VLANsegmenttejä

VLANsegmenttejä, or VLAN segments, are virtual local area networks that divide a physical network into multiple broadcast domains. This segmentation allows for better network management, security, and performance. Instead of having all devices on the same physical switch connected to the same broadcast domain, VLANs allow administrators to group devices logically based on function, department, or security requirements, regardless of their physical location.

When a broadcast packet is sent within a VLAN, it is only seen by devices within that same VLAN. This reduces the amount of unnecessary traffic on the network, improving overall performance. Security is enhanced because traffic from one VLAN is isolated from another, preventing unauthorized access between different segments. For example, a guest Wi-Fi network can be placed on its own VLAN, preventing guests from accessing internal company resources.

Implementing VLANs requires network switches that support 802.1Q tagging. This standard allows frames to be tagged with a VLAN identifier, enabling switches to differentiate traffic belonging to different VLANs. Ports on the switch can be configured as access ports, which belong to a single VLAN, or trunk ports, which can carry traffic for multiple VLANs. Each VLAN is assigned a unique VLAN ID, typically a number between 1 and 4094. While VLANs offer significant benefits, proper planning and configuration are crucial to avoid network issues.

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