LAN Switching first-step

Switched LAN Network Design Principles

When designing switched LAN campus networks, the following factors must be considered:

• Broadcast storms— Broadcast storms can be fatal to a network. When nearly 100 percent of host CPU cycles on a device, such as a switch or users computer, are consumed by processing broadcast and multicast packets, the network is crippled and unusable. Because of delays inherent in carrier sense multiple access collision detect (CSMA/CD) technologies, such as Ethernet, any more than a small amount of broadcast traffic impacts the operation of devices attached to a switch. Although VLANs reduce the effect of broadcast radiation in LANs, there is still a scaling issue as to how many hosts should reside within a given VLAN. ...