A managed network switch enables Ethernet devices like a PC or a network printer to communicate with each other, and provides features that let administrators configure, manage and monitor a Local Area Network (LAN). A managed network switch consequently provides administrators with more control over how data travels over the network and has access to it.

A network switch (also called switching hub, bridging hub, officially MAC bridge) is networking hardware that connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive and forward data to the destination device.