Common consideration to choose a "switch"

Cost - The cost of a switch will depend on the number and speed of the interfaces, supported features, and expansion capability.
Port Density - Network switches must support the appropriate number of devices on the network.
Power - It is now common to power access points, IP phones, and even compact switches using Power over Ethernet (PoE). In addition to PoE considerations, some chassis-based switches support redundant power supplies.
Reliability - The switch should provide continuous access to the network.
Port Speed - The speed of the network connection is of primary concern to end users.
Frame Buffers - The ability of the switch to store frames is important in a network where there may be congested ports to servers or other areas of the network.
Scalability - The number of users on a network typically grows over time; therefore, the switch should provide the opportunity for growth.