Cisco VLAN Configuration Best Practices

Recommended VLAN Configuration for Cisco Switch Ports

Prev Question Next Question

Question

Under normal operations, Cisco recommends that you configure switch ports on which VLAN?

Answers

Explanations

Click on the arrows to vote for the correct answer

A. B. C. D.

D

Cisco recommends that in normal operations, switch ports should be configured on a VLAN other than the default VLAN. Therefore, option D is the correct answer.

To understand why, let's first define these VLANs:

  • Management VLAN: A VLAN designated for remote access to manage the switch.
  • Native VLAN: A VLAN that is untagged and used for transmitting untagged traffic between switches.
  • Default VLAN: The VLAN that all switch ports belong to by default (VLAN 1).

By default, all switch ports belong to the default VLAN (VLAN 1) unless they are explicitly assigned to another VLAN. This means that if you don't change the configuration of a switch port, it will remain on VLAN 1.

However, VLAN 1 is often used as the default VLAN for untagged traffic, which makes it more susceptible to security vulnerabilities. For example, if an attacker gains access to VLAN 1, they may be able to access all other VLANs in the network.

Therefore, it is best practice to create and use a VLAN other than the default VLAN for normal network traffic. By doing this, you can isolate traffic between VLANs and reduce the risk of security breaches.

Additionally, it is not recommended to use the management VLAN for regular traffic as it can impact the switch's ability to be remotely managed. The native VLAN is also not recommended as it can cause VLAN hopping attacks if it is not properly secured.

In summary, Cisco recommends that switch ports should be configured on a VLAN other than the default VLAN for normal operations to enhance network security.