Before we consider the technical aspects of VLANs, it might be helpful to consider an example network, step back and consider how it might be implemented using a traditional networking model, then consider how the same network might be implemented with VLANs to provide a more concrete illustration of their advantages.
Basic VLAN concepts
Example 1 – developers and engineering
To illustrate the usefulness of VLANs, let's consider the simple case of a mid-sized company that has a software department and an engineering department. The software department occupies floors one and three, while the engineering department occupies floors two and four, and each floor has its own wiring closet with a switch connected to...