Switches serve as the backbone of an enterprise network, ensuring seamless data communication. Selecting reliable switches during the network design phase is crucial for maintaining uninterrupted connectivity. However, network designers often face challenges such as budget constraints, solution simplicity, compatibility with existing infrastructure, and ease of management. Recognizing these concerns, Huawei Technologies has designed the Huawei eKit switch portfolio to address these challenges and provide an efficient, cost-effective networking solution.

In this article, we explore the ease of use of Huawei eKit switches, examining their features and real-world application scenarios.

Key Characteristics of Huawei eKit Switches

In today’s competitive market, brands must innovate continuously in switch design to stand out. Huawei Technologies has gone above and beyond, incorporating outstanding features into their Huawei eKit switches to gain a competitive edge.  

1. Perpetual POE for always-ON power supply 

Huawei eKit switches are designed with perpetual PoE. This ensures that connected devices like access points, IP cameras, and VoIP phones remain powered even during switch reboots, preventing service disruptions. This reduces downtime for critical systems, maintaining seamless business operations.This feature makes Huawei eKit switches essential for environments requiring continuous connectivity, such as offices, retail stores, and healthcare facilities.

2. 3 Year Warranty Period

When you buy a Huawei eKit switch, you get a 3-year warranty. This makes enterprises save on potential repair or replacement costs within the warranty period. This 3-year warranty reflects Huawei’s confidence in the switch’s durability and performance.

The warranty also comes with long-term support for businesses where they get access to technical support and firmware updates, enhancing network stability and security.

3. Enhanced Security Features 

In the current world where cyber crimes are common, network designers need to ensure their enterprise networks are well protected from manipulation. The Huawei eKit switches ensure enhanced security such as: 

• Protection Against Cyber Threats: Huawei eKit switch features like ACLs (Access Control Lists), DHCP snooping, and 802.1X authentication safeguard the network from unauthorized access.
• Prevention of Data Breaches: Enterprises handle sensitive data, so Huawei eKit switches’ built-in security features protect against attacks like ARP spoofing, DoS, and malware infiltration.
• Secure IoT Deployment: As more IoT devices connect to networks, Huawei eKit switches’ enhanced security ensures these devices do not become entry points for attackers.

4. Simplified Deployment, Operation and Management

Solution simplicity is a dream for network designers. The Huawei eKit switches embrace simplicity by enabling:

• Faster Installation: Plug-and-play configurations reduce setup time, which is ideal for businesses without dedicated IT teams. Deployment can be done through the Huawei eKit app or the web, which takes less time without a skilled personnel.
• Cloud & Centralized Management: Many Huawei eKit switches support cloud-based management, enabling remote monitoring and troubleshooting. The Huawei eKit app enables network administrators to manage their enterprise networks from any location in the world.
• Lower Operational Costs: Automation and intuitive interfaces reduce the need for extensive manual configurations, making network administration more efficient.

5. High Density Ports

With ports of high data rates, Huawei eKit switches facilitate:

• Scalability: Supports a large number of wired connections, making it ideal for expanding enterprises.
• Reduced Infrastructure Costs: Instead of using multiple low-port switches, a high-density switch consolidates connections, reducing the overall hardware footprint.
• Optimized Performance: More ports mean better aggregation, reducing network congestion and improving overall throughput.

Huawei eKit Switches Portfolio

Huawei's eKit switching portfolio is intended to satisfy diverse consumer requirements and use cases. The portfolio encompasses an array of products and solutions, each customized to meet the unique needs of particular user environments.

1. eKit Engine S110 Series

This Huawei eKit Engine S110 Switches Series comprises unmanaged, plug-and-play Gigabit Ethernet switches designed for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and enterprise branch offices. These switches offer high-speed connectivity, energy efficiency, and ease of deployment without requiring complex configurations. They have a silent fanless design, hence operate with minimal noise, perfect for office environments.

Ideal Use Cases of Huawei eKit Engine S110 Switches Series

• Small offices needing basic network expansion
• Retail stores and hotels requiring seamless connectivity
• Surveillance networks with PoE-powered security cameras

2. eKit Engine S220 Series

The Huawei eKit S220 switch series is a layer 2 managed switch designed for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), branch offices, and commercial networks requiring advanced security, high performance, and simplified management. These switches are configurable via web interface or CLI, making it user-friendly for IT teams.

Ideal Use Cases of Huawei eKit S220 switch series

• SMEs and enterprise offices needing secure and scalable networks.
• Retail and hospitality requiring PoE-powered devices and guest WiFi networks.
• Education and healthcare for VLAN-segmented and high-availability connectivity.

3. eKit Engine S310 Series

The Huawei eKit S310 switch series is a Layer 3 managed switch designed for enterprise networks, ISPs, and data-intensive environments requiring high performance, advanced routing, and enhanced security. These switches are configurable via Huawei eKit App, web GUI, CLI, or SNMP, ensuring simplified network administration.

