New switches are being introduced with support for industry-standard VLANs and traffic prioritization. These two relatively new standards allow a user to configure VLANs and set priority rules throughout their entire network. When each frame reaches the last switch nearest the end user, the frame tag is removed and the frame is delivered to the user. When a frame tag is inserted in the original frame, other switches further upstream will make frame forwarding decisions based upon the VLAN and the priority placed within the frame tag. Most switches today have limited functionality in the ability to assign frames to VLANs and assign priority parameters for frame classification.
Most switches rely on the ingress or receive port as their only criteria for frame classification.
This means that all frames received on a given port will be classified as belonging to the same VLAN and as having the same assigned priority parameters. In most networks, this is not the desired mode of operation. In this role, the device's primary responsibility is to efficiently deliver network traffic by serving primarily as a Layer 2 forwarding device. These advanced services provide more intelligence for the switching decisions that will increase performance, provide security, ensure mission-critical services, and place control of the network in the hands of network administrators. The SmartSwitch 6000 and 2000 products offer these advanced services without the higher price or increased complexity of routers.