Switching

Layer 3 Switch

English

Overview

A switch with routing capability, able to also handle IP addresses.

Details

A device that integrates routing capability on top of switching functionality. It can process inter-VLAN communication at high speed. Unlike an ordinary L2 switch, which can only forward within a single VLAN, it routes traffic between VLANs in an ASIC (dedicated chip) at wire speed -- the main difference from a router, which handles routing mostly in software.

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