layer 2 access switch

Layer 2 Access Switch is a network switch device mainly used to provide access and connection services to devices within the LAN.

Layer 2 Access Switch works in the second layer (data link layer) network model and realizes the forwarding and switching of data packets by learning and maintaining the MAC address table. It is usually used to connect multiple devices (such as computers, servers, printers, etc.) to a local area network and provide transmission of internal data packets.

Layer 2 Access Switch is mainly used to provide device access and data exchange within the LAN, and is suitable for smaller-scale network environments. Layer 3 switches not only have switching functions, but can also implement routing and more complex network policies, which are suitable for large-scale network environments and cross-subnet communication needs.

Local Area Network (LAN): layer 2 access switch can connect multiple computers or other network devices in the LAN to provide high-speed, low-latency, and high-reliability data transmission. It can also support virtual LAN (VLAN) functions to achieve network division and security isolation.

Access Network: layer 2 access switch can be used as an edge device of the access network to connect different types of user terminals, such as phones, TVs, Internet, etc. It can provide a variety of access methods, such as Ethernet, optical fiber, wireless, etc., and can implement user authentication, billing, flow control and other functions.

Data Center: The layer 2 access switch can be used as the core device of the data center to connect different servers, storage devices, load balancers, etc. It can provide large-capacity, high-performance, and high-availability data exchange, and can support multi-layer switching, link aggregation, load balancing and other functions.

MAC address learning: The switch learns and records the MAC address of the device connected to the switch port by listening to the data traffic in the network to establish and maintain the MAC address table. In this way, the switch can only send data packets to the port where the target device is located based on the target MAC address, thereby achieving targeted forwarding of data packets.

Packet forwarding: When the switch receives a packet, it checks the destination MAC address and forwards the packet to the correct port based on its record in the MAC address table. Only the destination device can receive the packet. This forwarding method is called port-by-port forwarding and helps improve network performance and security.

VLAN support: Layer 2 Access Switches typically support virtual LAN (VLAN) functionality, allowing a local area network to be divided into multiple logically isolated subnets. This helps isolate and manage network resources and improve network reliability and security.

Simple configuration: Compared with Layer 3 switches and routers, the configuration of Layer 2 Access Switch is generally relatively simple, mainly involving basic port settings and VLAN configuration.