Data

Communication &
Networking II
COURSE PACK II
Prepared By : ITS 302- Instructors

Ms. Angelie Wena Alquizr

Mr. Eugene Pabol
 Learning Outcomes

By successfully completing this course, students will be able to:

1. Learn what VLSM (Variable Length Subnet Masks)

Subnetting is and how it is done step by step, including the
advantages of VLSM Subnetting and the differences between
FLSM Subnetting and VLSM Subnetting.
2. Explain the procedure implemented in VLSM.
3. Discover the new techniques of VLSM and Switching, and
4. Describe the Slash Notation and Subnet Mask .
 Table of contents

Variable
01 length Subnet 02 Switching
Mask (VSLM)
A. Slash Notation vs. A. Categories of Switching
B. Switching Techniques
Subnet Mask a. Circuit Switching
B. Calculation and b. Message Switching
Computation of Subnets c. Packet Switching
C. Subnet Implementation C. Configuring Switches
 Lesson

01

Variable Length Subnet Mask

(VSLM)
 WHAT IS VLSM ?
VLSM stands for Variable Length Subnet
Mask where the subnet design uses more
than one mask in the same network, which
means more than one mask is used for
different subnets of a single class A, B, C,
or a network. It is used to increase the
usability of subnets as they can be of
variable size. It is also defined as the
process of subnetting a subnet.
 Slash Notation Vs Subnet Mask

Slash notation is a compact way to show or write

an IPv4 subnet mask. When using slash
notation, you write the IP address, a forward
slash (/), and the subnet mask number.
To find the subnet mask number:
1. Convert the decimal representation of the subnet mask to a binary
representation.
2. Count each “1” in the subnet mask. The total is the subnet mask
number.

For example, to write the IPv4 address 192.168.42.23 with a subnet

mask of 255.255.255.0 in slash notation:

1. Convert the subnet mask to binary.

In this example, the binary representation of 255.255.255.0 is:
11111111.11111111.11111111.00000000.
2. Count each 1 in the subnet mask.
In this example, there are twenty-four (24).
3. Write the original IP address, a forward slash (/), and then the number
from Step 2.
The result is 192.168.42.23/24.
Slash Notation
Vs
Subnet Mask
 Procedure of implementing VLSM

In VLSM, subnets use block size based on the requirement, so subnetting is

required multiple times. For example, suppose there is an administrator that has four
departments to manage. These are sales and purchase department with 120 computers,
development department with 50 computers, accounts department with 26 computers
and management department with 5 computers.

For example, an administrator has 192.168.1.0/24 network. The suffix /24 (pronounced as "slash 24")
tells the number of bits used for the network address. In this example, the administrator has three
different departments with different hosts. The sales department has 100 computers; the Purchase
department has 50 computers, Accounts has 25 computers, and Management has 5 computers. In
CIDR, the subnets are of fixed size. Using the same methodology, the administrator cannot fulfill all the
requirements of the network.

The following procedure shows how VLSM can allocate department-wise IP addresses, as mentioned
in the example.
Calculation and Computation of Subnets

Step - 1 Make a list of Subnets possible.

Calculation and Computation of Subnets

Step - 2 Sort the requirements of IPs in descending order

(Highest to Lowest).

 Sales 100
 Purchase 50
 Accounts 25
 Management 5
 Implementation of Subnets

Allocate the highest range of IPs to the highest requirement, so let

Step - 3 us assign 192.168.1.0 /25 (255.255.255.128) to the Sales
department. This IP subnet with Network number 192.168.1.0 has
126 valid Host IP addresses, which satisfy the requirement of the
Sales department. Therefore, the subnet mask used for this subnet
has 10000000 as the last octet.

Allocate the following highest range, so let us assign 192.168.1.128 /26

Step - 4 (255.255.255.192) to the Purchase department. This IP subnet with Network
number 192.168.1.128 has 62 valid Host IP Addresses which can be easily
assigned to all the PCs of the Purchase department. The subnet mask used
has 11000000 in the last octet.
 Implementation of Subnets
Step - 5 Allocate the following highest range, i.e., Accounts. The requirement of 25
IPs can be fulfilled with 192.168.1.192 /27 (255.255.255.224) IP subnet,
which contains 30 valid host IPs. Therefore, the network number of the
Accounts department will be 192.168.1.192. The last octet of the subnet
mask is 11100000.

Allocate the following highest range to Management. The Management

department contains only 5 computers. The subnet 192.168.1.224 /29 with the
Step - 6 Mask 255.255.255.248 has exactly 6 valid host IP addresses. So this can be
assigned to Management. The last octet of the subnet mask will contain
11111000.

By using VLSM, the administrator can subnet the IP subnet so that the least
number of IP addresses are wasted. Even after assigning IPs to every
department, the administrator, in this example, is still left with plenty of IP
addresses which was not possible if he had used CIDR.
 Implementation of Subnets
Example
Example Tutorial For IPv4 Address :
 Activity

A. What are the advantages of VLSM? Elaborate

your answer. (10 pts)

B. Compare and Contrast the implementation of

VLSM Vs. CIDR. (10 pts)
 Exercises
1
Solve the following problem involving VLSM. Complete the table below. (20 pts.)
 Exercises
2
Solve the following problem involving VLSM. Complete the table below. (20 pts.)
 ASSIGNMENT
1. Why is VLSM applied to Public IP addresses?
2. Why is VLSM important in today's computer
network?
 REFERENCES

https://www.tutorialspoint.com/ipv4/ipv4_r
eserved_addresses.htm

https://www.geeksforgeeks.org/introductio Jupit
n-of-variable-length-subnet-mask-vlsm/ Jupiter is theer
biggest
planet
 Lesson

