3com link 1000 Manuel D’Utilisation
5
A
DVANCED
M
ANAGEMENT
Virtual LANs (VLANs)
Setting up Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) on
the Switch 1000 provides you with less time-
consuming network administration and more effi-
cient network operation.
the Switch 1000 provides you with less time-
consuming network administration and more effi-
cient network operation.
The following sections explain more about the con-
cept of VLANs and explain how they can be imple-
mented on the Switch 1000.
cept of VLANs and explain how they can be imple-
mented on the Switch 1000.
What are VLANs?
A VLAN is defined as a group of location- and
topology-independent devices that communicate as
if they are on the same physical LAN. This means
that LAN segments are not restricted by the hard-
ware which physically connects them; the segments
are defined by flexible user groups that you create
using software.
topology-independent devices that communicate as
if they are on the same physical LAN. This means
that LAN segments are not restricted by the hard-
ware which physically connects them; the segments
are defined by flexible user groups that you create
using software.
With VLANs, you can define your network according
to:
to:
■
Departmental groups — For example, you can
have one VLAN for the Marketing department,
another for the Finance department, and
another for the Development department.
have one VLAN for the Marketing department,
another for the Finance department, and
another for the Development department.
■
Hierarchical groups — For example, you can
have one VLAN for directors, another for manag-
ers, and another for general staff.
have one VLAN for directors, another for manag-
ers, and another for general staff.
■
Usage Groups — For example, you can have
one VLAN for users of e-mail, and another for
users of multimedia.
one VLAN for users of e-mail, and another for
users of multimedia.
Benefits of VLANs
Implementing VLANs on your network has three
main advantages:
main advantages:
■
It eases the change and movement of devices on
IP networks
IP networks
■
It helps to control broadcast traffic
■
It provides extra security