What is a VLAN designed to do?

A VLAN, or Virtual Local Area Network, is designed to group devices on one or more physical LANs so that they can communicate as if they were on the same physical network segment, even if they are in different locations. This is accomplished by virtually segmenting the network, allowing for improved organization, security, and management of network resources.

By grouping devices logically rather than physically, VLANs enable greater flexibility in network design, allowing administrators to easily reconfigure or optimize the network without needing to change physical wiring. This capability helps manage broadcast traffic and enhances security by isolating certain parts of the network from others, ensuring that devices only communicate with those that they need to.

The other choices represent different concepts not directly related to the main function of VLANs. For instance, connecting devices across different countries involves wider networking solutions such as the internet or VPNs, providing internet access relates to external connectivity rather than internal segmentation, and extending private networks typically pertains to VPNs or tunneling technologies rather than VLANs.