[Pc_Support] Re: ABS 8-Port, 5-Port GbE Switch -- VSC7388, VSC7385 (Blog article)

[Derek Konigsberg]

On Monday 20 February 2006 7:41 pm, Bryan J. Smith wrote:
> > The whole point is that you can break the switch into multiple
> > layer-2 networks.  I seriously think you're getting your layers
> > mixed up, since none of this requires *any* layer-3 functionality
> > on the switch.  (where layer-3 implies something like IP, and
> > this is all in ethernet)
>
> But how do you communicate between _different_ VLANs?
> That is the key to everything I'm saying.  ;->
Of course you need a router (or layer-3 switch) for that purpose.  What I'm 
saying is that most of the switches in your network have no need for MLS 
(multi-layer switching / layer-3 switching / routing / whatever you want to 
call it).  However, such L2-only switches often still have a need for 
features like VLANs (port-based and trunking) that tend to not exist on dumb 
switches.
In Cisco-speak, we'd only consider L3 switches at the "distribution layer", 
but we still want VLAN capabilities at the L2-only "access layer".

In fact, I think my favorate product that illustrates a demand for such a 
capability is the 3Com NJ220.  It is a 5-port switch (1 is an uplink) with 
VLAN capabilities, built into a WALL PLATE.  The whole idea is that your 
office can have 4 ethernet ports on 4 different networks, when only one 
physical cable is running down the wall. 

-- 
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Derek Konigsberg
octo at .logicprobe.org
http://hecgeek.blogspot.com
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