Network Switch: Managed vs Unmanaged

Table of Contents

Managed vs. Unmanaged Switches: What are the Differences?

Introduction:

The control and cost of managed and unmanaged network switches are two of the many ways in which they differ from one another. In contrast to unmanaged switches, managed switches provide for more granular control, whereas unmanaged switches are simpler to configure.

The ability of network switches to connect devices in a local area network and to forward data between those devices makes them an essential component of the infrastructure of a network. You can typically find switches in both managed and unmanaged configurations.

The capabilities of managed switches are greater than those of unmanaged switches; however, to make the most of managed switches, a knowledgeable network administrator or engineer requires their utilization. A managed switch makes the ability to better govern networks and the data frames that are passing through them possible. Unmanaged switches, on the other hand, make it possible for linked devices to communicate with one another in the most fundamental manner possible.

In comparison to unmanaged switches, managed switches have a number of major differences, including the following:

Control and performance.
Features.
Cost.
Security.
Scalability.

In this article, managed switches and unmanaged switches are examined separately, and then a more in-depth comparison between the two types of switches is presented. Additionally, it examines different kinds of switches, such as those that are operated by the cloud and those that are managed by robots.

What are Managed Switches?

To decide connection characteristics, such as data rates and duplex settings, unmanaged switches make use of ports that are automatically negotiated together. This plug-and-play method makes the configuration procedure easier to understand and decreases the amount of personal involvement required. Virtual local area networks (VLANs) are not supported by unmanaged switches because these switches do not have a management interface. As a result, every single device that is connected to the switch is a member of the exclusive broadcast domain.

There is a media access control (MAC) address table that is maintained by unmanaged switches. The Media Access Control (MAC) address of every device that is connected to the switch is dynamically learned by this database, which then performs tracking and mapping of the addresses to the appropriate switch port. As a result of the presence of a MAC address table, unmanaged network switches provide a distinct collision domain for every port, which in turn reduces the number of collisions and interference that occur.

The occurrence of a collision takes place when two devices that are part of the same domain attempt to transfer data at the same time. Both packets will be dropped by the switch if this occurs, and the end devices will be required to retransmit. Layer 2 network boundaries are known as collision domains. Within a collision domain, devices can send a broadcast frame and communicate with all other devices within the segment.

Since unmanaged switches are primarily concerned with forwarding Ethernet frames, they do not require IP addresses. Instead, they rely on the Media Access Control (MAC) address to identify how to facilitate this process between networking devices.

What are Unmanaged Switches?

What are the Differences between Managed and Unmanaged Switches?

An explanation of the primary distinctions between managed and unmanaged switches is provided in the following paragraphs.

Control and performance

The ability to exercise control is a significant distinction between managed and unmanaged switches. From this perspective, the networking team is accountable for the maintenance of both managed and unmanaged switches. However, the distinction lies in the fact that teams can create managed switches, establish policies, prioritize traffic, and restrict network access.

The ability to remotely access configurations and monitoring protocols, such as SNMP, NetFlow, and other network telemetry data, is supported by managed switches. Managed switches also offer more network telemetry data. These monitoring functions provide administrators of the network with a more comprehensive view of the performance of the network.

Furthermore, managed switches necessitate the presence of an administrator who is well-versed in the ideas of network setup and monitoring, as well as the ability to apply these concepts to the configuration of a switch.

Switches that are not managed require no manual configuration and have a more straightforward installation process that is more similar to plug-and-play. It is not possible to gain visibility into the network through the use of monitoring protocols.

Features

Features of managed switches can vary depending on the manufacturer and type, but those that are typically included are as follows:

To avoid the formation of loops, the Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) provides support for switch and link redundancy. Traditional STP, per-VLAN STP, quick STP, and multiple STP are some of the STP iterations that are configured frequently. Other STP iterations include multiple STPs.
Having the capability to deploy quality of service (QoS) to prioritize traffic that is essential to the business.
There is support for VLANs to segment traffic.
Rate restriction on the bandwidth.
To analyze network traffic, and port mirroring.
Through the process of link aggregation, numerous network connections can be combined.

