What does switching technology primarily improve in a network?

Switching technology primarily improves collision management in a network. In traditional network designs, such as those using hubs, all devices share the same bandwidth. This can lead to data collisions, where two devices attempt to send data simultaneously, resulting in lost packets and retransmissions, which ultimately degrade network performance.

With switches, each device communicates on its own dedicated channel. When a switch receives a data packet, it intelligently forwards that packet to the specific device it is intended for, rather than broadcasting it to all devices on the network. This significantly reduces the chances of collisions because devices are no longer competing for bandwidth in the same way. As a result, switching technology enhances overall network efficiency and performance by effectively managing data traffic and minimizing collisions.

While improved speed of data transmission can be a byproduct of enhanced collision management and increased bandwidth utilization, the primary function of switching is to manage collisions within the network effectively.