Advantages of Multi-Gigabit Switches in Business

Advantages of Multi-Gigabit Switches in Business

When you’re building a business network, there’s a lot to consider. How many people are going to access the network? What kinds of things are they going to do while connected? How much bandwidth does each user need? How much does the whole network need?

It can be a lot, and in pursuit of answers to these questions, you’re going to think a lot about networking hardware.

Something you’ll want to consider is when and where to think about deploying multi-gigabit switches. These are switches that get well beyond the 1 Gb standard that you see in many business applications today. As internet usage continues to expand, that standard is rapidly becoming antiquated.

You’ll want access to higher speeds in at least some places, so it’s time to learn about the key advantages you’ll appreciate when you invest in multi-gigabit switches.

Expand User Access

As businesses grow, they often support larger networks that serve many users. This might be a largely wired network that accommodates growing numbers of workers. It might also include expanded Wi-Fi access that supports veritable crowds of people.

In order to support growing access, you need more bandwidth. Multi-gigabit switches can work as the backbone of a faster network that provides needed bandwidth. From there, you can connect routers, mesh Wi-Fi, or any other connection mechanisms that you need that can fully benefit from your improved bandwidth. The multi-gigabit switches are working as bridges between your very fast infrastructure and your more affordable network access points.

Growing Infrastructure

The simple fact is that internet and networking speeds are only growing over time. Eventually, you’re going to have to invest in better networking infrastructure. It’s a matter of when, not if.

Multi-gigabit switches enable you to make those improvements one step at a time. Each switch that you add will force you to update the connected infrastructure, but you don’t have to overhaul everything at a single point.

You can build up your infrastructure one switch at a time, if you like, and that allows for gradual, affordable improvement.

Saving on Cable Costs

Even though you’re using your multi-gigabit switches to gradually upgrade your infrastructure, these switches come with a distinct design advantage. They support copper pair connections.

You can connect the switches to a high-bandwidth source (often fiber optics). Then, you can run Ethernet connections from the switches to the attached endpoint devices (like your Wi-Fi access points).

The switch can supply 2.4 Gb/s or even 5 Gb/s along Cat5e and Cat6 cables. If you need even more speed, you can run more advanced Ethernet options, like Cat8. Any of these choices will prove cheaper than running fiber optics to each individual access point.

Power over Ethernet

In fact, you can expand on those Ethernet advantages by using switches that provide PoE. With power over Ethernet, you get more convenience and cost efficiency. Running power through these high-bandwidth Ethernet cables allows you to save money on running power infrastructure alongside your expanding networking infrastructure.

The savings can prove considerable, and at the same time, you improve your networking design freedom, making it that much easier to provide adequate, even advanced networking to every point on the premises that needs it.

Futureproofing

Lastly, multi-gigabit switches provide futureproofing options. In most cases, the switches are backward compatible with other multi-gigabit switches. So, you can have 10G switches that work with older 100 Mbps switches, and anything in between.

In other words, you have the freedom to set up your network in pieces, upgrading as you go, constantly taking advantage of backward compatibility. The multi-gigabit switches are only improving your total bandwidth without inhibiting the use of older or newer systems. It’s futureproofing at its best.

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