Question 1mediummultiple choice
Full question →mediummultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A two-switch EtherChannel bundle is configured with LACP. One side uses active mode on both member links, while the other side uses passive mode on both member links. What is the result?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Good practice is not just finding the correct option. The wrong answers often show the exact trap the exam wants you to fall into.
A
Best answer
The bundle forms successfully
Correct choice.
B
Distractor review
The links remain individual because both sides must use active
Distractor.
C
Distractor review
The bundle forms only if PAgP is also enabled
Distractor.
D
Distractor review
The channel comes up but forwards only one VLAN
Distractor.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A frequent exam trap is believing that both sides of an LACP EtherChannel must be set to active mode for the bundle to form. This misconception leads to the incorrect assumption that active-passive combinations fail. In reality, LACP requires only one side to actively send negotiation frames, while the other can be passive and respond. Mistaking this can cause candidates to eliminate the correct answer and choose options suggesting both sides must be active, which is not true and contradicts LACP’s design.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
EtherChannel is a technology that allows multiple physical Ethernet links to be combined into a single logical link to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy. LACP is one of the protocols used to dynamically negotiate and manage these bundles. LACP uses two modes: active and passive. Active mode means the device actively sends LACP negotiation frames to form the channel, while passive mode means the device only responds to LACP frames but does not initiate them. For an EtherChannel bundle to form using LACP, at least one side must be in active mode to initiate the negotiation. If one switch is set to active and the other to passive, the active side sends LACP frames, and the passive side responds, allowing the bundle to form successfully. However, if both sides are passive, no LACP frames are sent, so the channel does not form, and the links remain individual. A common exam trap is assuming both sides must be active for the bundle to form, which is incorrect. The key is that one side must initiate the negotiation. In practical networks, configuring one side as active and the other as passive is common to ensure the channel forms without unnecessary negotiation traffic. This behavior is specific to LACP; PAgP uses different modes and negotiation rules. Understanding these distinctions helps avoid misconfigurations that can cause link aggregation failures and network issues.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol) uses active and passive modes to negotiate EtherChannel bundles between switches.
- An EtherChannel bundle forms successfully when at least one side of the link is configured in active mode to initiate LACP negotiation frames.
- If both sides of an EtherChannel are set to passive mode, no negotiation frames are sent, and the bundle fails to form.
- Active mode in LACP means the switch actively sends LACP packets to establish the channel, while passive mode only responds to received LACP packets.
- Cisco switches support EtherChannel bundles using either LACP or PAgP, but mixing these protocols on the same channel is not supported.
- LACP allows dynamic negotiation of link aggregation, improving link redundancy and bandwidth by bundling multiple physical links into a single logical link.
- EtherChannel bundles forward traffic across all member links, maintaining VLAN information and load balancing traffic based on hashing algorithms.
- Misconfiguring EtherChannel modes can lead to links remaining individual or failing to aggregate, impacting network performance and redundancy.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
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More questions from this exam
Keep practising from the same exam bank, or move into a focused topic page if this question exposed a weak area.
Question 1
A router learns the same prefix from both OSPF and EIGRP. Which route is installed by default?
Question 2
A router shows this output: R1#show ip ospf neighbor Neighbor ID Pri State Dead Time Address Interface 10.1.1.2 1 FULL/DR 00:00:34 192.168.12.2 GigabitEthernet0/0 10.1.1.3 1 2WAY/DROTHER 00:00:39 192.168.12.3 GigabitEthernet0/0 Which statement is correct?
Question 3
What is the OSPF metric called?
Question 4
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Question 5
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Question 6
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
LACP (Link Aggregation Control Protocol) uses active and passive modes to negotiate EtherChannel bundles between switches.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The bundle forms successfully — LACP forms a channel when at least one side actively sends negotiation frames. Active-to-passive works. Passive-to-passive would fail, but that is not the case here.
What should I do if I get this 200-301 question wrong?
Then try more questions from the same exam bank and focus on understanding why the wrong options are tempting.
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