Network segmentation (also known as network isolation) is the process of subdividing a network into smaller breakdowns of subnets in order to improve security, performance, and manageability. It divides the entire network into multiple parts, and each part is given its own set of security and access policies.
Segmentation is one of the most important strategies to ensure network security. By dividing the entire network into smaller sections, a hacker or malicious individual can only gain access to a limited part of the network if they were able to penetrate it. In addition, network segmentation simplifies the network management process since each section of the network can be managed and troubleshooted independently.
There are various ways to segment a network, including virtual LANs (VLANs), virtual private networks (VPNs), subnets, and firewalls. VLANs divide the network into multiple virtual networks based on physical or logical sets of networking resources. VPNs create a secure connection over the public internet and enable remote access to a network. Subnets also split up the network into manageable parts, while firewalls create barriers between different parts of the network to improve security.
Overall, network segmentation is an important strategy to improve the security, performance, and manageability of complex networks. It divides the network into smaller parts, each with its own set of policies, and creates barriers to prevent malicious actors from accessing the entire network if they somehow gain access to one part.
