Is the default vswitch configuration a Layer2 or Layer3? How do we define one or the other?
/Tom Kern David Boyes wrote: > On 12/1/08 3:53 PM, "Bernie Wu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> Hi List, >> Newbie wants to know the difference between layer 2 and layer 3 vswitch ? > > Layer 3 (as implemented in VM) deals only with IPv4 and IPv6 packets, and > some processing is offloaded from the guest (ARP, etc). Layer 2 deals with > full 802.3 frames, which allow non-IP protocols and other useful things. > >> When to use layer 2 or the other ? > > If you will never have any non-IP traffic, or need to do useful things like > link aggregation etc, layer 3 is helpful. It's also helpful when talking to > older IBM TCPIP stacks that do not yet speak layer 2 (like pre-1.9 z/OS). > > Layer 2 costs you some CPU to process ARPs and other things, but it's very > handy. As CPUs have gotten faster, the advantages of the layer 3 stuff have > diminished. > >> Advantages of layer 2 over layer 3 ? > > More flexibility in terms of protocols and management; better "similarity" > to traditional network switching so that your network people will be less > confused, allows link aggregation. > > I pretty much use layer 2 everywhere now. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, > send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or visit > http://www.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390 > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For LINUX-390 subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: INFO LINUX-390 or visit http://www.marist.edu/htbin/wlvindex?LINUX-390
