Network infrastructure defines the backbone of a company’s network. From the moment data is pushed from a PC to another network node (PC, server, printer, etc), it begins to travel along the components of the network infrastructure.

Data initiates at the network card level. The initial conversation with the switch it is traveling to is what determines how fast that data is going to get pushed across the network cable. Typical standards in desktops/laptops today is 1gbps, however, many switches are still limited to 100mbps capacity.

The easiest way to understand how it works is to think of your network cable or wireless connection as a highway but instead of moving cars it is moving data. With a highway, if there are not enough lanes to handle the traffic flow then congestion and slowdowns occur. As with the highway, if there isn’t enough capacity in a network infrastructure for the amount of data going through, delays occur.

In summary, the network infrastructure relates to how the data travels from point A to point B, whether it is internal to the company, across a sophisticated hybrid of routers, or simply out to the internet.