L1 replicator and switch combination

A data replication and switching device, comprising:

• a plurality of data communication ports, each configured to transmit and receive data to and from at least one computing device;
• at least one replicator configured to receive and replicate the data received from respective ones of the plurality of data communication ports;
• a Layer 1 (“L1”) switch configured to receive some of the data from the at least one replicator;
• a management port configured to receive configuration data associated with operations of the data replication and switching device;
• and
• a L1 bypass configured to route some of the data received from the at least one replicator directly to at least one of the plurality of data communication ports, thereby bypassing the L1 switch,
• wherein the at least one replicator is located in front of the L1 switch, and further wherein the at least one replicator is configured to route the replicated data to at least one of a replication port and the L1 switch, and
• further wherein, in response to the configuration data received via the at least one management port, the data replication and switching device is configured to route some of the data received from the at least one replicator to bypass the L1 switch via the L1 bypass and to route some of the data received from the at least one replicator to the L1 switch, wherein the some of the data routed to bypass the L1 switch is not received by the L1 switch.