Dark high-tech network switch chassis showing illuminated fiber-optic status indicators and cyan data packet routing streams in a modern data center server rack.

/ NEXT-GEN INFRASTRUCTURE

Next-generation switching for zero-lag networking.

A unified enterprise switching foundation engineered for high-throughput connectivity, microsegmentation, dynamic telemetry, and cloud-native network architectures.

• CORE TECHNOLOGIES

Types of NexGen switching

The primary characteristic of next-gen switching is the separation of the transport (connectivity) layer from the control and service layers. This allows one network infrastructure to carry voice, data, video, and cellular traffic seamlessly. The core types and foundational technologies behind next-gen switching are outlined below.

1. Packet Switching

2. Softswitches

3. MPLS

The core foundation of modern networking, split between Datagram Packet Switching and Virtual Circuit Packet Switching for dynamic path negotiation.

Software-based switching separating call control from media gateways. Spans Class 4 central routing and Class 5 subscriber line services.

Multiprotocol Label Switching directs data using short path labels rather than long network addresses, ensuring predictable latency.

4. Smart / Programmable Switches

5. Media Gateway Switching

DPU and hardware-accelerated switches running P4 programmable pipelines to process packet rules directly at wire speed.

Translates communication protocols across legacy PSTN, IP, and cellular networks, providing unified voice and data transit.

+ ARCHITECTURE ADVANTAGE

What Makes Next-Gen Switching Different?

More than switching. It's an intelligent network foundation.

Performance

Security

Automation

Visibility

Cloud Ready

Scalable

High-speed connectivity

Embedded security

Programmable policies

Real-time telemetry

Edge-to-cloud

Built for growth

One infrastructure. Multiple workloads.

Modern switching can provide the common connectivity layer for:

Users → Devices → IoT → Voice → Video → Applications → Cloud → AI

— ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS

Top Switching Vendors

Explore leading enterprise switching technologies

■ TAILORED DEPLOYMENTS

Switching by Environment

Switching designed around your environment

Enterprise Campus

Education

Healthcare

High-performance connectivity for users, applications, and devices.

Reliable switching for classrooms, campuses, Wi-Fi, security, and IoT.

Resilient infrastructure for mission-critical applications and connected devices.

Financial Services

Industrial & IoT

Data Center & Cloud

Low-latency, highly available infrastructure for demanding workloads.

Connect machines, sensors, systems, and edge workloads.

High-speed switching for virtualization, AI, cloud, and modern workloads.

Explore AI Insights

✱ AGENTIC INTELLIGENCE

Get smarter about switching

400GbE

AI Networking Ready

A ShopforSwitching AI Insights section fits very well with your Agentic strategy. What should your next switching architecture look like? Our AI-powered insights help organizations explore: Switching architecture, Layer 2 vs. Layer 3, PoE requirements, 10/25/40/100/400GbE, SDN, Network automation, Network segmentation, Data-center switching, AI networking, Campus switching, and Cloud connectivity.