Unit 7

Network Infrastructure
7.1 Concept of Switch
A switch, in the context of networking is a high-speed device that receives incoming data
packets and redirects them to their destination on a local area network (LAN). A LAN
switch operates at the data link layer (Layer 2) or the network layer (Layer 3) of the OSI
Model and, as such it can support all types of packet protocols.

Switches are similar to hubs, only smarter. A hub simply connects all the nodes on the
network. Communication is essentially in a haphazard manner with any device trying to
communicate at any time, resulting in many collisions. A switch, on the other hand, creates
an electronic tunnel between source and destination ports for a split second that no other
traffic can enter. This results in communication without collisions.

Switches are similar to routers as well, but a router has the additional ability to forward
packets between different networks, whereas a switch is limited to node-to-node
communication on the same network.

Layer 3 Switches

Traditional network switches operate at Layer 2 Data Link Layer of the OSI model. Layer 3
switches that blend the internal hardware logic of switches and routers into a hybrid
device also have been deployed on some enterprise networks.

Compared to traditional switches, Layer 3 switches provide better support for virtual LAN
(VLAN) configurations.

7.2 Static Routing and Dynamic Routing

Static Routing

Static routing does not involve any change in routing table unless the network
administrator changes or modify them manually. Static routing algorithms function well
where the network traffic is predictable. This is simple to design and easy to implement.
There is no requirement of complex routing protocols.

The routing decisions are not made by current topology or traffic because the static routing
systems can not react to network changes hence it doesn’t require extra resources to learn

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the changes. That is the reason, static routing is considered as inappropriate for large and
constantly changing networks.

Static routing is also known as non-adaptive routing which enables a pre-computed route
to be fed into the routers offline. The administrative distance is a metric to measure the
trustworthiness of the information received from a router. The default administrative
distance for static route is 1, consequently the static routes will only be covered in the
routing table when there is a direct connection to that network. Static routes can be
considered as an efficient method for a small and simple network that does not change
frequently.

Dynamic Routing

Dynamic routing is a superior routing technique which alters the routing information
according to the altering network circumstances by examining the arriving routing update
messages. When the network change occurs, it sends out a message to the router to specify
that change, and then the routes are recalculated and sent as a new routing update
message. These messages pervade the network, enabling the router to change their routing
tables correspondingly.

The technique uses routing protocols to disseminate knowledge such as RIP, OSPF, BGP,
etc. Unlike static routing, it does not require manual updation instead its automatic in
manner and updates the routing table information periodically relying upon network
conditions. For doing so, it requires extra resources for storing the information.

Dynamic routing or otherwise called as adaptive routing. The routing decisions are
altered in these algorithms to mirror the changes in the topology or traffic. There are
various adaptive algorithms which can be classified according to the source of information
(from where router get the information, adjacent routers or from all routers), change in
routes (whether the route is changing when load changes or when topology changes),
optimization metrics used (distance, number of hops, residual bandwidth).

The routes on which dynamic routing is performed are known as dynamic routes where
the information is responsive to changes in the network so that it is consistently being
updated. Though, there is always a slack between the period that a network changes and
when all the routers are informed about the change. The router tries to match the network
change, and it causes a delay which is also known as convergence time. The convergence
time must be shorter. The larger network requires dynamic routing because with static
routing larger networks could not be manageable and result in loss of connectivity.

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Key Differences between Static and Dynamic Routing

1. The routers are configured manually, and the table is also created manually in static
routing whereas in dynamic routing the configuration and table creation is
automatic and router driven.
2. In static routing, the routes are user-defined while in dynamic routing the routes are
updated as topology changes.
3. Static routing does not employ complex algorithms. As against, dynamic routing
uses the complex algorithm for calculating shortest path or route.
4. Dynamic routing is suitable for large networks where the number of hosts is high.
Conversely, static routing can be implemented in a small network.
5. When a link fails in static routing, the rerouting is discontinued and requires manual
intervention to route traffic. In contrast, link failure in dynamic routing does not
disrupt rerouting.
6. The message broadcast and multicast in dynamic routing makes it less secure. On
the other hand, static routing does not involve advertisement which makes it more
secure.
7. Dynamic routing involves protocols such as RIP, EIGRP, BGP, etc. Inversely, static
routing does not require such protocols.
8. Static routing does not need any additional resources while dynamic routing
requires additional resources such as memory, bandwidth, etc.

Advantages and Disadvantages Static Routing

Advantages

 Easily implemented in a small network.

