Aliverkostojen

Aliverkostojen, in Finnish networking terminology, refers to the logical subdivision of a larger computer network into smaller networks called subnets. The practice helps organize devices, limit broadcast traffic, improve routing efficiency, and enforce security boundaries between segments.

In IPv4, each subnet is defined by a network address and a subnet mask (or a CIDR prefix) that separates the network portion of an IP address from the host portion. For example, 192.168.1.0/24 designates a network with 254 usable host addresses. Subnetting also allows further division, such as 192.168.1.0/25 and 192.168.1.128/25, creating two smaller subnets within the same 192.168.1.0 range. Each subnet has a network address and a broadcast address; the hosts reside within the remaining addresses.

In IPv6, subnets are defined by a prefix length (for example, 2001:db8:abcd:0012::/64). IPv6 does not use broadcast in the same way as IPv4; instead, it relies on multicast and standardized prefix-based routing for similar segmentation.

Benefits of aliverkostojen include reduced broadcast domains, more efficient routing, easier address management, and clearer security policies. Subnets are commonly mapped to VLANs (virtual LANs), which helps implement access controls and traffic isolation at layer 2/3 boundaries. Routing between subnets is performed by routers or layer-3 switches, with firewall rules and ACLs used to govern inter-subnet traffic.

Subnetting is part of address planning and network design. It involves determining the number of hosts per subnet, selecting an appropriate subnet mask or prefix, calculating network and broadcast addresses, and planning for route aggregation and future growth.