With the continuous development of information technology, virtualized networks are showing tremendous growth potential. Compared to traditional switches, virtual switches have advantages in many aspects; therefore, the application of virtual switch technology in the future communications industry is inevitable.
As user access bandwidth increases from 10M to 100M, various Internet and IoT terminals and applications are accessed and carried from the network edge. As a comprehensive carrier network for Internet applications, telecom self-operated services and key businesses, the IP metropolitan area network faces problems such as traffic doubling, IPv4 address exhaustion, differentiated carrying requirements, and insufficient network elasticity and security. It is urgent to introduce a series of technologies such as IPv6/SDN/NFV/virtualization to optimize and adjust network element deployment, network architecture and network controllability.
In recent years, with the rapid development of information technology, virtualized networks have begun to attract more attention from industry professionals. Virtual switches have become a trend in communication development. Currently, network servers already have the capability to support virtual machines. Server virtualization has promoted the virtualization of data center networks. When physical servers are simplified and merged into virtual platforms, virtualization technology is used to reuse real physical devices, forming components such as virtual switches to provide network services. Compared to traditional switches, virtual switches have simpler network functions at the data link layer. In the future, virtual switches will become the core of building virtual network platforms.
Based on the topology, the principle of virtual switch technology is relatively simple. Essentially, this technology logically integrates multiple physically connected switches. Its advantages include enhanced communication reliability, improved efficiency, and increased system bandwidth. Compared to traditional switches, virtual switches not only enable load balancing and redundancy required by STP and VRRP protocols, but also reduce the number of network devices, simplifying the network architecture and alleviating the pressure on system management and maintenance.
In the application mode of virtual switch technology, SW1 and SW2, SW3 and SW4, SW5 and SW6 are virtualized, transforming them into a single logical switch, namely SWA, SWB, and SWC. Regarding SWB, SW3 and SW4 can be considered as connected to the same switch WSA. This process utilizes EtherChannel technology, eliminating the need for STP and VRRP protocols in load balancing and redundancy. This avoids switching loops in the network, effectively simplifying the network.
