MAC ADDRESS TABLE
A MAC ADDRESS TABLE, ALSO KNOWN AS A CONTENT ADDRESSABLE MEMORY (CAM) TABLE, IS A TABLE THAT STORES THE MAC ADDRESSES OF THE DEVICES THAT ARE CONNECTED TO A SWITCH. THE MAC ADDRESS TABLE IS USED BY THE SWITCH TO FORWARD DATA PACKETS TO THE CORRECT DESTINATION DEVICE.
WHEN A SWITCH RECEIVES A DATA PACKET, IT LOOKS UP THE DESTINATION MAC ADDRESS IN ITS MAC TABLE. IF THE DESTINATION MAC ADDRESS IS IN THE TABLE, THE SWITCH KNOWS WHICH PORT THE DEVICE IS CONNECTED TO AND CAN FORWARD THE PACKET DIRECTLY TO THAT PORT.
IF THE DESTINATION MAC ADDRESS IS NOT IN THE TABLE, THE SWITCH WILL BROADCAST THE PACKET TO ALL OF ITS PORTS.
THE MAC ADDRESS TABLE IS TYPICALLY STORED IN THE SWITCH'S MEMORY. THE SIZE OF THE MAC ADDRESS TABLE DEPENDS ON THE NUMBER OF PORTS ON THE SWITCH. A SWITCH WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF PORTS WILL NEED A LARGER MAC ADDRESS TABLE.
THE MAC ADDRESS TABLE IS UPDATED DYNAMICALLY. WHEN A NEW DEVICE IS CONNECTED TO THE SWITCH, THE SWITCH LEARNS THE MAC ADDRESS OF THE DEVICE AND ADDS IT TO THE MAC ADDRESS TABLE.
WHEN A DEVICE IS DISCONNECTED FROM THE SWITCH, THE SWITCH REMOVES THE MAC ADDRESS OF THE DEVICE FROM THE MAC ADDRESS TABLE.
THE MAC ADDRESS TABLE IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF HOW SWITCHES WORK. IT ALLOWS SWITCHES TO FORWARD DATA PACKETS TO THE CORRECT DESTINATION DEVICE, WHICH IMPROVES THE PERFORMANCE AND EFFICIENCY OF THE NETWORK.
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