In the era of cloud computing, with the rise of virtualization and software-defined services, one might think that certain types of physical network equipment, such as network switches and routers, are becoming obsolete. But the opposite is true. Without routers and switches to establish remote connections for data packet transmission, “cloud” is meaningless. It is just a new name for the development of existing services, not a new thing of the times. In this article, let’s explore why network switches and routers are essential in the cloud era.
Introduction to switches and routers
What is a router
A router is a network device used to transmit data packets on the Internet. Since data packets contain multiple information, such as type, size, and endpoint IP, the router reads and classifies the data, and then directs the data packet to the best path to the destination based on the routing table.
What is a network switch
A network switch is a network device that allows two or more IT devices, such as servers, computers, and wireless access points, to connect in order to transmit data packets from a computer network to one or more endpoint devices based on the MAC address. Users, applications, and network hardware are connected through network switches to share resources, and switches can be connected to other switches, routers, and firewalls to connect more devices, and then form a large secure LAN for interconnected devices to communicate without building a dedicated physical network.
Network switches are mainly divided into managed switches and unmanaged switches. How to choose a managed or unmanaged switch? The main difference between the two is the control level, configuration, and function, and enterprises can choose between the two according to different scenarios.
The role of switches and routers in cloud computing
Physical connection
The cloud connects a huge network of remote servers around the world through resource virtualization to provide services. In this case, routers and network switches are still crucial to building reliable and efficient physical connections. Whether in campus, data center, or especially in cloud networks connecting some remote locations, routers and switches can serve as the backbone of the network infrastructure and provide the necessary data packet transmission.
Network segmentation and traffic control
Routers and switches can divide the local area network (LAN) into multiple manageable subnets to ensure optimal performance and enhance security to reduce attacks. In addition, routers also act as schedulers to direct data packets to the correct route to ensure efficient communication. With the need for faster data movement and more secure network connections, these features are essential for modern network communications even in cloud environments.
Quality of Service (QoS)
Of course, in every IT environment, including the cloud, bandwidth is limited. Routers and network switches can ensure QoS by controlling traffic, guaranteeing that critical applications get the necessary bandwidth according to predefined policies.
Integration with Cloud Services
While the virtualization of the cloud seems to obscure the physical network infrastructure, routers and switches are indispensable for seamless communication with the cloud, whether uploading packets from the LAN to the cloud platform or establishing VPN (virtual private network) tunnels to access cloud data. In addition, some cloud service providers provide network services by using traditional routing and switching equipment to improve connectivity.
Redundancy and High Availability
With the growing demand for cloud services, reliability has become critical. When hardware failures and network outages occur, enterprises using cloud services will suffer significant losses. Routers and switches can avoid these situations and maintain network connectivity through redundancy and high availability features such as link aggregation, hot standby, and failover mechanisms.
Security
Protecting cloud databases is a top priority for service providers. Routers and switches provide advanced security features such as firewalls, authentication, communication encryption, access control lists (ACLs), and network address translation (NAT).
Routers and switches are essential for the future cloud era
Routers and switches remain an indispensable component that provides the foundation for connectivity, security, and network management in the cloud. As more and more businesses continue to adopt cloud services, the role of routers and network switches will continue to evolve to adapt to new challenges. IDXLINK offers a comprehensive set of fiber access solutions. The product line includes a variety of routers and switches to fully meet the needs of different scenarios.
Our routers adopt unique barrel and traditional designs and provide multiple speed options to accurately match various network needs. At the same time, IDXLINK network switches meet carrier-grade requirements and strict standards for data center switches. We provide L2/L3, managed/unmanaged, and PoE technology support to ensure that users can flexibly configure according to their needs.
