If you're ready to build a large network system, this handy excerpt from Ethernet: The Definitive Guide, Second Edition gets you up to speed on a basic building block: Ethernet switches. Whether you're working on an enterprise or campus network, data center, or Internet service provider network, you'll learn how Ethernet switches function and how they're used in network designs.

This brief tutorial also provides an overview of the most important features found in switches, from the basics to more advanced features found in higher-cost and specialized switches.