02

Switching
 WHAT IS SWITCHING ?
Switching is the process of forwarding
packets coming in from one port to a port
leading towards the destination. When data
comes on a port, it is called ingress, and when
data leaves a port or goes out, it is calleda
port or goes out it is called egress
 A communication system may include number of switches and
nodes. At broad level, switching can be divided into two major
categories:

Connectionless Connection Oriented:

: Before switching data to be
The data is forwarded forwarded to the
on behalf of destination, there is a need
forwarding tables. No to re-establish a circuit along
the path between both
previous handshaking endpoints. Data is then
is required, and forwarded on that circuit.
acknowledgments are After the transfer is
optional. completed, circuits can be
kept for future use or turned
down immediately.
 3 Types of Switching Techniques

Circuit Switching 01
Two nodes communicate with each other over
a dedicated communication path

Message Switching
02 Technique was somewhere in middle of
circuit switching and packet switching

Packet Switching
Shortcomings of message switching gave 03
birth to an idea of packet switching
There 'is a need of pre-specified route from which data will travels and no other data is permitted. In circuit switching, to
transfer the data, circuit must be established so that the data transfer can take place.

Circuits can be permanent or temporary. Applications which use circuit switching may have to go through three
phases:

 Establish a circuit
 Transfer the data
 Disconnect the circuit

Circuit switching was designed for voice

applications. Telephone is the best suitable
example of circuit switching. Before a user can
make a call, a virtual path between caller and
callee is established over the network.
the whole message is treated as a data unit and is switching / transferred in its entirety.

A switch working on message switching, first receives the whole message and buffers it until there are resources available
to transfer it to the next hop. If the next hop is not having enough resource to accommodate large size message, the
message is stored and switch waits.

This technique was considered substitute to

circuit switching. As in circuit switching the
whole path is blocked for two entities only.
Message switching is replaced by packet
switching. Message switching has the following
drawbacks:
 Every switch in transit path needs enough storage
to accommodate entire message.
 Because of store-and-forward technique and waits
included until resources are available, message
switching is very slow.
 Message switching was not a solution for streaming
media and real-time applications.
The entire message is broken down into smaller chunks called packets. The switching information is added in the
header of each packet and transmitted independently.

It is easier for intermediate networking devices to store small size packets and they do not take much resources either
on carrier path or in the internal memory of switches.

Packet switching enhances line efficiency as

packets from multiple applications can be
multiplexed over the carrier. The internet uses
packet switching technique. Packet switching
enables the user to differentiate data streams
based on priorities. Packets are stored and
forwarded according to their priority to provide
quality of service.
 Configuring
Switches
Hubs, switches, and routers are all common types of devices to help connect a
network. Because they are often integrated into a single device, it can be challenging
to understand the distinction between these items. In some cases, the terms may
even be used interchangeably, though this is incorrect. The functions and uses of
these devices are all very different from one another. Below, we provide a simple
guide on the difference between a hub, switch, and router to help you better
understand their dissimilarity.
 What is a Hub?

A Hub is a simple and cheap networking device that

works under the physical layer of the OSI model and
connects a bunch of computers in a Local Area
Network(LAN). It is considered less intelligent because it
does not filter data and does not know where the data is
to be sent.
All information sent to a hub is automatically sent to all
ports of the devices connected to it. This leads to
wastage of bandwidth.
 What is a Switch?

A switch is a multicast networking device that works

under the Datalink layer of the OSI model and connects a
bunch of computers or devices in a network. It’s mainly
used to send a private message and it does not waste
data.

A switch can easily identify which device is

connected to which port by using a MAC address giving it
the ability to deliver the message to a particular machine.
 What is a Router?

A Router is a networking device that operates

under the network layer of the OSI model and is used
to connect two or more networks. It is a device that
establishes a common link between networks to
enable data flow between them.
Layer 2 Vs. Layer 3 Switch
 Layer 2 Vs. Layer 3 Switch

Vlan 10 Layer 3 Switch

Vs.
 Activities

 What is the difference between packet switching and circuit

switching techniques? (5 pts.)

 What are the disadvantages of circuit switching? (5 pts.)

 Why message switching is better than packet switching? (5

pts.)
 What is difference between hub and switch? (5 pts.)
 Which switching is well suited for data communication? (5 pts)
 Why switch is intelligent than hub? (5pts)
 Exercises

 Why circuit switching is better than packet switching? (10pts.)

 Why is message switching considered to be as the most reliable

type of switching technique? (10pts.)

 When should you use a managed switch? Explain your answer.

(10pts.)
ASSIGNMENT
What is VLAN and why it is
used? (8pts.)
What are three advantages of
VLANs? (8pts.)
 REFERENCES

● https://www.tutorialspoint.com/data_communication_computer_network/physical_layer_switchi
ng.htm
● https://www.tutorialspoint.com/data_communication_computer_network/physical_layer_switchi
ng.htm#:~:text=Switching%20is%20process%20to%20forward,number%20of%20switches%2
0and%20nodes.
● https://www.section.io/engineering-education/switch-vs-router-vs-hub/#what-is-a-hub
 Thanks!

“Make sure to communicate your idea quickly and keep it

straight to the point.”
– Paul Bailey

Course material will be uploaded in MOODLE (LMS)