VLANs

VLANs

Introduction

This chapter describes network design and topology considerations for using Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs). VLANs are commonly used to split up groups of network users into manageable broadcast domains, to create logical segmentation of workgroups, and to enforce security policies among logical segments.

The following topics are discussed in this chapter:

VLANs and Port VLAN ID Numbers

VLAN Tagging

VLANs and IP Interfaces

VLAN Topologies and Design Considerations

NOTE: Basic VLANs can be configured during initial switch configuration.

More comprehensive VLAN configuration can be done from the command line interface. See the HP 10Gb Ethernet BL-c Switch Command Reference Guide.

Overview

Setting up VLANs is a way to segment networks to increase network flexibility without changing the physical network topology. With network segmentation, each switch port connects to a segment that is a single broadcast domain. When a switch port is configured to be a member of a VLAN, it is added to a group of ports (workgroup) that belongs to one broadcast domain.

Ports are grouped into broadcast domains by assigning them to the same VLAN. Multicast, broadcast, and unknown unicast frames are flooded only to ports in the same VLAN.

VLANs and port VLAN ID numbers

VLAN numbers

The HP 10GbE switch supports up to 1,000 VLANs per switch. Even though the maximum number of VLANs supported at any given time is 1,000, each can be identified with any number between 1 and 4095. VLAN 1 is the default VLAN, and all ports are assigned to it. VLAN 4095 is reserved for switch management, and it cannot be configured.

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