Which address or combination of addresses does a Layer 3 switch use to make forwarding decisions?
A Layer 3 switch uses the destination IP address in the packet header to make forwarding decisions.
This is based on the routing table entries present in the switch. The routing table consists of network prefixes and corresponding next-hop information.
When a packet arrives at the Layer 3 switch, it examines the destination IP address in the packet’s header and performs a lookup in its routing table to determine the appropriate next-hop for forwarding the packet.
The next-hop could be a directly connected network or another Layer 3 device that can be reached to forward the packet towards the destination.
By analyzing the destination IP address and the available routing information, the Layer 3 switch determines the appropriate outgoing interface and next-hop IP address for forwarding the packet.
This process is known as IP forwarding or routing. Layer 3 switches combine the performance benefits of Layer 2 switching with the routing capabilities of Layer 3 devices, making them capable of efficiently forwarding IP packets within a network.
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