VLAN stands for virtual LAN (Local Area Network), VLAN basically a logical networks within already existing physical network. VLAN creates the logical segment of a LAN into different broadcast domains and this broadcast domain can send or received data from any computer located within that network.
VLAN can be based on- ports type
- protocol type
- MAC address
- and IP subnet address.
There are many reasons to use VLAN over traditional LAN.
Performance: VLAN used to reduce the need to send the traffic to unnecessary destination in a network.Security: VLAN decreases the chances that people will gain access to data the are not authorized to see it.
Control Traffic Flow:VLAN does not broadcast traffic to nodes that are not part of that VLAN.