Benefits of Vlans
There are many benefits to using a VLAN, including increased security, logical partitioning and ease of administration. They also help control broadcast traffic and reduce network traffic, and enforce security policies.
Prioritizing data
A VLAN can be configured with different traffic-handling rules that prioritize specific types of data, such as video and voice. This makes it easy to guarantee the performance of conference room equipment or telepresence devices, for example.
Separating private and public networks
A common use of VLANs is to separate a hotel’s private network from its public Wi-Fi, which keeps guests from accessing the backup servers and other resources that are connected to the private network. This helps maintain a level of quality that meets the expectations of customers.
Saving workplace disruption
A VLAN can also be used to save costs, especially if a company has multiple buildings or offices. Using multiple VLANs can reduce the number of switches needed to connect them and the amount of network traffic they have to deal with.
Increased performance
A primary advantage of VLANs is their ability to reduce the size of broadcast domains, which can improve performance by reducing the amount of time each host spends processing broadcasts. This can be particularly helpful if a business uses a large number of desktop voice over IP phones and workstations.
Increasing productivity
A second key advantage of a VLAN is that it can help to streamline workflows and increase productivity. For instance, if a team of project managers is working on a new application that requires a large amount of network data, it may be possible to break the project into different segments and place each segment on its own VLAN.