Configuring Vlans; Understanding Vlans - Cisco C3201FESMIC-TP= - 3201 Fast EN Switch Mobile Interface Card Expansion Module Software Configuration Manual

Configuring VLANs

This document describes how to configure your Cisco wireless mobile interface card (WMIC) to operate
with the VLANs set up on your wired LAN. These sections describe how to configure your WMIC to
support VLANs:
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Understanding VLANs

A VLAN is a switched network that is logically segmented, by functions, project teams, or applications
rather than on a physical or geographical basis. For example, all workstations and servers used by a
particular workgroup team can be connected to the same VLAN, regardless of their physical connections
to the network or the fact that they might be intermingled with other teams. You use VLANs to
reconfigure the network through software rather than physically unplugging and moving devices or
wires.
A VLAN can be thought of as a broadcast domain that exists within a defined set of switches. A VLAN
consists of a number of end systems, either hosts or network equipment (such as bridges and routers),
connected by a single bridging domain. The bridging domain is supported on various pieces of network
equipment such as LAN switches that operate bridging protocols between them with a separate group
for each VLAN.
VLANs provide the segmentation services traditionally provided by routers in LAN configurations.
VLANs address scalability, security, and network management. You should consider several key issues
when designing and building switched LAN networks:
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Understanding VLANs, page 1
Configuring VLANs, page 3
LAN segmentation
Security
Broadcast control
Performance
Network management
Communication between VLANs