Exploring the Significance of Network Segmentation in IT.
Join us as we delve into the key aspects of network segmentation, outlining its importance, rationale, and real-world applications alongside the technologies driving this crucial industry trend.
Network segmentation is the practice of dividing a large network into multiple smaller logical networks, or segments. Networks are segmented for a few reasons, but primarily this happens to either improve network security and/or to improve user experience.
Network segmentation is accomplished by one of two primary means, but each is very similar. Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) have been the primary method of segmenting networks for decades and shouldn’t be a new concept. VLANs have an inherent barrier that has proven to be a limitation as technology has grown, and that is they are limited to only 4,094 networks per administrative domain. To overcome this limitation, Virtual Extensible Local Area Network (VXLAN) was created that expanded that number to 16 million networks per administrative domain. Subnets, another method of network segmentation, use IP addresses to partition a network into smaller subnets, connected by networking devices. This approach not only allows for more efficient network performance but also serves to contain threats from spreading beyond a particular VLAN or subnet.