Refer to the exhibit. A customer is planning to deploy a new branch in New York. The new office will not exceed 1024 users. Which subnet must be used to provide maximum number of host addresses…

A /22 subnet has 10 host bits, yielding 1022 usable host addresses (2^10 - 2), which is insufficient for 1024 users.

To support 1024 users, a subnet must provide at least 1024 usable host addresses. This requires 11 host bits (2^11 - 2 = 2046 usable hosts). Therefore, the subnet mask must have 32 - 11 = 21 network bits, resulting in a /21 CIDR prefix. The subnet 192.168.16.0/21 provides 2046 usable host addresses, which is the smallest subnet size that accommodates 1024 users with minimal waste.

While 192.168.8.0/21 is a valid /21 subnet that provides enough host addresses, the question's phrasing and the specific correct answer suggest that 192.168.16.0/21 is the intended choice, likely guided by unstated context from a missing exhibit.

A /22 subnet has 10 host bits, yielding 1022 usable host addresses (2^10 - 2), which is insufficient for 1024 users.