2To know about switching, you first need to know why you needed Switches. What purpose they serve in networking. You will know everything as read through the post.
Switches are successor of Hubs. Hubs were literally dumb devices they didn’t provide any security nor do they store any MAC addresses. So, the switch were introduced to overcome these issue
Switch is a device used on a computer network to physically connect devices together. Multiple cables can be connected to a switch to enable networked devices to communicate with each other. Switches manage the flow of data across a network by only transmitting a received message to the device for which the message was intended. Each networked device connected to a switch can be identified using a MAC address, allowing the switch to regulate the flow of traffic. This maximizes security and efficiency of the network.
Because of these features, a switch is often considered more "intelligent" than a network hub. Hubs neither provide security, or identification of connected devices. This means that messages have to be transmitted out of every port of the hub, greatly degrading the efficiency of the network.
Basic Functions of a switch involves :
Learning : Learning MAC addresses
Forwarding : Forwarding Packets to destination
Preventing Loops : Using STP(Spanning Tree Protocol)
Ethernet Switch
Based on CSMA/CD if collision occurs the sender wait for a random period of time Switched Ethernet removes the possibility of Collision and can be operated in full-duplex. For interoperatibilty between different links Auto negotiation should be enabled
A standard switch
Also called as intelligent hub as it stores the MAC and IP address both of the packet in the arp table. We can operate a network on Full Duplex because of switch. i.e. We can receive and send the packet at the same time. Which was not possible earlier.
Switch eliminates the collision domain. i.e. packets doesn’t collide.
Separates collision domain (How many receivers can receive traffic without collision).
Its separates the broadcast domain. Its does by using the VLANs. Each vlan is a separate broadcast domain.
If you have any queries in understanding feel free to write to me.
