What is physical segmentation in networking?

Physical segmentation in networking refers to the practice of dividing a network into smaller physical components or segments. This method involves using hardware like switches, routers, and cables to create distinct physical paths for data transmission. By segmenting a network physically, it enhances performance and security by limiting the scope of broadcast traffic and isolating different segments so that issues in one segment do not impact others.

For instance, if a particular segment experiences heavy load or a security breach, the rest of the network remains unaffected due to this physical separation. This is distinct from creating virtual environments or logical separations, such as VLANs or virtual partitions, which operate at different layers of the networking model and do not necessarily involve physical devices or infrastructure. Therefore, the definition emphasizes the tangible division of the network infrastructure, thus making it the correct answer in the context of the question.