Question

What are two actions performed by a cisco switch?

Answer 1

Two primary actions performed by a Cisco switch are frame switching, which involves forwarding data frames based on MAC addresses, and VLAN management, which segments the network into distinct broadcast domains for improved security and traffic management.

Step-by-step explanation:

Actions Performed by a Cisco Switch

Cisco switches are an integral part of networking in the information technology field. Among the multiple tasks they perform, two main actions stand out for their critical role in network management and efficiency: frame switching and Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) management.

The first key action is frame switching. When a Cisco switch receives a data frame on one of its ports, it examines the frame's destination Media Access Control (MAC) address. Using its MAC address table, which matches MAC addresses to corresponding ports, the switch then forwards the frame to the correct output port where the destination device is connected. This process involves multiple steps:

1. Receiving the incoming frame from the source device.
2. Reading the MAC address of the destination device from the frame header.
3. Consulting the MAC address table to identify the outgoing port.
4. Forwarding the frame to the identified port if it's different from the incoming port.
5. If the MAC address is not found in the table or is a broadcast address, the switch forwards the frame to all ports except the one it arrived on.

The second action is VLAN management. Cisco switches allow the configuration and management of VLANs, which are used to segment a network into separate broadcast domains. This is beneficial for increasing security, reducing broadcast traffic, and improving network management. VLAN configuration includes:

1. Creating a VLAN and assigning it an ID.
2. Assigning individual switch ports to the VLAN.
3. Ensuring communication between VLANs using a Layer 3 device or switch virtual interfaces.

Both actions, frame switching and VLAN management, are instrumental in enabling efficient, secure, and organized network traffic flow, ensuring that data reaches its intended destination within a network setup.