From: Kumar Dasari (kdgroup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Wed Jun 05 2002 - 02:51:51 GMT-3
Hi folks:
I am trying to get this straight in my head. What actually is the difference
between a router and a layer switch? Reading from trade magazines and such
this is what I thought.
1. Routers tend to have interfaces from unlike media (so, are actually doing
protocol translation also?) while the layer 3 switches tend to have higher
port density but primarily with like media (may be FastE to GigE at the most).
2. Routers tend to switch packets between the interfaces but still CPU based
processing is involved thus are software based where as l3 switches use Asics
for switching between the interfaces so are hardware based.
3. Routers for WAN and Layer 3 Switches for LAN/MAN
4.Routers tend to package enhanced services like security and Qos and such
while the L3 switches are optimized to low latency packet switching engines.
May be I was somewhat redundant, but that is what I would have said if
somebody asked me the same question. Am I thinking right here? Please comment.
Because lot of products on the market today seem to defy this and, I am
thoroughly confused.
KD
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