Which technology is best to isolate finance department virtual servers from other departments?

VLANs, or Virtual Local Area Networks, are a technology designed specifically for segmenting network traffic within a larger physical network. By implementing VLANs, administrators can create distinct virtual networks that isolate different types of traffic, such as that of the finance department from other departments. This isolation enhances security and reduces potential unauthorized access to sensitive financial data.

VLANs allow for the logical grouping of devices within the same physical network infrastructure while keeping their communication separate. This is particularly important for organizations that manage sensitive information, as it minimizes the risk of data breaches and unauthorized access that could occur if all departments shared the same broadcast domain.

Subnets can also segment network traffic but are primarily focused on IP address management and routing. While effective for separating IP address spaces, they do not provide the same level of traffic management and isolation of broadcast domains as VLANs do. Firewalls are utilized to control access between different networks, enforcing security policies rather than specifically isolating servers within the same physical network. VPNs, or Virtual Private Networks, primarily provide secure remote access to a network rather than isolating network segments internally. Thus, the use of VLANs is the most effective method for isolating finance department virtual servers from those in other departments.