A switch is an intermediate device used to connect multiple end devices within a local network to share information and also to connect them to network routers to transmit information to another network. There are different types of switch form factors available and each type is used depending on the network requirements. These types are: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Fixed configuration switches: These types of switches do not support more features than those already configured. For example, a fixed configuration switch has 24 ports. configured when purchased and more ports cannot be added. Modular configuration switches: Modular configuration switches have more flexibility in their configuration and they are available in different sized chassis that allow them to be configured with modular line cards containing additional ports. Stackable Configuration Switches: These types of switches can be stacked on top of each other and they are interconnected with a special wire and they work as a single large switch to provide redundancy and high bandwidth and also provide backup routes in the event of a switch failure. Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) are logical connections configured to reduce the size of a large broadcast domain into smaller broadcast domains. A broadcast domain is a conjunction of devices configured to intercept a broadcast message within a local network and routers, by default, do not forward a broadcast. VLANs are normally configured on switched local networks, but modern implementations can also allow them to be configured on a remote network. VLANs are used to segment networks to improve security, because devices in a particular VLAN act as they are in their own independent network. For example, you can configure a VLAN called engineering and assign only engineering users access to information. Advantages of VLANs: Security: A particular service containing sensitive data can be separated from the rest of the network, which improves security because it reduces the chances of breaches of confidential information. Reduced Costs: Configuring VLANs eliminates the need for expensive equipment purchases for efficient network usage. Better performance: By reducing the size of a large broadcast domain, it prevents unnecessary traffic from flowing through the network and consuming bandwidth. Broadcast Storm Mitigation – Dividing a network into VLANs reduces the number of devices that can participate in a broadcast storm. VLAN Trunks: Keep in mind: This is just a sample. Get a personalized article now from our expert writers. Get a custom essay Since VLANs are configured in different IP networks, they require a dedicated device layer 3 to communicate with each other, which can be expensive because it requires an additional routing device, but there is a solution for this called VLAN trunking. A network connection is a point-to-point link between two network devices that connect multiple VLANs. VLAN trunking allows all VLAN traffic to be propagated between switches, so that devices that are in the same VLAN, but connected to different switches, can communicate without the intervention of a router. A VLAN trunk.