Refer to the exhibit. A new high availability DB sever cluster is installed in the network. These two servers require high bandwidth and low latency Layer 2 connectivity for database replication. Whic

With LACP trunk and STP, spanning tree will block one of the two parallel links to prevent loops, cutting available bandwidth in half and defeating the high-bandwidth requirement.

Adding secondary links to existing REP segments 1 and 2 does not create a dedicated path for the DB servers and risks disrupting the existing segment topology and port roles.

Configuring the two new links as a single REP segment (segment 3) creates an independent resilient Ethernet ring dedicated to the DB cluster. REP allows all links in a segment to forward traffic and performs sub-50ms failover, delivering the high bandwidth and low latency needed for database replication without STP blocking any link.

Assigning each new link to a separate existing segment (1 and 2 respectively) does not form a dedicated ring between SW1 and SW2 for the DB cluster; it fragments the links across unrelated segments and does not provide the combined bandwidth or isolation required.