Asante Technologies FS4008E/FS4016E - Manual (Page 10)

Introduction
Page 1-4
Switching Technology
An Ethernet switch is a device that can direct network traffic among several
Ethernet and Fast Ethernet networks. A switch increases network capacity and
decreases network loading by making it possible for a LAN to be divided into
multiple, unique dedicated
segments.
Switch Supports Network Expansion
In Fast Ethernet networks, a switch allows chaining of hubs beyond the “two-
repeater limit.” A switch can be used to separate the network into different
collision domains, which allows expansion beyond the 205 meter diameter limit
for 100BASE-TX networks.
Asanté Switches support traditional 10Mbps Ethernet and 100Mbps Fast
Ethernet, and are ideal for bridging them without the need for a separate device.
Switch Acts as a Bridge Between Network Segments
A switch acts as a high-speed selective bridge between individual segments.
Traffic that needs to go from one segment to another is automatically forwarded
by a switch, without interfering with any other segments. This allows the total
network capacity to be multiplied while decreasing network loading.
To ensure network reliability, a switch monitors each of its ports for signal
quality. The switch automatically disconnects stations transmitting excessive
noise, then reconnects them when the problem is resolved. A switch also
automatically drops data packets that exceed the maximum allowable length.
This prevents a device from blocking the network by transmitting continuous
data streams or extra-long packets.
The Asanté switching engine supports automatic fragment free packet
forwarding. Fragment free switch mode allows the switch to make the fastest
possible switching decisions without forwarding runt packages on the network.
The switch automatically drops (or filters) illegally short packets known as
runts , which prevent bad packets from propagating across segments. Runts are
usually the result of packet collisions on a congested network.
The Asanté switching engine also supports store and forward switching. It will
automatically choose the safest and fastest method of switching if the source
and destination are at the same speed .I f the speeds are different, such as for a
10Mbps workstation connected to a 100Mbps server, the switch will buffer and
read the entire packet, perform a data validity check, then forward the packet at
the new speed. With Asanté Intelligent Forwarding your FriendlyNet Switch
will automatically pick the best and fastest switching method for you.