What Is VLAN Tagging?
Comparable to labeling a suitcase before a trip, VLAN tagging identifies individual segments of a network. Just as a label on a suitcase tells an airport where to send it, VLAN tagging informs a network of where data should be sent. Tagging packets with a VLAN identifier is a technique to distinguish between packets from different virtual local area networks (Virtual LAN). To identify which virtual local area network (VLAN) a given packet is part of, a "tag" is appended to it. The network will know which VLAN the packet belongs to when it arrives at its destination. As before, imagine a large office building, with each floor corresponding to a different virtual local area network (VLAN). VLAN tags are like the department address on an envelope; they ensure that data packets are sent to the correct recipients when they are sent via email or other electronic means. VLAN tagging is only used on trunk links, so keep that in mind. Trunk links are the wired or wireless connections between network nodes (like switches) that carry data between VLANs. Therefore, the VLAN tag is appended to a packet before sending it across a trunk link so that the receiving device can determine to which VLAN the packet belongs. The two most common VLAN tagging methods are ISL (Inter-Switch Link) and 802.1Q. Although 802.1Q is a standard, Cisco's ISL is not. The functionality is identical, but the tagging systems are entirely different. To sum up, VLAN tagging is the network equivalent of labeling a suitcase; it ensures that data packets are sent to the correct Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) on a given network. VLAN information exchange occurs only on trunk links connecting various network devices. VLAN tagging is primarily done through either ISL or 802.1Q. #VLAN #VLANTagging #Packet #TrunkLink #ISL #802.1Q #VLANIdentification #NetworkDevices #InterVLANCommunication
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