Switching and routing

Switches and routers are essential to managing network traffic efficiently. A switch can be thought of as an usher at a large concert, knowing exactly where each persons seat is located and guiding them directly there and avoiding confusion and crowding. Switches use unique device identifiers called MAC (Media Access Control) addresses to send data to the correct device within a local network (LAN or Local Area Network).

Here we can see what device lands on the OSI model

Routers in comparison operate on a broader scale, kind of like navigation apps like Google Maps or Waze. These apps find the most efficient routes for your trip, they factor in current traffic conditions, distance, and the speed limits. Just like those apps routers evaluate available paths and determine the best route for data packets to travel across networks (WAN or Wide Area Networks) often spanning vast distances.

Now think about it like this consider how chaotic a concert would become if ushers directed people to incorrect seats, or how frustrating it would be if navigation apps constantly gave incorrect directions. just like errors in network switching and routing could lead to major disruptions and security vulnerabilities. So understanding these components thoroughly helps cybersecurity professionals ensure reliable and secure data communication.

A switch is used to take the traffic from the router and send it to the correct device within a LAN (Local Aera Network). While the router takes the LAN traffic and sends it out to the WAN ( Wide Aera Network) to the internet for example.