7. Virtual Networks

A virtual network is perfectly real, as actual data moves between computers, but it is a smaller part of a LAN or WAN in which only specific machines can see each other.

For example

In this example, the network administrator has set up the network so that the red ones can only see each other and share data. They are invisible to the blue computers.

This has many useful applications. For instance the red computers may be the school administration computers used to handle school matters whilst the blue ones are the normal student computers.

They share the same network hardware and cabling but the student machines cannot access anything on the red computers or vice versa.

This makes it much easier to maintain the network and it is also very flexible - machines can be removed or added to the virtual network without having to re-wire them.

Virtual networks can be set up across both LANs and WANs