An all-optical Ethernet switch provides both optical uplink and downlink ports, and uses optical fibers that feature high transmission speed, large bandwidth, and strong anti-interference capability. This paper compares the core differences between optical switches and electrical switches, clarifying their distinctions across seven key dimensions including signal conversion mechanisms, switching layers, latency, power consumption, and more. There are two main port types: optical and electrical. They can function as core, aggregation, and access devices on campus networks and connect to upstream and downstream devices. The advantages of optical switches are manifold: High Speed: Optical switches provide a high-speed data transmission capacity that surpasses that of traditional electrical switches.
[PDF Version]