What is an advantage of using VLANs in a network?

Using VLANs (Virtual Local Area Networks) in a network provides improved performance, which is one of the key advantages of their implementation. VLANs allow network administrators to segment the network into smaller, more manageable parts, effectively reducing broadcast domains. By isolating traffic within different VLANs, the amount of broadcast traffic each device has to process is diminished. This isolation can lead to reduced congestion, allowing for more efficient use of network bandwidth and improved overall performance of the network.

Additionally, VLANs can enhance security by grouping users and devices with similar security requirements while isolating their traffic from other groups. This further optimizes traffic flow, since data packets only travel where they need to go within the specific VLAN, preventing unnecessary load on devices that do not need to handle that traffic.

In summary, through segmentation, VLANs help to improve the performance of a network by minimizing unnecessary traffic, thus optimizing the available bandwidth for critical services.