How to Choose 10G Switch for Local Area Network？
As data traffic grows and the local area network technology advances, enterprises have an increasing demand for upgrading old LANs. At this point, the 10GbE network stands out from the competition due to its lower price and better performance. So, how to select the right 10G enterprise switch for your businesses? Let's find out.
What Is Local Area Network?
A Local Area Network (LAN) is a computer network that consists of cables, routers, enterprise switches, etc. It enables devices to connect to web servers and internal servers within a single building, campus, or home network, and to other LANs via Wide Area Networks (WAN) or Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN).
Besides, the devices on a LAN network (usually workstations and personal computers) can share files and be accessed by each other over a single Internet connection. Typically, a LAN network can be either wired or wireless.
A wireless LAN network (or WLAN) uses radio waves to communicate. Therefore, mobile users can connect to a Local Area Network through a wireless connection and move around in a confined area while they are still connected to the network.
A wired LAN network requires Ethernet cables to physically connect all computers on the network to a switch. Since all devices must be wired to the network switch, there may be requirements for the switch port numbers. In a wired LAN network, a network switch can not only be used to connect to the router and facilitate communication between the connected devices but can also expand the number of LAN ports available on the network.
Why Do You need a 10G Switch for High-speed LAN Setup?
Computers are using a lot more data as a result of higher internet speeds, more cloud services, and more intensive applications running on servers. To meet the demands for faster internet, 10 gigabits Ethernet gradually appears to be the backbone of LAN networks, which relieves network pressure and speeds up access to critical services around some companies.
To deploy 10 gigabit Ethernet in a LAN network, you may need a 10G enterprise switch to help achieve it. The 10 gigabit switches come in a variety of types, each different from another in terms of performance, specs, and features. The following content will primarily guide you on how to select a 10G switch for a high-speed LAN network.
How to Choose a 10G Switch for LAN Network?
Port Numbers
Before building a Local Area Network, identify the number of devices, which determines the number of ports required. A switch can extend the port numbers of the router as the number of wired devices increases. FS offers a wide range of choices of 12, 24, 32, and 48 ports 10G switches, starting from only $719 street price.
Port Types
If you want to expand your LAN network, FS 10G enterprise switches offer you different options with multiple port types, such as 10G SFP+ ports, and 10GBASE-T ports.
10G SFP+ switch offers superior performance in network latency and throughput, supporting high speeds up to 10Gbps per SFP+ port. 10G SFP+ switches are becoming very popular choices for latency-sensitive applications. It can be connected using fiber optic cables or DAC/AOC cables, etc. For LAN networks that require ultra-low latency and large bandwidth, a 10G SFP+ switch can be a suitable choice.
The 10GBASE-T switch can be connected directly using copper cables, which makes it a very cost-effective solution for addressing LAN bottleneck problems and creating great ROI and performance. It is also fully backward compatible with 100/1000BASE-T and works with existing structured cabling systems, providing IT technicians the most flexibility in server placement.
Unmanaged or Managed Switch
An unmanaged switch is a plug-and-play configuration. In this, no customized control and management are supported by network operators. This type of switch is ideal for anyone who just wants to set up a network and doesn’t want to interfere in its management. If your application involves controlling network traffic, you will need the features of a managed switch.
Managed switches are suitable for heavy workload networks where custom management, security monitoring, and traffic control are required. They support the VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) division, and SNMP (Simple Network Management Protocol), which is easy to operate even if you are not a professional.
FS offers multiple 10G managed switches, supporting Web, Telnet, CLI, etc. for easy configuring, monitoring, and troubleshooting of the device in real time. They allow you to control access between departments within your LAN network and run many bandwidth-intensive applications simultaneously, which greatly saves valuable time and makes sure the resources get used for development.
Non-PoE or PoE Switch
Power over Ethernet (PoE) uses existing network cables to power connected devices, such as VoIP phones, wireless access points, and surveillance cameras. If you require this functionality and want to save money, look for a 10G enterprise switch with PoE Ethernet ports. PoE eliminates the need to run additional power cables to devices, saving money on power cables, power outlets, and infrastructure equipment required for electrical installation.
Moreover, make sure the power per port (in watts) and the total power budget of the PoE ports meet the needs of your electronic devices. If the power supply is not a concern, you can use the non-PoE 10G switch, which is very suitable when there are a large number of non-powered network devices on the network.
Summary
Nowadays, the 10G Internet standard is becoming more and more popular in homes, companies, or enterprise networks. Network switches, as an integral part of the LAN network, provide the necessary speed and efficiency to handle data traffic. So, if you switch to a 10G network, a 10G switch is an indispensable device as well. For more information about 10G switches, you can visit our website FS.com.
