Switch

Switch
Author: Mike Lay

The switch's, also called network switch or packet switch, role is to transfer data from different computers without having the information go through any of the other computers linked up to the switch. A multilayer switch allows for two or more OSI layers to work at the same time. The switch normally will copy information that is going to an outside devices while the informaiton is being transferred. A switch utilizes, or performs, mutliple functions of an OSI layer at a time. A switch typically uses Ethernet interfaces, and the input output speeds vary from 10 to 10,000 MB per second. They tend to have many power supplies with power supplys that can't be interrupted and therefore can still run when normal power turns off, such as a blackout. Lastly if you want to go and see what one of the switches at our school looks like to you can go to the Computer Lab and right as you walk in the glass door, from the hallway not library, it will be on your left.

Pictures
Picture on the left. Picture on the right.