Ideal Use Cases of Huawei eKit S310 switch series

• Enterprise offices and data centers needing Layer 3 switching for network segmentation.
• ISPs and service providers that require high-performance routing and traffic control.
• Smart campuses and large institutions with multiple VLANs and PoE-powered devices.

4. eKit Engine S500 Series

The Huawei eKit S500 switch series is a high-performance Layer 3 managed switch designed for enterprise networks, ISPs, and large-scale deployments requiring high bandwidth, advanced routing, and carrier-grade reliability. These switches are configurable via Huawei eKit App, web GUI, CLI, or SNMP for seamless remote administration.

These switches offer full Layer 3 capabilities and enable complex network architectures by supporting static routing, RIP, OSPF, and even BGP. With high-density Gigabit & 10G uplink ports, the S500 switch series ensures ultra-fast data transmission for high-demand applications.

Ideal Use Cases of Huawei eKit S500 switch series

• Large enterprise networks and data centers needing high-speed switching & routing.
• ISPs and service providers that require scalable, high-performance aggregation switches.
• Mission-critical environments like financial institutions and government networks.

5. eKit Engine S600 Series

The Huawei eKit S600 switch series is a high-end, Layer 3 aggregation and core switch designed for large enterprises, ISPs, and data centers requiring ultra-fast connectivity, advanced security, and high reliability. These switches support high-performance 10G & 40G Uplinks thus delivering ultra-fast data transmission for high-bandwidth applications.

With a redundant and resilient design, the S600 switch series offers dual power supply options, hot-swappable components, and stacking capabilities for high availability.

Ideal Use Cases of Huawei eKit S600 switch series:

• Enterprise core networks and data centers requiring high-speed aggregation
• ISPs and telecom providers needing scalable backbone switching
• Mission-critical environments like finance, healthcare, and government networks

Why Choose Huawei eKit Switches?

Huawei eKit switches give you the following advantages over other switches in the market: 

• Intelligent Operation and Management: The Huawei eKit App simplifies enterprise network management, enabling administrators to monitor and configure the network remotely, even on the go. Cloud-based control enhances efficiency, reducing the need for on-site troubleshooting.
• Always-on power supply: Huawei eKit’s perpetual PoE ensures uninterrupted power to critical devices (IP cameras, access points, VoIP phones) even during switch reboots, eliminating downtime, while maintaining seamless operations for businesses.
• Secure and reliable network: Huawei eKit’s advanced security features, such as VLANs, ACLs, and storm control, protect against unauthorized access and cyber threats. It’s stable and resilient performance gives network administrators confidence in their infrastructure.
• Energy Saving: Huawei eKit is also environmentally conscious. It is designed with port hibernation during idle hours that reduces power consumption, and the dynamic fan speed adjustments optimize cooling efficiency, cutting energy usage by over 30%, lowering operational costs.
   

Real World Applications for the Huawei eKit Switches

Huawei eKit switches are versatile connectivity solutions, offering security, scalability, and energy efficiency for various industries. Their perpetual PoE, cloud management, and enhanced security make them a reliable choice for businesses of all sizes and a suitable choice for various environments including:

1. Enterprise Offices

The Huawei eKit switches are favorable for multi-floor office buildings needing centralized connectivity management. This makes it ideal for startups and large enterprises requiring scalable and secure networks..

2. Education

Educational facilities - schools, campuses, libraries, laboratories - require high density connectivity due to their high population. Huawei eKit switches are an excellent choice for these environments based on their high switching capacity. The switches are also cost-effective in terms of deployment and power consumption, ideal for cases where budget is limited. 

3. Healthcare

Hospitals require a reliable network for Critical Systems. Huawei eKit switches ensure zero downtime for life-saving medical devices, telemedicine services, and patient record systems. Perpetual POE keeps IP healthcare equipment - phones, nurse call systems, or monitoring devices - operational even during switch reboots. Furthermore, the Huawei eKit switches ensure secure data access for electronic health records (EHRs), ensuring patients’ confidential details are not accessed by unauthorized personnel. 

4. Hospitality and Retail

Huawei eKit switches support high-bandwidth access points for hospitality and retail environments - hotels, malls, co-working spaces, swimming pools, restaurants, and more. Perpetual POE ensures no downtime, hence consistent Internet access for users. Centralized management across multiple locations makes Huawei eKit switches ideal for retail chains and hotel franchises, even those with remote branches.

Upgrade your Network with Huawei eKit Switches

Huawei eKit switches provide a versatile and powerful networking solution for organizations looking to enhance their wired and wireless connectivity. Designed to meet the demands of modern digital environments, these switches offer intelligent management, robust security, and high-performance networking to ensure seamless operations.

Whether you are a public institution, a large enterprise, or a small business, Huawei eKit switches equip you with the tools to stay connected, productive, and secure. 

Contact us today for more information on Huawei eKit or to place your order