An adaptive switch is a

network switch A network switch (also called switching hub, bridging hub, and, by the IEEE, MAC bridge) is networking hardware that connects devices on a computer network by using packet switching to receive and forward data to the destination device. A netw ...

designed to normally operate in cut-through mode but if a port's error rate jumps too high, the switch automatically reconfigures the

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Ham ...

to run in

store-and-forward Store and forward is a telecommunications technique in which information is sent to an intermediate station where it is kept and sent at a later time to the final destination or to another intermediate station. The intermediate station, or node in ...

mode. This optimizes the switch's performance by providing higher speed cut-through switching if error rates are low but higher

throughput Network throughput (or just throughput, when in context) refers to the rate of message delivery over a communication channel, such as Ethernet or packet radio, in a communication network. The data that these messages contain may be delivered ov ...

store-and-forward switching when error rates are high. Adaptive switching is typically done on a port-by-port basis.

References

Networking hardware {{compu-network-stub