Switch Implementations

A complex network often contains more than one switch, and often uses different types of switches depending on the needs of an area. You can think of different parts of a network as different “levels.” There are several “levels” of a network.

• Desktop level
• Workgroup level
• Campus level
• Enterprise level

Desktop Level

This is the level at which the end user connects his computer directly to a switch. An unmanaged 10/100 switch would work great at this level, connected to all the computers in a small team.

Workgroup Level

Sometimes referred to as the ‘departmental network,’ this level is used to provide communication among desktop level switches. A workgroup level network backbone will generally encompass a single building or single floor. A managed switch (10/100 with Gigabit uplink ports or 10/100/1000 with Gigabit uplinks) would work great here, and would typically be placed in a cabinet or rack.

Campus Level

In many cases this switch will connect departments across multiple buildings within a single organization (such as in a corporation or university), or between multiple floors in a large corporate building. A few high-end stackable 1000Mbps switches with fiber Gigabit or 10 Gigabit uplinks would work well at this level. These switches are typically found in dedicated server rooms. The D-Link xStack Line of switches would be a good solution here.

Enterprise Level

At this level, we are connecting geographically separated sites, possibly worldwide locations. This would be a great place to implement a stack of high-end 1000Mbps managed gigabit switches such as the xStack, or even a chassis at each location.

Summary

By connecting switches together at every level, you can create a strong and efficient backbone for any network.

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