The administrator of a small branch office wants to implement the Layer 2 network without running STP. The office has some redundant paths. Which mechanism can the administrator use to allow…

Cisco Flex Links configure two Layer 2 interfaces as a primary and backup pair - when the primary link fails, traffic automatically switches to the standby link without STP convergence. Because only one link is forwarding at any given time, Layer 2 loops cannot form, making STP unnecessary. This is specifically designed as a lightweight STP alternative for branch or access environments with redundant uplinks.

Double-sided vPC requires Nexus-class hardware, is data center-focused, and still relies on STP to handle ports outside the vPC domain.

FabricPath with ECMP is a data center technology available only on Nexus platforms and is not suitable for a simple small branch office deployment.

802.3ad link bundling merges physical links into a single logical channel, which prevents loops on that bundle but does not replace STP across a broader Layer 2 topology with separate redundant paths.