What Is the Big Deal About Switching Anyway?
Interestingly, Layer 2 networking in general, and Ethernet internetworking in particular, are technologies vastly overlooked by many people in the current networking world.
Ethernet has become a commodity. We see many a WAN link today delivered as an “Ethernet handoff,” which tells the tale of how common and simple it has become. And with it has emerged a number of supporting technologies and design mediums.
Many people see this area of networking as “voodoo magic.” That term implies it can be good as well as bad, but it doesn’t explain why! Without waxing philosophical or launching a religious debate in this foreword, I’ll leave it at this: you may learn things in this book that you knew only bits and pieces of before.
As we expand our networks to include IP telephony, data centers, or really large Layer 2 networks, we should pay attention to the details of many technologies that we have taken for granted over the years.
Even with as much Layer 2 experience as I have, serving as technical editor for this book has opened my eyes on several topics. It has spurred some entertaining debates, and perhaps it will do the same for you!
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