In a trunk mode setup, what is the expected VLAN communication behavior?

In a trunk mode setup, the expected behavior is that multiple VLANs can communicate over the trunk. This is achieved through the use of tagging protocols, such as IEEE 802.1Q, which encapsulates VLAN information in the Ethernet frames as they traverse the trunk link. This allows switches to identify which VLAN the traffic belongs to despite the shared medium provided by the trunk link.

This capability is essential in modern network designs where multiple VLANs must communicate across different switches. Trunk links are typically used to connect switches in a way that they can carry traffic for multiple VLANs simultaneously, optimizing network resources and maintaining a clean separation of broadcast domains.

In contrast, trunk mode does not limit VLANs to one or require them to be statically assigned. All VLANs are not blocked; in fact, a trunk link is specifically designed to allow for multiple VLAN traffic. Thus, the flexibility and efficiency of VLAN management and communication in a trunking setup are crucial for scalable network architecture.