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Gigabit Ethernet supports video conferencing, complex imaging,
and similar data-intensive applications. Likewise, since data
transfers occur 10 times faster than Fast Ethernet, servers
outfitted with Gigabit Ethernet NIC's are able to perform 10
times the number of operations in the same amount of time.
Switching Technology
Another key development pushing the limits of Ethernet
technology is in the field of switching technology. A switch
bridges Ethernet packets at the MAC address level of the
Ethernet protocol transmitting among connected Ethernet or
fast Ethernet LAN segments.
Switching is a cost-effective way of increasing the total network
capacity available to users on a local area network. A switch
increases capacity and decreases network loading by making it
possible for a local area network to be divided into different
segments which don't compete with each other for network
transmission capacity, giving a decreased load on each.
The switch acts as a high-speed selective bridge between the
individual segments. Traffic that needs to go from one segment
to another is automatically forwarded by the switch, without
interfering with any other segments. This allows the total
network capacity to be multiplied, while still maintaining the
same network cabling and adapter cards.
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