Network Switches
If you are considering replacing or expanding your existing network infrastructure then choosing the right switch arrangement is vital for optimum network performance.
Give us a call and we will arrange for one of our technicians to visit your premises to discuss your requirements and give a recommendation based on your needs and budget. We supply switches from a range of manufacturers including Cisco, Hewlett Packard, Netgear, D-Link, ZyXel and Dell.
What you need to be aware of when choosing a switch
A network switch is a wired hardware device that links your computer systems, servers, routers and printers together. The obvious decisions you need to make are:
1) How many ports does my network need?
2) What data transfer speed do I need?
3) Will the switch be rack mount or desk based?
4) Does the switch need to connect to a fibre optic link
5) Do I need a managed switch?
6) If the switch fails, how quickly will I need a replacement?
Recommendations
Unless your budget is very tight, we would recommend you choose a Gigabit Switch rather than 10/100
Always buy a switch that leaves you room for expansion - keep some ports free
Many switches come with a lifetime warranty, but we would recommend that you upgrade the warranty to include onsite support
If possible, opt for a rack mount switch and have the switch housed in a separate cabling cabinet
If the switch is critical to your business then consider purchasing one with a redundant power supply and/or uninterruptible power supply
Speed and Number of Ports
The speed of the network switch and the number of ports are the primary decisions to make. Switches that are capable of speeds of 10/100 Mbps data transfer are popular and inexpensive and are sufficient for most small networks. If you have the budget available or if you plan to transfer large amounts of data then a Gigabit (10/100/1000 Mbps) switch would be a better investment. The number of ports that you need will be determined by the number of devices or computers that need to be connected - always allow for some spare. If you are connecting your switch to a server then you should choose one with at least one Gigabit Uplink port, even if the rest of the switch is operating at 10/100.
Managed Switches
Management functions allow you to manually control many of the switch’s functions, such as the ability to enable or disable ports (which can help with security), you can protect against having multiple devices connected to the same switch port, you can configure a VLAN and also control port speeds. At the higher end of the managed switch scale you should also consider fail-over facilities and redundant power supplies.
Quality of Service (QoS)
Quality of Service is a feature of routers and switches which prioritises important traffic. This allows for improved performance for critical network traffic, for example telephone calls or video conferencing.
VLAN
A VLAN is a logically-independent network on a switch and a single switch can contain several VLANs. The primary advantage of having VLAN(s) is the ability to divide users into groups for security, for more effective administration and the ability to assign network bandwidth in one physical network.
Give us a call and we will arrange for one of our technicians to visit your premises to discuss your requirements and give a recommendation based on your needs and budget.
Call Peter Stokes on 01691 670960 ext 601 or email us here
We regularly supply and maintain computer equipment in Oswestry, Wrexham, Chester, Shrewsbury, Whitchurch, Wem, Telford and throughout Shropshire, Cheshire, Mid Wales and North Wales.
