Switching conducted at the layer 2 category is based solely upon what information?

Switching conducted at the layer 2 category is based solely upon what information?

• A. Source address
• B. Destination address
• C. Internet Protocol (IP) address
• D. Media Access Control (MAC) address

Answer: (D)

Switching at layer 2 of the OSI model, which is the Data Link layer, is fundamentally concerned with making decisions based on the Media Access Control (MAC) address. Each device on a network has a unique MAC address that is used to identify it on the local network segment. When a switch receives a data frame, it examines the MAC addresses to determine the source and the destination of the frame. The source MAC address helps the switch learn which devices are on its network and build a MAC address table, while the destination MAC address is used to forward the frame to the appropriate port leading to the intended recipient device. This layer primarily operates at the data-link level and does not make decisions based on the Internet Protocol (IP) address at layer 3, which is used for routing purposes. Therefore, understanding the role of MAC addresses is crucial for anyone working with network switching technology, as they are essential for determining how data is directed within the local area network.

Switching at layer 2 of the OSI model, which is the Data Link layer, is fundamentally concerned with making decisions based on the Media Access Control (MAC) address. Each device on a network has a unique MAC address that is used to identify it on the local network segment. When a switch receives a data frame, it examines the MAC addresses to determine the source and the destination of the frame.

The source MAC address helps the switch learn which devices are on its network and build a MAC address table, while the destination MAC address is used to forward the frame to the appropriate port leading to the intended recipient device. This layer primarily operates at the data-link level and does not make decisions based on the Internet Protocol (IP) address at layer 3, which is used for routing purposes. Therefore, understanding the role of MAC addresses is crucial for anyone working with network switching technology, as they are essential for determining how data is directed within the local area network.