Episode 67 — Trunking and Tagging: how VLANs move across the network
Trunking and tagging are essential VLAN concepts tested in CloudNetX because they determine how segmentation is preserved across switches and where misconfiguration creates leaks or outages. This episode defines trunking as carrying multiple VLANs over a single physical link, with tagging used to identify which VLAN each frame belongs to as it traverses the trunk. The first paragraph focuses on the relationship between access ports and trunk ports, explaining that access ports carry a single VLAN for endpoints, while trunks preserve multiple VLANs between switching devices or between a switch and a router. It also explains why allowed VLAN lists and consistent configuration matter for security and stability, because trunks can unintentionally expose sensitive segments or carry unnecessary broadcast traffic if left overly permissive. The episode frames trunking as a segmentation integrity mechanism that must be managed intentionally.
