Historically, LAN switching typically involves Layer 2 switching at the Access Layer and sometimes at the Distribution Layer. Layer 2 switches forward information based only on the MAC address (the Layer 2 frame address). Layer 3 switching, however, uses the MAC address in addition to the Layer 3 address (e.g., an IP address).
The following three options exist when considering designing a switched environment:
- Layer 2 switching throughout the network
- A combination of Layer 2 and Layer 3 switching (this requires a higher degree of planning)
- Layer 3 switching throughout the network The content below this message is for members only.