A switch is a network device that is used in local area networks (LANs) to control, filter and forward data traffic between different devices, such as servers, computers and other network devices.
It works on layer 2 of the OSI model and uses MAC addresses to identify devices in a network.
In this way, a switch optimizes data traffic by routing data packets to the correct target device within the network. This increases the efficiency and security of a network. A switch is therefore a fundamental element of network infrastructures.