Selecting a managed switch

managed 5 switch to consider things when selecting a managed switch

Easily confused when choosing the best managed switch for your application? We get it, there are literally hundreds of choices out there, with only a handful of minor differences. To make it easier for you, we have condensed this list to 5 areas you should consider first.

Form factor

The first thing to consider is the way it will be installed in the application. Will it be DIN rail mounted, rack mounted or panel mount installed? Panel mounted are typically bolted and used for wall mount situations such as outdoor installations. If placing in a field cabinet, you’ll most likely choose a DIN Rail mounted device, or a rack mount (19”) if it’s being placed inside of an IT cabinet for example.

Power input

Most products support either “H” (High) or “L” (Low) voltage input with the typical High voltage being 240VAC/DC and the typical low voltage choice being 24VDC. There are many variations in this spectrum with many utilising 110VDC, placing it in the “H” option even though it might not be considered high voltage in that market. Unique examples such as ‘-48VDC’ mostly used for transport are covered by the “Low voltage” options available.

Environmental conditions

A managed switch either has the option for a standard temperature environmental rating of 0 to 60ºC, or an extended temperature of -40ºC to +70ºC with the option of conformal coating. What does this mean? Basically conformal coating is important if you intend to use in corrosive material environments, or if materials may be conductive due to temperature variations.

Don’t forget your manufacturer’s warranty will assume you are using the hardware in the correct environment it has been purchased for. So don’t get caught out.

Certifications

A huge number of hardware certifications are available when purchasing a switch from IEC 61850-3 for power applications to IECEx for hazardous area applications.

Have a think about what certifications are required for your application. One thing to note… When selecting certifications, pay attention to the markings on the product because to be compliant in certain circumstances, markings are required to be visible.

Power over Ethernet

Power over Ethernet (PoE) is becoming more common and there is an ever-increasing need for power for end devices. It’s important to select a switch which has enough total power for your application and not just one that supports the correct standards.

PoE+ (802.at) devices can draw up to 30w from the switch so if you are selecting a high density application for these devices it would be important to select a device that allows for power injection so that not all of this power is being drawn from the switch. Basically you want to over-spec than under-spec.

It's a start!

Whilst this is not an exhaustive list of all things to consider, it should hopefully provide a clearer insight the next time you are after a managed switch.