Intelligent Hubs

Intelligent Hubs

Intelligent hubs are enhanced active hubs. Several functions can add intelligence to a hub:

Hub management. Hubs now support network management protocols that enable the hub to send packets to a central network console. These protocols also enable the console to control the hub; for example, a network administrator can order the hub to shut down a connection that is generating network errors.
Switching hubs. The latest development in hubs is the switching hub, which includes circuitry that very quickly routes signals between ports on the hub. Instead of repeating a packet to all ports on the hub, a switching hub repeats a packet only to the port that connects to the destination computer for the packet. Many switching hubs have the capability of switching packets to the fastest of several alternative paths. Switching hubs are replacing bridges and routers on many networks.