While all the switches provide the basic functionality of forwarding frames, not all of them will be equal. In this section, I will provide an overview of some of the main characteristics to be aware of when building a switched network.
Understanding switch characteristics
Managed and unmanaged switches
A switch can be classed as either managed or unmanaged. In a business environment, you are more likely to see a managed switch than an unmanaged switch due to the extra functionality the former offers. However, you may see small unmanaged switches being used in offices where there's a shortage of wall ports.
An unmanaged switch is a network device that ships with a preloaded configuration that cannot be changed and is...
