VLAN: What is a VLAN?
VLANs (Virtual LANs) are logical grouping of devices in the same broadcast domain. VLANs are usually configured on switches by placing some interfaces into one broadcast domain and some interfaces into another. VLANs can be spread across multiple switches.
A VLAN acts like a physical LAN, but it allows hosts to be grouped together in the same broadcast domain even if they are not connected to the same switch.
The following topology shows a network with all hosts inside the same VLAN:
Without VLANs, a broadcast sent from host A would reach all devices on the network. By placing interfaces Fa0/0 and Fa0/1 on both switches in a separate VLAN, a broadcast from host A would reach only host B, since each VLAN is a separate broadcast domain and only host B is inside the same VLAN as host A. This is shown in the picture below:
Creating VLANs offers many advantages. Broadcast traffic will be received and processed only by devices inside the same VLAN. Users can be grouped by a department, and not by a physical location. VLANs provides also some security benefits, since the sensitive traffic can be isolated in a separate VLAN.
NOTE – to reach hosts in another VLAN, a router is needed.
Access & trunk ports
Each port on a switch can be configured as either an access or a trunk port. An access port is a port that can be assigned to a single VLAN. This type of interface is configured on switch ports that are connected to devices with a normal network card, for example a host on a network. A trunk interface is an interface that is connected to another switch. This type of interface can carry traffic of multiple VLANs.