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Configuring VLANs

A VLAN is a collection of end nodes grouped logically, rather than by their physical location. End nodes that frequently communicate with each other are assigned to the same VLAN, regardless of their physical location on the network. Logically, you can equate a VLAN to a broadcast domain since broadcast packets are forwarded only to those VLAN members in which the broadcast was initiated.

A VLAN enables you to divide your LAN into smaller groups without interfering with the physical network. VLANs have a range of practical applications, such as the following:

• You can create VLANs, or workgroups, for common interest groups.
• You can create VLANs, or workgroups, for specific types of network traffic.
• You can add, move, or delete members from these workgroups without making any physical changes to the network.

By dividing the network into separate VLANs, you can create separate broadcast domains. This arrangement conserves bandwidth, especially in networks supporting broadcast and multicast applications that flood the network with traffic. A VLAN workgroup may include members from a number of dispersed physical segments on the network, improving traffic flow between them.

The 1600 Series switch performs the Layer 2 switching functions necessary to transmit information within VLANs as well as the layer 3 routing functions necessary for VLANs to communicate with one another. You can define a VLAN for a single switch or you can have it span multiple switches. You can define a port to be a member of multiple VLANs.

• Creating a port-based VLAN
• Managing a VLAN
• Managing VLAN bridging
• Managing MAC forwarding