Unmanaged switches, on the other hand, do not have any more advanced functions and simply offer their devices the most fundamental connectivity options. The MAC address table, which was stated earlier, is a characteristic that is exclusive to unmanaged switches. An overall reduction in the number of broadcasts that are transmitted can be achieved by maintaining a MAC address database, which in turn reduces the number of potential collisions that might occur within the domain. Another important distinction between an unmanaged switch and an Ethernet hub is that the former has this feature.

Cost

Due to the fact that they only perform the most fundamental functions, unmanaged switches are far more cost-effective than their managed equivalents. In spite of this, there are not many unmanaged switch solutions that are considered enterprise-grade. Unmanaged switches are available for purchase by businesses that are interested in purchasing them either straight from the manufacturer online or through big-box stores.

The initial cost of managed switches is higher, and they require a greater level of skill from staff members to deploy, configure, and monitor.

Security

Certain security features can only be specified on managed switches, which are not available on unmanaged switches. Among these capabilities are private virtual local area networks (VLANs), access control lists, port security, and authentication using 802.1X. Switches that are not monitored provide just a few security features.

Scalability

The unmanaged switches are designed for small networks and have low scalability because they do not support virtual local area networks (VLANs), port trunking, or quality of service (QoS). Small business networks and home networks are two examples of these types of networks. Managed switches, on the other hand, offer the features that are essential for supporting scalable network topologies and the expansion of computer networks.

What are Locally-managed vs. Cloud-Managed Switches?

When it comes to accessing the switch management interface, administrators of locally managed switches are required to either be directly connected to the corporate network or possess the capability to access the switch management interface remotely.

Cloud-managed switches, on the other hand, are handled in public cloud environments and require only an administrator to have an internet connection to function properly. The procedure of remote management can therefore be simplified by using a switch architecture that is administered by the cloud for networks that are geographically scattered.

What are Smart-Managed Switches?

A mix of unmanaged and fully managed switches, smart-managed switches are a hybrid of the two classes of switches. The switch can be configured and managed by network administrators through the use of a web-based graphical user interface (GUI), which comes with support for basic administration features. On the other hand, they do not support the complete feature set of managed switches nor do they allow for customization.

In addition, these switches provide fundamental quality of service features, limited support for SNMP, and some port security. When it comes to cost and complexity, they are typically in the middle of the range, and they are appropriate for organizations that are small to medium in size.

How to Choose Between a Managed and Unmanaged Network Switch?

Managed switches, as was said before, are more expensive than unmanaged switches because they require software patches and upgrades, and the adoption of managed switches typically requires the assistance of a knowledgeable professional. In spite of this, managed switches come with a variety of configuration choices that are frequently required for complicated networks that include servers, wireless access points, personal computers, and Internet of Things devices.

Real-time applications, such as voice over internet protocol (VoIP), video conferencing, and streaming, are better supported by managed switches because of their support for quality of service (QoS), traffic shaping, virtual local area networks (VLANs), and link aggregation.

It is possible for small enterprises that have several dozen linked devices to get away with deploying an unmanaged switch from their network. Given that a single flat network is able to easily handle the amount of traffic that a tiny network generates, it is quite likely that they will not require or make use of the advanced capabilities that are found in managed switches. Therefore, the additional expense of a managed switch is probably not going to bring any value to the company.

If the number of devices on the company network starts to approach hundreds, then it is possible that the organization will require a controlled switch. In this scenario, the capability of utilizing virtual local area networks (VLANs) to partition the local area network (LAN) into numerous broadcast domains can guarantee that the network will function at its highest possible level. In addition, larger companies almost certainly have an information technology network professional on staff who is able to configure advanced capabilities for monitoring, security, and performance control.

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