Virtual switch feature enables you create virtual switches on top of the physical switch(es) with designated interfaces/ports so that a virtual switch can build up its forwarding table through learning and forward traffic accordingly. When traffic is forwarded among interfaces belonging to the same virtual switch, the traffic doesn't need to go up to the software stack, but forwarded directly by the switch. When traffic has to be relayed to interfaces not on the virtual switch, the traffic will go through the normal data path and be offloaded to NP4 when possible.

This feature is only available on mid to high end FortiGate units, including the 100D, 600C, 1000C, and 1240B.