Switches, Hubs

Part Number	Description / PDF	Quantity
RS20-0800T1T1SDAEHHXX.X.XX Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-MANAGED 8 PORT	3
943434005 Hirschmann	RS20-1600M2M2SDAEHHXX.X.	4
SPIDER II GIGA 5T EEC Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-UNMANAGED 5 PORT	2
942141018 Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH UNMANAGED 16 PORT	3
936200001 Hirschmann	OVKS 2,2 SCHWARZ/BLACK	0
942108001 Hirschmann	M-SFP-MX/LC EEC	0
936205001 Hirschmann	OVK D 01 SCHWARZ/BLACK	0
943434035 Hirschmann	RS30-1602O6O6SDAEHHXX.X.	3
GECKO 4TX Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-MANAGED 4 PORT	14
SPIDER-SL-20-05T1999999SY9HHHH Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-UNMANAGED 5 PORT	0
SPIDER-SL-20-04T1M29999SZ9HHHH Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-UNMANAGED 4 PORT	2
943974101 Hirschmann	M-SFP-BIDI-BUNDLE LX/LC EEC	0
RSB20-0800M2M2SAABHH Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-MANAGED 8 PORT	2
943892001 Hirschmann	OCTOPUS 5TX EEC	12
MACH102-24TP-F Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-MANAGED 24 PORT	3
943938001 Hirschmann	MM20-Z6Z6Z6Z6SAHH	0
942141024 Hirschmann	SPIDER-PL-20-04T1M29999TY9HHHH	5
MACH102-8TP-R Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-MANAGED 8 PORT	2
943974002 Hirschmann	M-SFP-BIDI TYPE B LX/LC EEC	0
SPIDER-SL-20-08T1999999SY9HHHH Hirschmann	NETWORK SWITCH-UNMANAGED 8 PORT	24

Switches, Hubs

1. Overview

Network switches and hubs are fundamental components in wired networking infrastructure. While both devices connect multiple Ethernet devices, switches operate at Layer 2 (Data Link) of the OSI model with intelligent MAC address learning capabilities, while hubs function as basic Layer 1 (Physical) broadcast devices. Switches enable efficient point-to-point communication, reducing collisions compared to hubs. Their role in modern network architecture is critical for enterprise connectivity, data center operations, and industrial IoT deployments.

2. Main Types and Functional Classification

Type	Functional Characteristics	Application Examples
Managed Switches	Support VLANs, QoS, SNMP monitoring, and port configuration	Enterprise core networks
Unmanaged Switches	Plug-and-play operation with fixed configurations	Small office/home networks
PoE Switches	Deliver power over Ethernet cables (IEEE 802.3af/at/bt)	IP camera systems
Core Switches	High-throughput backbone connectivity with redundant hardware	Data center aggregation
Access Switches	Edge network connectivity with basic security features	Corporate workstations
Active Hubs	Signal amplification with multi-port repeater functionality	Legacy industrial control systems
Passive Hubs	Simple physical layer connections without signal regeneration	Temporary network troubleshooting

3. Structure and Components

Typical switch architecture includes:

Modular/rackmount chassis with pluggable SFP/SFP+ ports
Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) for packet processing
Content-Addressable Memory (CAM) for MAC address tables
Power over Ethernet (PoE) midspan/injector circuitry
Embedded firmware with CLI/Web GUI management interfaces

Hubs feature simpler construction:

Basic printed circuit board with Ethernet transceivers
Passive backplane connecting all ports
LED indicators for link/activity status

4. Key Technical Specifications

Parameter	Description	Importance
Port Density	Number of 10/100/1000 Mbps or 10/25/40/100 GbE ports	Determines scalability
Switching Capacity	Backplane bandwidth (bps)	Maximum data throughput potential
MAC Address Table Size	Number of supported device entries	Affects network scale and performance
Latency	Store-and-forward delay ( s)	Critical for real-time applications
PoE Budget	Total power delivery capacity (W)	Limits connected device count
Redundancy Protocols	STP/RSTP/MSTP support	Network fault tolerance

5. Application Domains

Enterprise networks (Fortune 500 offices with 10k+ devices)
Industrial control systems (Manufacturing plant floor switches)
Data centers (40/100 GbE spine-leaf architectures)
Smart buildings (PoE-enabled lighting and HVAC control)
Educational institutions (Campus network access layer)

6. Leading Manufacturers

Vendor	Flagship Products
Cisco Systems	Catalyst 9500 Series, Nexus 9000
Huawei	CloudEngine 8800, S5735 Series
HPE	Aruba 6200M, 5400R zl2
Juniper Networks	EX4600, QFX5100 Series
Ubiquiti	UniFi Switch Pro, EdgeSwitch

7. Selection Guidelines

Assess network scale (Small business vs. enterprise campus)
Determine management needs (CLI access vs. SNMP monitoring)
Calculate PoE requirements (Device wattage and total consumption)
Evaluate future expansion (Modular vs. fixed configuration)
Consider security features (802.1X authentication, ACLs)
Budget planning (Capex vs. Opex optimization)

8. Industry Trends

Key developments shaping the future of network switching include:

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) integration for centralized control
Multi-gigabit Ethernet adoption (2.5/5/10 GbE for Wi-Fi 6/7 backhaul)
AI-powered network analytics for predictive maintenance
Open networking platforms (White-box switches with disaggregated OS)
Energy-efficient designs (IEEE 802.3az compliant devices)
Convergence of wired/wireless management interfaces