Software feature comparison
When connecting more than one Ethernet device in the same location, an Ethernet Switch is the way to go. It may seem simple, like plugging a power cord into an outlet strip, but there are significant considerations one must take to ensure your network is rock solid.
Layer 2 managed switches
provide a lot of value in a network. First, they can let you know the status of the network. If an abnormal condition occurs, a managed switch can send you a message for notification. This includes things like high bandwidth consumption, unexpected port connection, and even power supply failure. Additionally, a managed switch can implement redundancy. This can be critical if an Ethernet cable gets cut, unplugged, or plugged into the wrong port, or even if the switch is unexpectedly powered down.
Lite-managed switches
offer precise and entry level network management features and are designed with the most frequently used Layer 2 functionality including IP management, redundancy, remote monitoring, and security features. All functions can be configured by a user-friendly Web GUI. The lite management functionality does not compromise manageability or security. These switches provide a cost-effective and operationally efficient approach to wide range of applications.
Unmanaged switches
are simple, easy to use, and connect your Ethernet devices so that everything communicates. Unmanaged switches do not provide any sort of monitoring, just taking data in and sending it back out. Using an unmanaged switch is much like driving a car without a dashboard. You will probably get to your destination, but you might not know how much gas you have left, is your engine overheating, or how fast you are going. In simple applications where there are a few Ethernet devices and no management purpose is required, unmanaged switches are often the best choice.
Compare software features of the above 3 different types of switches in the following table, and understand at-a-glance the availability of various management features so you can choose the best fitting switch for your networking needs.
| Features | Unmanaged Switches | Lite-Managed Switches | Layer 2 Managed Switches | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interfaces | Console | ✔ | ||
| Relay | ✔ | Digital output | ✔ | |
| Reset button | Mode button | ✔ | ||
| System Management | Web-GUI, CLI, Telnet | ✔ | ✔ | |
| SNMP v1/v2c/v3 | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| RMON | SNMP only | ✔ | ||
| DHCP Server/Client | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| NTP | SNTP only | ✔ | ||
| Security | MAC address filtering | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Enable/Disable Port | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| IEEE802.1x LAN access control | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| Multi-user | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| RADIUS | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| SSH | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| SSL | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| TACACS+ | ✔ | |||
| IP ACL, Port ACL | ✔ | |||
| QoS | Priority queues | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
| Rate limiting (Ingress/Egress) | ✔ | |||
| Redundancy | STP/RSTP | ✔ (RSTP, LTS, FRD) | ✔ | |
| MSTP | ✔ | |||
| Alpha-Ring | ✔ | |||
| VLANs | Tag Based VLAN | ✔ | ✔ | |
| Port Based VLAN | ✔ | ✔ | ||
| GVRP | ✔ | |||
| GMRP | ✔ | |||
| Multicasting | IGMP Snooping | ✔ | ✔ | |
| LLDP | LLDP | ✔ | ✔ | |
| LLDP-MED | ✔ | |||
| Trunking | Static Trunk | ✔ | ✔ | |
| LACP | ✔ | ✔ | ||
