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About Virtual Private Cloud and L2 Network

A VPC is a higher-level abstraction that allows you to create isolated network environments with more advanced features. A VPC can include multiple tiers, such as public and private subnets, and it provides for the implementation of advanced networking features like VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and ACLs.

3-Tiered Network Architecture​

VPCs follow the convention of 3-tiered network architecture, with web, app, and DB tiers forming the norm. 3-Tiered Network Architecture

Web Tier (Public Subnet)

  • This layer contains web servers and is placed in a public subnet.
  • It manages user requests coming from the internet.
  • It accepts incoming traffic and sends it securely to the application tier.

App Tier (Private Subnet)

  • This layer contains the application servers that process the business logic.
  • It manages requests forwarded by the web tier.
  • It is placed in a private subnet with no direct internet access.

DB Tier (Private Subnet)

  • This layer hosts the database servers.
  • It resides in a private subnet and is strictly isolated from the internet.
  • It is accessed only by the app tier to ensure data protection.

VPC is delivered using a virtual router (VR). The following sections outline various functionalities using a VPC: Create, List and View VPCs

L2 Networks​

L2 networks provide network isolation without any other services. This means that there will be no virtual router. It is assumed that the end user will have their IPAMIP Address Management helps in assigning, tracking, and managing IP addresses inside your network infrastructure.in place or that they will statically assign IP addresses.

The end-users can create L2 networks; however, network offerings that allow the network creator to specify a VLAN can only be created by the root admins. It does not assign IP addresses to instances. User data and metadata can be passed to the instance using a config drive (which must be enabled in the network service offering).

The difference in Traffic Flow is simplified in the following diagram:

Difference Between L2 Networks and VPC