What is the primary purpose of a VLAN?

The primary purpose of a VLAN (Virtual Local Area Network) is to create a broadcast domain. A VLAN allows network administrators to segment a physical network into multiple logical networks. By doing this, devices on the same VLAN can communicate directly with each other, while broadcast traffic is contained within that VLAN. This reduces unnecessary traffic on other parts of the network and enhances overall performance and security.

Creating separate broadcast domains helps in managing traffic more efficiently, as broadcasts sent by a device will only reach other devices within the same VLAN. This minimizes the amount of broadcast traffic that can lead to congestion and improves the efficiency of resource use on the network.

While enhancing physical security, increasing connection speeds, or allowing for more IP addresses might be benefits of VLANs in certain contexts, they are not the principal function of VLAN technology itself. The main focus remains on defining broadcast domains and organizing network architecture effectively.