Advanced Layer 3 Switching: Core switches are Layer 3 switches, meaning they perform routing functions in addition to traditional Layer 2 switching. This allows them to route traffic between different VLANs or subnetworks, enabling efficient data management across large. A core switch is a high-capacity, high-performance Layer 3 switch positioned at the physical backbone of an enterprise network. Simply put, it's the kingpin that keeps your network humming. It's responsible for accurately routing communication among layers and departments of different sections. Alternatively, it can use such criteria as the incoming port, VLAN, or service that are defined by the. The part of the network that directly connects to user devices is referred to as the access layer.