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 forward information to another network. There are different types of switch form factors available and each type is used depending on the network requirements and these types are: Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Fixed Configuration Switches: These types of switches do not support more features than are already configured, for example, a fixed configuration switch has 24 ports configured at the time of purchase and you cannot add more ports. Modular Configuration Switches: Modular configuration switches have more flexibility in configuration and are available in different chassis sizes that allow them to be configured with modular line cards that contain additional ports. Stackable Configuration Switches: These types of switches can be stacked on top of each other and are interconnected with a special cable and work as one large switch to provide redundancy and high bandwidth and also provides backup paths in case of failure of a switch. 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 collection 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 LANs, but modern implementations can allow them to be configured on a remote network as well. VLANs are used to segment networks to improve security because devices on a particular VLAN act as if they were 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 department with sensitive data can be separated from the rest of the network improving security as it decreases the chances of breaches of confidential information. Cost Reduction: Configuring VLANs eliminates the need for expensive equipment purchases to efficiently use your network. 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. Trunk VLAN: Keep in mind: This is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Since VLANs are configured in different IP networks, they require a layer 3 device to communicate with each other and this can be expensive as it requires an additional routing device, however there is a solution called VLAN trunking. a trunk connection is a point-to-point connection between two network devices that connect more than one VLAN. VLAN trunks allow all VLAN traffic to propagate 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 trunk VLAN does not belong to a specific VLAN; rather, it is a conduit for multiple VLANs between switches and routers.