From: Hansang Bae (hbae@xxxxxxxxxx)
Date: Wed Jun 05 2002 - 04:04:44 GMT-3
At 10:51 PM 6/4/2002 -0700, Kumar Dasari wrote:
>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.
Router is an L3 switch is a router is an L3 switch is a router.
Switch is a bridge is a switch is a bridge is a switch is a bridge.
Sure, L3 switches <sic> may have more bells and whistles, but it's still a rout
er. But yes, they tend to have more port density than your 'normal' router.
hsb
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