| S No | VLAN | VRF |
| 1 | A VLAN is a group of ports that form a logical LAN segment. VLAN ports form an independent traffic domain in which the traffic generated by the nodes remains within the LAN. | VRF feature allows multiple instances of IP routing table to exist in a Layer 3 device and all routing instances working simultaneously. This allows network paths to be segmented without using multiple devices. |
| 2 | No License Requirement | VRF starts from IP base License in Routers and IP services in Catalyst Switches. |
| 3 | One Vlan can be part of only 1 VRF on same Physical device. | One VRF can have multiple Vlans assigned to it on same physical device. |
| 4 | Vlan works on Layer 2 of OSI model.Vlans isolate on Layer 2 | VRF works on Layer 3 of OSI Model.VRFs isolate on Layer 3 |
| 5 | Vlans can make single switch look like multiple switches. | VRF can make single router look like multiple routers |
| 6 |
A VLAN is comunicated between device by encapsulating/decapsulating frame leaving/arring at the device
|
A VRF is local to a router/switch |
VLAN VS VRF
