Introduction to Switching

This chapter is designed to provide you with a general introduction to switching. It begins with the definition of a switch, a networking device that connects computers and extends networks. In addition, switch essentials—MAC address table, MAC address learning and aging, frame switching, and frame flooding—are covered within the What is a switch? section. It then continues with a discussion of more general switching concepts: unicast, multicast, and broadcast addresses, in particular. This chapter also includes switched networks, frame forwarding methods, and an overview of VLANs, accompanied by commands. Due to its extensive use in LANs, Ethernet communication technology is covered in this chapter too. This time, topics like Ethernet frame encapsulation, Ethernet frame fields, and Ethernet frame processing are discussed. The chapter concludes...