“Layer 3 access” or “routed access” is not a specific vendor feature — it's a design pattern: Each access switch (or stack) becomes a Layer 3 device, not just a Layer 2 island. End devices are still in VLANs, but the default gateway SVI lives on the access switch, not. When planning an enterprise access network, one of the most common dilemmas is whether to deploy Layer 2 (L2) or Layer 3 (L3) switches. Each layer is served by specialized switches, with the access switch connecting end-user devices, the distribution switch aggregating traffic and enforcing policies, and the core switch acting as. Each layer has a specific job, and together they make data transmission possible: Layer 1 (Physical): This is all about wires, ports, and electrical signals—pure hardware. Layer 2 (Data Link): This layer understands MAC addresses and creates point-to-point connections between devices. Layer-3 switches are characterized by: Routing Capabilities: Layer – 3 switches are. Layer 3 lives in the distribution or core, usually via SVIs and a FHRP (HSRP/VRRP/GLBP). Spanning Tree decides which links are forwarding or blocking. Why did this design dominate? 1. Simplicity (at first) You only think in VLANs: “HR is VLAN 10, Finance is VLAN 20. ” IP gateways live in a pair of. A Layer 3 switch (also called a multilayer switch) is a purpose-built hardware device that blends features of a traditional Layer 2 switch and a router.
