What would be the preferred way to implement a loopless switch network where there are 1500 defined VLANs and it is necessary to load the shared traffic through two main aggregation points based on th

Question

Exhibit

Options

• A802.1D
• B802.1s
• C802.1W
• D802.1AE

• A
  7% (2)
• B
  78% (21)
• C
  4% (1)
• D
  11% (3)

Explanation

Explanation

802.1s (Multiple Spanning Tree Protocol - MSTP) is the correct choice because it allows administrators to map multiple VLANs to a smaller number of spanning tree instances, enabling traffic load balancing across two aggregation points based on VLAN ID - for example, odd-numbered VLANs use one uplink path and even-numbered VLANs use the other, all while maintaining a loop-free topology across all 1500 VLANs.

802.1D (Classic STP) is wrong because it creates a single spanning tree for all VLANs, meaning all traffic uses one path with no load sharing capability. 802.1W (Rapid STP/RSTP) is wrong because, while it improves convergence speed over 802.1D, it still operates as a single spanning tree instance with no VLAN-based load balancing. 802.1AE (MACsec) is completely unrelated - it is a Layer 2 security standard for encrypting Ethernet frames, not a spanning tree protocol.

Memory Tip: Think of the "s" in 802.1s as standing for "several instances" - MSTP lets you create multiple spanning tree instances to share the load, making it the only option that solves both the loop-free and load-balancing requirements simultaneously.

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