In multilayer switching, say as in a 6500 series switch with a MSFC
integrated into the supervisor, the performance is much better than using an
external router. The host hits their configured gateway (the IP address of
the VLAN interface on the MSFC) and the MSFC creates a virtual path through
the switching fabric for the source MAC address to hit the destination MAC
address. Only the first packet has to go through the router. The rest of the
packets will traverse the virtual path that allows any packets from the
original source to the destination to be multi-layer switched (does not need
to hit the router again). This virutal path stays up until the configured
timeout expires and the virtual path goes away.
This whole process allows the switch to effectively route the packets at
layer 2 instead of layer 3. Using an external router, your packets would
have to exit the switch, hit the router, then come back to the switch to
their destination. See the difference?
Tony Olzak, CCNP, MCSE
jeongwoo park <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
[EMAIL PROTECTED]">news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]...
> HI all
> I have a quick question.
> Why would one think that Multilayer Switching(such as
> Catalyst 5000) is better than just external router, or
> vice versa?
> Is one faster than the other?
>
> Thanks in adv.
>
> jeongwoo
>
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