Data transmission occurs when data packets are exchanged between a sender and recipient in one network or multiple networks. A network has four or five layers depending upon the protocol. Most of the data frame forwarding and data packet transmission happens over layer 2 or the data link layer of the network. Network switches operate on layer 2 and play a crucial role in deciding the best possible route for a data frame to reach the destination. Let’s dive and know how to choose between fixed vs. chassis-based switching.
Industrial PoE switches are an integral part of modern network devices which help make them robust and scalable. They are applicable for a variety of networks including copper and fiber and have several types of ports to accommodate maximum connections and compatibility. There are fixed switches and chassis switches commonly used in such networks. This post discusses the details of fixed and chassis network switches along with their comparison.
What Are Chassis Switches?
Chassis switches can configure several types of line cards which enables port connectivity for copper as well as fiber networks. These line cards can be inserted into the slots of a chassis. These chassis switches have several common modules for various functions such as power supply, processing, cooling, and so on. There are some slots reserved for these modules, while line cards can be inserted into the remaining slots. They can be configured as per requirement. So, these switches are scalable and leave a lot of scope for future network expansions.
Features of Chassis Switch Solution:
- Initial setup cost is high, but they have a longer life span as compared to stackable switches.
- The space requirement is more as compared to stacks.
- It offers a common power supply, cooling fan, and control plane/ processing modules. Thus only 1 set of redundant PSU is required.
- The less number of power supplies considerably reduces the chance of power supply failure. Thus, the Meantime between Failure(MTBF) is high.
- Integration of additional service components (like Firewall Service Module, Intrusion Detection) is supported.
- Management is easier.
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What Are Fixed Switches?
Fixed switches can be managed or unmanaged. As the term implies, they have a fixed number of ports. So, these switches have a limited scope of expansion. Unmanaged switches are simple and easy to use. They have a normal plug-in design. However, these are more manual and not intelligent in nature. On the other hand, smart or managed switches are intelligent. Smart switches are the next version of managed switches and are in the nascent stage. Managed switches have better features than unmanaged ones in terms of memory, intelligence, security, and so on.
Features of Fixed Switch Solution:
- The initial setup cost is less and it is easily scalable.
- It requires less space for setup.
- As each individual switch requires a PSU, more power cabling is required.
- It shows an increase in failure rate with an increase in the number of power supplies. Meantime between Failure(MTBF) is low.
- Integration of additional service components (like Firewall Service Module, Intrusion Detection) is not supported.
- Management is a challenge as adding or removing switches in a large stack can be problematic.
- It has dedicated modules for Data, Control, and Management Plane.
A Comparative Account: Fixed vs. Chassis Switches
Both fixed as well as chassis-based networks are applicable in legacy as well as modern fiber-optic networks. Both have their pros and cons, and as a network administrator and user, the choice of network switches largely depends on your requirements, current network architecture, compatibility with other devices, and so on. Here are a few pointers which help differentiate and know how to choose between fixed vs. chassis-based switching network switches.
Difference between fixed and chassis network switches.
- As mentioned, fixed switches are simple and do not need software upgrades. Chassis switches require regular software upgrades to be executed. In a legacy network especially, these upgrades can be performed after working hours.
- Single point of switches or fixed ones is not preferred in complex networks with several nodes and junctions because of their obvious limitations. Here, chassis-based switches have gained traction in a bid to automate switches. Increasing the use of wireless networks and CCTV video surveillance is also one of the reasons for this trend.
- For wired networks, both types of switches can be functional.
- In general, chassis switches are more reliable than the former as they support multiple flexible and mixed I/O modules, multiple device configurations, as well as power supplies.
- Chassis switches may be cost-effective in the long run as they have multiple slots which can be used optimally. Also, they enhance the network scalability leaving scope for future expansion. In case of extensive, you may require multiple fixed switches adding to increased devices, installations, wiring, maintenance, and overall costs.
- Chassis switches also help maintain the uniformity of the modules with them.
- Chassis switches have a few drawbacks which include large space consumption, increased energy consumption depending upon the devices, and other factors, and they may require advanced cooling options due to overheating issues at times.
- In terms of the network size and complexity, fixed switches are ideal for small to medium, less complex networks. They are available in various configurations and form factors.
- They are flexible and cost-effective as long as you know your network expansion plans. You must be clear about how many switches you would require at what duration and plan accordingly.
- Since fixed switches are simple and easy to use, they can be easily replaced too, if required.
Scalability and adaptability
Fixed switches come in many flavors and form factors. Traditionally, fixed switches that could be connected in a resilient ring were limited to specific product families related to their hardware genre and stack port speeds. And stacking ports generally consisted of proprietary dedicated high-speed ports. More recently, vendors have begun providing stacking via “front” ports or high-speed uplink ports enabling inter-connection and single point
of management across multiple product families.
In switch network configurations requiring a mix of multiple port speeds and media types, such as a fiber switch and a 10Gbe switch, stacked switches provide flexibility without the requirement for standalone switches or chassis switches. We can add another stack switch to the stack to enhance the number of ports. The number of network ports supported by the chassis switch, on the other hand, can be extended simply by inserting extra line cards into empty slots. As a result, the chassis system may be simply scaled.
Price
Because it comprises line cards and other modules, such as power supply, fan trays, and blades, a chassis switch is usually more expensive than a stacked switch. A chassis switch, on the other hand, frequently supports multiple queues and thresholds per port. Upgrades to supervisor modules are less expensive than upgrading all of your stack’s ports when new features are released.
Performance
Because a chassis-based network switch typically incorporates a high-speed backplane module, it is often possible to achieve line-rate L2 and L3 switching on all ports of the chassis, resulting in a non-blocking arrangement. Nonetheless, achieving success is challenging.
If you plan to expand your network or make it more scalable, using the right devices is of paramount importance, and this includes network switches as well. Whatever type of switch you choose based on your application, know how to choose between fixed vs. chassis-based switching ensure you source it from a reliable manufacturer and supplier who can help you meet your exact requirements in terms of compatibility, speed, transmission, scalability, and cost.
