiency of traditional hubs that broadcast data to all ports by providing the capability to selectively forward frames based on destination MAC addresses, becoming a core component of modern network infrastructure. In the OSI (Open Systems Interconnection) 7-layer model, switches are classified from L1 to L7 based on which layer they operate at. Each layer’s switch has unique characteristics and purposes, analyzing protocol information at that layer to process traffic. ...