Latin America. Cabling infrastructure is a very important aspect of IP networks. But at the same time the use of switches, the applied installation diagrams and the functions included in the new versions can contribute to ensuring the operation and efficiency of the network.
Below are the functions to consider when incorporating or offering switches for the IT infrastructure.
Do not cascade switches
The connection of the cascading switches is equivalent to all the traffic on a highway on a single-channel street. It will only manage to get a bottleneck and congest the network. This technique will cause severe performance drops in the network that will produce poor quality video images, connection losses and slow access to configure the connected IP cameras.
Always use a central switch
Connecting the switches in your network to a main switch, in the topology scheme known as "star", is the most recommended strategy. For example, in a video surveillance network this can ensure the bandwidth that each camera requires to function properly.
Fiber Switches
In medium and large projects, fiber optics is the main medium for connections, due to its stability over long distances. One of the limitations of some switches is that they have one or two SFP interfaces. However, this is no longer sufficient for central switches as they need to connect to remote switches via fiber. In this sense, the line of AirLive fiber switches incorporates up to 8 or 24 SFP fiber ports. This is ideal for central switches or floor interconnection.
Long Distance Connections
The standard RJ45 connection is limited to 100 mt, which is not enough for most applications. With the difference of the SFP transceiver, AirLive fiber switches allow you to connect with other switches away at 850 mt and up to 80 km.
Switches ready to ensure network continuity
In recent years, the development and research departments of IT equipment manufacturers have added more features to new versions of switches.
For example, Gigabit switches now include the Automatic Topology feature that provides views on Google Map and by Floor, helping to design and inspect the network structure in a simple way. In addition, in the event of falls, they provide PoE power to wireless APs and IP cameras, can show live video from ONVIF cameras and even monitor the status of devices.
If one of the computers is not responding, the switch can restart it and put it back into operation. This helps reduce maintenance costs and increases device uptime.
Which switch to incorporate in mission-critical environments?
A reliable network is very important for Ethernet applications, especially in industrial environments. Ring technology is the solution to achieve that goal.
While STP/RSTP/MSTP are the most common standards for a managed switch, as they provide protection against network failures, they nevertheless have many limitations, such as high recovery time, network size limitations, or single-ring support.
To overcome these limitations, ring-managed switches have been designed for mission-critical environments, such as factories or traffic lights. In case of network device failures, the Ring can provide very fast recovery, ensuring that the network can operate without interruptions.
Using a proprietary ring topology, the network can operate in multiple rings, offering a recovery time of less than 20 ms, which is very important in industrial applications.
AirLive ring-managed industrial switches support industrial-grade temperatures, management, and Ring technology in a single device.
Switches AirLive
AirLive's line of switches includes automatic gigabit PoE topology or fiber switches, switches with full PoE power, and industrial switches.
- -Line of gigabit PoE switches with topology management.
- -Line of unmanaged switches or Web Smart PoE.
- -Line of manageable industrial ring switches.
- -LAN switches
