We have video servers connected to an EMC SAN and had a drop in recording which ended up being a fiber switch issue (we now know we should have a redundant switch).

The question is, why do we need a switch for a SAN backup unit and servers that are in racks right next to each other, why can't they be directly connected by fiber, Ethernet cable, or a specialized cable of some sort?

Thanks, their is probably a simple answer we should have known in the first place.