TL;DR: Switches quietly connect almost everything in a school, from computers to WiFi to CCTV. Knowing what depends on them, and whether anyone would know if one failed, helps leaders make better decisions.
A network switch is the box in your network cabinet that connects devices to each other and, through the router, to the internet. A managed switch can be monitored remotely, so your IT support is alerted if something goes wrong.
If a switch fails, a whole area of the school can lose computers, WiFi, phones or CCTV at once. Knowing what depends on each switch, and whether anyone would be alerted, helps you plan replacements before a failure forces the decision.
A headteacher wanted to view the school’s CCTV footage on her own computer.
It sounded simple. The cameras were already installed, and the footage already played on a screen in the office. Surely it was just a case of connecting things up?
But bringing one system onto another network can have consequences that aren’t immediately obvious.
What a switch actually does
Think of an old-fashioned telephone exchange, where an operator connected each caller to the person they wanted to speak to. A network switch does much the same job. It knows every device on the network and connects one to another.
Switches link computers, wireless access points, printers and phones. They often support systems leaders don’t think of as IT at all, such as CCTV.
Most schools have a main “core” switch, with others connected beneath it. If a switch lower down fails, one area loses its connection. If the core switch fails, everything beneath it can go with it.
“It’s only some video”
Back to the headteacher. The school’s cameras recorded to a video recorder, with the footage shown on the office screen. Plugging all of that into the main school network would mean every camera’s video travelling alongside everything else the school does.
Our Director of Technical Services, James Meer, explained it in terms that made sense straight away. Each camera captures around 60 images every second, and there were about 20 cameras.
“People think it’s only some video,” James says. “But that video is 60 photos a second, times 20 cameras, going across your network.”
Put that way, it was easy to see why everything else in school might slow down.
Keeping the networks apart
James recommended compartmentalising. His proposal was to give the cameras their own separate switch and cabling, so camera traffic would stay off the main school network.
That meant buying an additional switch. The headteacher’s first question, James recalls, was whether she really needed the footage in her office. She decided she did, and the switch was ordered.
The important part isn’t that a switch was ordered. It’s that she understood why, weighed the cost against the benefit and made the decision herself.
The switch nobody’s watching
In James’s experience, many schools still have switches that have been in place for a decade or more. Many are “unmanaged”, meaning nobody can see remotely what they’re doing.
When an unmanaged switch fails, the first anyone hears of it is a phone call: nothing’s working, and there’s no internet. Often the internet is fine. Devices simply can’t get through the failed switch to reach it.
A managed switch can alert your IT support when something goes wrong, often before staff notice. And when a switch does fail, a temporary replacement can usually be fitted while the original is repaired or replaced.
What the DfE says
The DfE’s network switching standard says schools should have a platform that can centrally manage their switches, monitor performance and “provide alerts in the event of a failure”. It also says switches that can no longer receive firmware and security updates should be replaced, and that core switches should be connected to at least one UPS, a backup power supply.
These are “should” standards rather than legal requirements. The DfE suggests meeting them when an existing switch needs replacing because it’s underperforming or unsupported, while working towards the full standard by 2030.
So age alone isn’t a reason to replace everything. The right time depends on the equipment’s condition, whether it’s still supported and what relies on it.
Questions for your IT support
- Which systems depend on our network switches, including CCTV and other building systems?
- Are our switches managed, and who would be alerted if one failed?
- Are they still receiving security updates?
- What would stop working if our core switch failed?
- Do we have a replacement plan for ageing equipment?
The bigger picture
James describes our role as helping schools become “the champions of their own destiny”. As he puts it: “We’re there to guide you through it and dismantle all the jargon. But ultimately, you need to make the decision with all the information we give you.”
At ekte, we look at how a school’s network is arranged, explain what any proposed change would mean, and recommend what genuinely fits. Our page on network switches for schools explains how we approach this.
Sometimes a small technical decision makes a real difference to the whole school. What matters is understanding that before you invest.
Ask your IT provider which systems rely on your network switches and whether any equipment is approaching the end of its supported life. Understanding what could be affected by a failure is the first step towards planning replacements.
If you’re unsure about the condition of your network infrastructure, ekte can help you assess what you have and prioritise improvements around your school’s needs and budget.
Start a conversation: sales@ekte.uk
