Network segmentation is the division of a network into smaller sets, referred to as segments. Network segmentation is mainly done to improve performance or to improve security controls. It also permits traffic isolation and resource allocation when network resources are unavailable.
Network segmentation can be achieved by using switches, routers, and wireless access points to create small logical subnets or zones within one physical network. It is done by dividing a network into subnetworks based on their security requirements, business units, or applications. This permits traffic isolation and resource allocation when specific resources are unavailable.
Benefits Of Network Segmentation
The following are some of the Primary benefits of implementing network segmentation in your environment:
Improved Performance
Segmentation reduces network congestion and packet collisions. It also helps to improve the speed or performance by restricting unnecessary or redundant traffic that degrades overall throughput performance.
Improved Security Controls
Enables greater control over resource allocation and access. Traffic can be prioritized and routed more efficiently through data center networks, and lower-priority traffic can be isolated from other, higher priority workflows. Additionally, network segmentation can reduce exposure to threats and vulnerabilities by limiting access points for cyber attacks. Network Segmentation is great for companies. Check out our article “How Can Network Segmentation Help A Company?”
Improved Management Processes
Segmenting your network allows you to define faster fault detection capabilities and automate the troubleshooting process to identify issues quickly and accurately.
Secondary Benefits Of Network Segmentation
Advanced Security Controls
Segmentation enables greater control over resource allocation and access. Traffic can be prioritized and routed more efficiently through data centre networks, and lower-priority traffic can be isolated from other, higher priority workflows.
Reduced Network Congestion & Improved Performance
Network segmentation reduces network congestion and packet collisions. It also helps to improve the speed or performance by restricting unnecessary or redundant traffic that degrades overall throughput performance.
Traffic Isolation
Network segmentation can be achieved by using switches, routers, and wireless access points to create small logical subnets or zones within one physical network. This permits traffic isolation and resource allocation when specific resources are unavailable.
Improved Fault Detection
Segmenting your network allows you to define faster fault detection capabilities and automate the troubleshooting process to identify issues quickly and accurately.
Reduced Vulnerability From Cyber Attacks
Network segmentation helps reduce exposure to threats and vulnerabilities by limiting access points for cyber attacks.
Resource Allocation
Network segmentation permits traffic isolation and resource allocation when network resources are unavailable.
Improved Management Processes
Segmenting your network allows you to define faster fault detection capabilities and automate the troubleshooting process to identify issues quickly and accurately.
Reduced Administrative Requirements
Reduced connections need to be managed on each switch in segmented networks, thus reducing switch management time by allowing a more straightforward configuration of broadcast domains and VLANs.
Security Policies Implementation
Network administrators can easily segregate sensitive data from other business services based on their security needs. For example, they can configure VLANs that separate database servers from customer support services or restrict access rights per VLAN for increased security.
Improved Security
With segmentation in place, network administrators can define security policies for network segments to improve security. For example, you can assign different firewall rules or IDS signatures based on VLANs.
Resource Segregation
Network traffic is segregated; thus, resources are utilized more efficiently, and IT personnel do not have to configure routing between business units or within data centres. This reduces the administrative burden associated with configuring devices that reside in different networks.
Improved Performance
By creating smaller broadcast domains where network layer broadcasts are not forwarded by switches/hubs, unnecessary traffic generated by machines during scans will be limited to a single broadcast domain and does not impact other devices on the network, which increases their overall performance the LAN. In addition, this allows for optimum use of bandwidth.
Improved Network Availability
The elimination of collisions and broadcast storms results in higher available bandwidth for critical applications and services. With the network separated, if a device or connection experiences an outage, services can be maintained on other segments without impacting customers connected to those other devices/segments (provided that these different devices/segments are still functional).
Fault Containment
Segmentation allows IT personnel to contain faults quickly by limiting the scope of problems down to a smaller area such as a single VLAN or subnet rather than one entire physical network.
Conclusion
Network segmentation is the logical subdivision of a computer network into subnetworks or subnets. This helps reduce traffic congestion, improve network efficiency and manage network resources more effectively.
Network segmentation is the logical subdivision of a computer network into subnetworks or subnets, improving performance, increasing security, and lowering administrative requirements for IT personnel.
