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Switches for Smart Network Management in Hong Kong
Whether it’s for your office, business, or home, designing an efficient and secure network is crucial for transmitting data to the right places. A network switch is essentially the brain or the building block of your network. When it comes to comparing the different types of switches, all of them seem similar on the surface – with the purpose of communication – but that’s where the similarities end. From unmanaged switches, managed switches, to smart switches, the type of switch you need depends on the application. Hinkwong offers a comprehensive range of switches, from leading brands such as Cisco, ASUS, Linksys Switch and much more.
What are managed, unmanaged and smart switches?
Unmanaged switches:
Just like managed switches, an unmanaged switch connects Ethernet devices like computers and printers, allowing them to communicate with each other. However, unmanaged switches come with a fixed configuration that you cannot make any changes to, often used for small networks with light network traffic or for adding temporary groups of system to larger networks. Because unmanaged switches don’t allow for configuration, they cannot control network traffic. However, this makes them easy to deploy by simply plugging and playing, making them suitable for users who need a few ports in their home or offices; used as a desktop switch depending on their needs.
Managed switches:
A managed switch connects Ethernet devices and allows you to monitor and configure the setting of your LAN – including managing LAN traffic and creating new virtual LANs. They allow users to adjust the ports on the switch to different settings and provides greater control over how the data is transmitted and who can access it. Managed switches deliver the most comprehensive functions for a network, such as VLAN, CLI, SNMP, IP Routing features, and heightened security. In addition to providing redundancy, managed switches offer better high-speed links, workload capacity and security that is of utmost importance for both SMEs and enterprise companies alike.
Smart switches:
Smart switches, or sometimes referred to as Web managed switches, offer access to switch management features such as link aggregation, port monitoring and VPN through a Web browser. While the features of smart switches are less comprehensive than that of a managed switch, such as the lack of SNMP or CLI capabilities, many smart switches on the market are now offering many of the features found on a fully managed one – a popular option for Hong Kong businesses with mid-sized networks.
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Hinkwong is a trusted supplier used by schools, offices and enterprises in Hong Kong. If you have any enquiries about our product offerings, feel free to get in touch with us today!
