Switch Fabric

A switch fabric is the internal backbone of a network switch or router that efficiently connects multiple input and output ports. Think of it as a high-speed roadway system inside the device, directing data packets from any input port to their correct output port without congestion. It manages the data flow, ensuring packets are transferred quickly and accurately, enabling the device to handle multiple communications concurrently. Switch fabric designs vary—such as shared memory or crossbar architectures—but all aim to optimize data transfer speed and reliability within the network hardware.