# Virtual LANs

The term VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) refers to a collection of devices that communicate as if they were on the same physical LAN. Any set of ports (including all ports on the switch) can be considered a VLAN. LAN segments are not restricted by the hardware that physically connects them.

VLANs offer the ability to group computers together into logical workgroups. This can simplify network administration when connecting clients to servers that are geographically dispersed across the building, campus, or enterprise network.

Typically, VLANs consist of co-workers within the same department but in different locations, groups of users running the same network protocol, or a cross-functional team working on a joint project.

By using VLANs on your network, you can:

- Improve network performance

- Limit broadcast storms

- Improve LAN configuration updates (adds, moves, and changes)

- Minimize security problems

- Ease your management task

## VLAN Support Matrix

The following table identifies the combinations of Intel adapters and operating systems that support IEEE 802.1Q VLANs.

Operating System► ▼Intel product | Microsoft* Windows* (NT* 4.0, 2000, XP, Windows Server* 2003) | Novell* NetWare* | UnixWare* (7.x ddi8) and OpenUnix* 8 | Linux* | FreeBSD*
Intel® PRO/10GbE Adapters |  |  |  |  |
Intel® PRO/10GbE SR Server Adapter | Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003 | No | No | Yes | Yes
Intel® PRO/10GbE LR Server Adapter | Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003 | No | No | Yes | Yes
Intel® PRO/1000 Adapters |  |  |  |  |
Intel® PRO/1000 Gigabit Server Adapter (original) | Yes | No | No | Yes | No
Intel® PRO/1000 XT, XF, T, F, MT, MF, P Server Adapters | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Intel® PRO/1000 CT, MB Server Connections | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Intel® PRO/1000 MT Desktop Adapters | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Intel® PRO/1000 T, Desktop Adapters | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes
Intel® PRO/1000 XT, GT Desktop Connections | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes
Intel® PRO/100 Adapters |  |  |  |  |
Intel® PRO/100+ Management Adapter | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No
Intel® PRO/100+ Server Adapter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No
Intel® PRO/100+ Dual Port Server Adapter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No
Intel® PRO/100 S Desktop Adapter | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No
Intel® PRO/100 S Server Adapter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No
Intel® PRO/100 S Dual Port Server Adapter | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No
Intel® PRO/100 VE and VM Desktop Adapters and Network Connections | Yes | No | No | No | No

- To set up IEEE VLAN membership (multiple VLANs), the adapter must be attached to a switch with IEEE 802.1Q VLAN capability.

- A maximum of 64 VLANs per server is supported by Intel software.

- VLANs can co-exist with teaming (if the adapter supports both). If you do this, the team must be defined first, then you can set up your VLAN.

- The Intel PRO/100 VE and VM Desktop Adapters and Network Connections can be used in a switch based VLAN but do not support IEEE Tagging.

| CAUTION: When using IEEE 802 VLANs, settings must match between the switch and those adapters using the VLANs.

`Last modified on 2/11/05 4:50p Revision 3`