· Foreword

Ethernet switches are important devices for data link layer communication. So, it is necessary
to understand the working principle of Ethernet switches, including the workflow of L2
switches, and working principle of L2 switches.
 · Background

Early network devices could only make single-point communication with each other.

In the same physical environment, different devices can connect to only one device.

In order to improve the transmission efficiency and simplify the network topology, a multi-
point communication mechanism is needed.
 · Switched Ethernet

Modern switching networks are built using switches. Each port of the switches belongs to a
separate collision domain and works in full-duplex mode. Each host connected to a port of a
switch exclusively uses the bandwidth of the port.

Collision Collision
domain domain

Collision domain
Switch Switch

Collision Collision
domain domain
 · Ethernet Switch

Each switch port supports the full-duplex or half-duplex mode and different rates.

Ethernet switches need to maintain an important table — MAC address table, and forward
data frames based on MAC addresses.
 · Working Principle of L2 Switches

An L2 switch selectively forwards frames from a receiving port to the port connecting to the destination node based
on the MAC address.
• Learning record: The mappings between source MAC addresses and receiving ports are recorded to build a MAC address
table.

• Table lookup and forwarding: After receiving a data frame, a switch reads the destination MAC address in the data frame
and looks up the MAC address in the MAC address table.

Forwarding If the MAC address exists in the MAC address table, the
switch forwards the data frame based on the specified port.

Flooding If the MAC address does not exist in the MAC address table, the
switch sends out data frame from all ports other than the one that
receives the data frame.

Discarding If the destination MAC address of the data frame is the MAC address
mapped to the receiving port, the switch discards the data frame.
 · Building a MAC Address Table

When a switch is just started, there is no entry in the MAC address table.
PC 1 sends a data frame. The switch associates the source MAC address in the data frame sent by PC 1 with the
receiving port.
The switch forwards the data frame of PC 1 through ports (other than the receiving port F0/1).

L2 switch
MAC Address Table
MAC Address Port

ca00.1340.0000 F0/1
Source MAC : MAC_PC1
Destination MAC :ffff.ffff.ffff F0/1 F0/2

F0/3

PC 1: PC 2:
ca00.1340.0000 ca04.0b74.0000

PC 3:
1c1b.0dc6.303f
 · Building a MAC Address Table

PC 2 and PC 3 respond to the data frame.

The switch associates the source MAC address in a received data frame with the port that receives the data frame.

L2 switch
MAC Address Table
MAC Address Port

ca00.1340.0000 F0/1

F0/1 F0/2 ca04.0b74.0000 F0/2

F0/3 1c1b.0dc6.303f F0/3

PC 1: PC 2:
ca00.1340.0000 ca04.0b74.0000

PC 3:
1c1b.0dc6.303f
 · Maintenance of a MAC Address Table

Maintenance and aging of MAC addresses

• When a switch port is down, MAC addresses associated with the port will be cleared.
• If a PC does not send any packet within a period of time (the default aging time of MAC addresses is 5 minutes), the switch
automatically deletes the MAC address entry of the PC.

L2 switch
MAC Address Table
MAC Address Port

ca00.1340.0000 F0/1

F0/1 F0/2 ca04.0b74.0000 F0/2

F0/3 1c1b.0dc6.303f F0/3

PC 1: PC 2:
ca00.1340.0000 ca04.0b74.0000

PC 3:
1c1b.0dc6.303f
 · Unicast Forwarding

PC 1 sends a unicast frame to PC 2.

The switch sends out the frame through the F0/2 port based on the destination MAC address in the frame.

The switch does not forward the unicast frame through other ports.

L2 switch
MAC Address Table
MAC Address Port

ca00.1340.0000 F0/1
Source MAC : MAC_PC1
Destination MAC : ca04.0b74.0000 F0/1 F0/2 ca04.0b74.0000 F0/2

F0/3 1c1b.0dc6.303f F0/3

PC 1: PC 2:
ca00.1340.0000 ca04.0b74.0000

PC 3:
1c1b.0dc6.303f
 · Flooding

If the destination MAC address of a data frame is a broadcast address, multicast address, or unknown unicast
address, the switch floods the data frame.

It sends out the data frame through all ports other than the port that receives the data frame.

L2 switch
MAC Address Table
MAC Address Port

ca00.1340.0000 F0/1
Source MAC : MAC_PC1
Destination MAC :ffff.ffff.ffff F0/1 F0/2 ca04.0b74.0000 F0/2

F0/3 1c1b.0dc6.303f F0/3

PC 1: PC 2:
ca00.1340.0000 ca04.0b74.0000

PC 3:
1c1b.0dc6.303f
 · Broadcast Domain

Hosts connected to different ports of a switch belong to different collision domains. Hosts can send data at the same
time. However, the switch floods the received broadcast frames in the same broadcast domain.

L3 ports of routers or L3 switches are separate broadcast domains. Broadcast frames sent from hosts are terminated
on the L3 ports.
L3 switch
Broadcast Router
domain

Broadcast
domain

Hub L2 switch
Broadcast
domain

PC A PC B PC C PC D
 Practice Questions
1. An L2 Ethernet switch generates a MAC address entry based on the ( ) in a data frame received by
a port.

A Source MAC address

B Destination MAC address

A
C Source IP address

D Destination IP address
 Practice Questions
2. Once a MAC address entry is generated on a switch, it will not be cleared unless it is manually
deleted. ( )

A True

B False

B
 Practice Questions
3. When the switch receives the following message, what action will it take?

Receive message port: F0/1, S MAC: 0000.0000.FFFF, D MAC:0000.0000.0001 B

Receive message port: F0/2, S MAC: 0000.0000.FFFF, D MAC:0000.0000.0001 C
Receive message port: F0/1, S MAC: 0000.0000.FFFF, D MAC:0000.0000.0007 A
MAC Address Table
A Flood MAC Address Port

0000.0000.0001 F0/1

B Discard 0000.0000.0002 F0/1

0000.0000.0003 F0/3
C Forward
0000.0000.0004 F0/2