
G.shdsl Router User Manual 152
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Yours VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network)
Virtual LAN (VLAN) isdefined asa group of deviceson one or more LANs that are configured so
that theycan communicate as if theywere attached tothe same wire, when in fact theyare located
on a number of different LAN segments. Because VLAN isbased on logical instead of physical
connections, it isextremelyflexible.
The IEEE 802.1Q defines the operation of VLAN bridges that permit the definition, operation, and
administration of VLAN topologieswithin a bridged LAN infrastructure. VLAN architecture benefits
include:
1. Increased performance
2. Improved manageability
3. Networktuning and simplification of software configurations
4. Physical topologyindependence
5. Increased securityoptions
AsDSL (overATM) links are deployed more and more extensivelyand popularly, it is rising
progressivelyto implement VLAN (VLAN-to-PVC) over DSL linksand, hence, it is possible to be a
requirement of ISPs.
We discuss the implementation of VLAN-to-PVC onlyfor bridge mode operation, i.e., the VLAN
spreadsover both the COE and CPE sides, where there is no layer3 routing involved.
Specification
1. The unit supportsup to 8 active VLANswith shared VLAN learning (SVL) bridge out of 4096
possible VLANsspecified in IEEE 802.1Q.
2. Each port always belongsto a default VLAN with itsport VID (PVID)asan untagged member.
Also, a port can belong to multiple VLANs and be tagged members of these VLANs.
3. Aport must not be a tagged memberof its default VLAN.
4. If a non-tagged or null-VID tagged packet isreceived, itwill be assigned with the default PVID
of the ingress port.
5. If the packet istagged with non-nullVID, the VID in the tag willbe used.
6. The lookup process startswith VLAN lookup to determine whether the VID isvalid. If the VID
is not valid, the packet will be dropped and its address will not be learned. If the VID is valid,
the VID, destination address, and source address lookupsare performed.
7. The VID and destination addresslookup determinesthe forwarding ports. If it fails, the packet
will be broadcasted to all members of the VLAN, except the ingress port.
8. Frames are sent outtagged or untagged depend on if the egressport isatagged or untagged
member of the VLAN that frames belong to.
9. If VID and source address lookup fails, the source addresswill be learned.
Frame Specification
An untagged frame or a priority-tagged frame does not carryanyidentification of the VLAN to
which it belongs. Such framesare classified asbelonging to a particular VLAN based on
parameters associated with the receiving port. Also, prioritytagged frames, which, bydefinition,
carryno VLAN identification information, are treated the same as untagged frames.
A VLAN-tagged frame carriesan explicit identification of the VLAN to which it belongs; i.e., it
carriesa tag header that carries a non-null VID. Thisresultsin a minimum tagged frame length of
68 octets. Such a frame is classified asbelonging to a particular VLAN based on the value of the
VID that isincluded in the tag header. The presence of the tag headercarrying a non-null VID