Selecting the appropriate aggregation switch for your network depends on several key factors. An aggregation switch is a network device that consolidates traffic from multiple access switches, wireless access points, or other edge devices and forwards it to core switches or routers. By bundling multiple network connections into a single high-bandwidth link, aggregation switches help. An Aggregation or "Top-of-Rack" switch is designed to connect everything in a rack at high speeds, then have an even bigger pipe out to the rest of the network. These factors may include but are not limited to speed, features, and price. It helps in managing higher traffic loads between switches. This article looks at what each such tool does, compares how they differ from each other, and offers suggestions as to what sort of network each. Switch aggregation, also known as link aggregation or trunking, is a method used in computer networking to combine (aggregate) multiple network connections in parallel.
[PDF Version]