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Ethernet LAN Switching Concepts
Terms related to detailed explanation of how switches work and design implications of using hubs, switches and routers (ch7).
13
Computer Networking
Not Applicable
03/07/2011

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Term
Broadcast Domain
Definition
A set of all devices that receive broadcast frames originating from any device within the set. Devices in the same VLAN are in the same broadcast domain.
Term
Broadcast Frame
Definition
An Ethernet frame sent to destination address FFFF.FFFF.FFFF, meaning that the frame should be delivered to all hosts on that LAN.
Term
Collision Domain
Definition
A set of network interface cards (NICs) for which a frame sent by one NIC could result in a collision with a frame sent by any other NIC in the same collision domain.
Term
Cut-Through Switching
Definition
One of three options for internal processing on some models of Cisco LAN switches in which the frame is forwarded as soon as possible, including forwarding the first bits of the frame before the whole frame is received.
Term
Flooding
Definition
The result of the LAN switch forwarding process for broadcasts and unknown unicast frames. Switches forward these frames out all interfaces, except the interface in which the frame arrived. Switches also forward multicasts by default, although this behavior can be changed.
Term
Fragment-Free Switching
Definition
One of three internal processing options on some Cisco LAN switches in which the first bits of the frame may be forwarded before the entire frame is received, but not until the first 64 bytes of the frame are received, in which case, in a well-designed LAN, collision fragments should not occur as a result of this forwarding logic.
Term
Microsegmentation
Definition
The process in LAN design by which every switch port connects to a single device, with no hubs connected to the switch ports, creating a separate collision domain per interface. The term’s origin relates to the fact that one definition for the word “segment” is “collision domain,” with a switch separating each switch port into a separate collision domain or segment.
Term
STP (acronym)
Definition
Spanning Tree Protocol
Term
Spanning Tree Protocol
Definition
A bridge protocol that uses the Spanning Tree algorithm, allowing a switch to dynamically work around loops in a network topology by creating a spanning tree. Switches exchange bridge protocol data unit (BPDU) messages with other bridges to detect loops and then remove the loops by shutting down selected bridge interfaces.
Term
Store-and-Forward Switching
Definition
One of three internal processing options on some Cisco LAN switches in which the Ethernet frame must be completely received before the switch can begin forwarding the first bit of the frame.
Term
Unknown Unicast Frame
Definition
An Ethernet frame whose destination MAC address is not listed in a switch’s MAC address table, so the switch must flood the frame.
Term
VLAN (acronym)
Definition
Virtual LAN
Term
Virtual LAN
Definition
A group of devices, connected to one or more switches, with the devices grouped into a single broadcast domain through switch configuration. VLANs allow switch administrators to separate the devices connected to the switches into separate VLANs without requiring separate physical switches, gaining design advantages of separating the traffic without the expense of buying additional hardware.
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