 No overheads are produced on router CPU.
 Secure because the routes are managed statically.
 It is predictable as the route to the destination is fixed.
 Extra resources (such as CPU and memory) are not required as update mechanisms
are not needed.
 Bandwidth usage is not required between routers.

Disadvantages

 Unsuitable for complex topologies and large networks.

 Large networks increase configuration complexity and time consumption.
 Link failure can hinder traffic rerouting.
 The administrator must be extra careful while configuring the routes.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Dynamic Routing

Advantages

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  Suitable for all the topologies.
 Network size doesn’t affect the router operations.
 Topologies are adapted automatically to reroute the traffic.

Disadvantages

 Initially, it could be complicated to implement.

 The broadcasting and multicasting of routing updates make it less secure.
 Routes rely on current topologies.
 Additional resources are required such as CPU, memory and link bandwidth.

Basis for Static Routing Dynamic Routing

comparison
Configuration Manual Automatic
Routing table Routing locations are Locations are dynamically filled in
building hand-typed the table.
Routes User defined Routes are updated according to
change in topology.
Routing algorithms Doesn't employ complex Uses complex routing algorithms to
routing algorithms. perform routing operations.
Implemented in Small networks Large networks
Link failure Link failure obstructs the Link failure doesn't affect the
rerouting. rerouting.
Security Provides high security. Less secure due to sending
broadcasts and multicasts.
Routing protocols No routing protocols are Routing protocols such as RIP,
indulged in the process. EIGRP, etc are involved in the

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 routing process.
Additional resources Not required Needs additional resources to store
the information.

7.3 VLAN Configuration

A virtual local area network (VLAN) is a logical group of workstations, servers and network
devices that appear to be on the same LAN despite their geographical distribution. A VLAN
allows a network of computers and users to communicate in a simulated environment as if
they exist in a single LAN and are sharing a single broadcast and multicast domain. VLANs
are implemented to achieve scalability, security and ease of network management and can
quickly adapt to changes in network requirements and relocation of workstations and
server nodes.

Higher-end switches allow the functionality and implementation of VLANs. The purpose of
implementing a VLAN is to improve the performance of a network or apply appropriate
security features.

Computer networks can be segmented into local area networks (LANs) and wide area
networks (WANs). Network devices such as switches, hubs, bridges, workstations and
servers connected to each other in the same network at a specific location are generally
known as LANs. A LAN is also considered a broadcast domain.

A VLAN allows several networks to work virtually as one LAN. One of the most beneficial
elements of a VLAN is that it removes latency in the network, which saves network
resources and increases network efficiency. In addition, VLANs are created to provide
segmentation and assist in issues like security, network management and scalability.
Traffic patterns can also easily be controlled by using VLANs.

The key benefits of implementing VLANs include:

 Allowing network administrators to apply additional security to network

communication
 Making expansion and relocation of a network or a network device easier
 Providing flexibility because administrators are able to configure in a centralized
environment while the devices might be located in different geographical locations
 Decreasing the latency and traffic load on the network and the network devices,
offering increased performance

VLANs also have some disadvantages and limitations as listed below:

 High risk of virus issues because one infected system may spread a virus through
the whole logical network

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  Equipment limitations in very large networks because additional routers might be
needed to control the workload
 More effective at controlling latency than a WAN, but less efficient than a LAN

7.4 Spanning Tree

Spanning tree protocol (STP) is a Layer 2 network protocol used to prevent looping within
a network topology. STP is used by switches to prevent loops occurring on a network, this
process is implemented by using spanning tree algorithm in disabling unwanted links and
blocking ports that could cause loop. Loops and duplicate frames can have severe
consequences on a network.

Basically, each switch port on a network detects the MAC address of a host or PC A, it then
sends messages to other switches on the network to inform them of its knowledge on how
to get to PC A. The problem starts when another switch discovers the same host or PC A’s
MAC address, In time every switch on the network will start flooding messages on the
network of their discovery and how to get to the same PC A and a loop has formed.

STP ensures that there is only one logical path between all destinations on the network by
intentionally blocking redundant paths that could cause a loop.

To stop a loop from forming, STP chooses one switch to be ‘Root Bridge’ on the network.
Then other switches selects one of its ports as ‘Root Port’ then, a ‘designated port’ is chosen
on each segment and all other ports are closed down. Cisco switches runs STP by default,
no configuration needed.

STP continually monitors the network for failures, be it switchports or changes in the
network topology. STP acts quickly in making redundant ports available if there is a failure
on a link.

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