Layer 2 and Layer 3 Core Switches

A Layer 2 switch forwards traffic within the same VLAN using MAC addresses, while a Layer 3 switch adds IP routing and can move traffic between VLANs and subnets. A Layer-3 switch works at the third layer of the OSI mode and it has features of both a switch and a router. Sign in with your Cisco SSO or create a free account to start training. Traditional switching operates at layer 2 of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model, where packets are sent. This guide explains the differences between Layer 2 (L2) and Layer 3 (L3) switches, offers actionable deployment advice, and provides a framework for selecting the right hardware for your network. · Core Task: Establishing direct interconnections between devices within a local area network to ensure efficient communication within the same network segment.