CCNA Switching and Network Access Practice Question

Correct answer & explanation

The correct order is: (1) Identify edge ports connected to end devices. (2) Configure spanning-tree portfast on those interfaces. (3) Enable BPDU Guard using the spanning-tree portfast bpduguard default global command. (4) Identify ports connected to other switches that should never become the root bridge. (5) Enable Root Guard on those interfaces with spanning-tree guard root. (6) Identify point-to-point non-edge ports susceptible to unidirectional link failures. (7) Enable Loop Guard on those interfaces with spanning-tree guard loop. This sequence first secures edge ports with PortFast and BPDU Guard to prevent accidental network loops and BPDU-based attacks, then applies Root Guard on ports where a superior BPDU should never be received to protect the root bridge placement, and finally implements Loop Guard on non-edge point-to-point links to guard against unidirectional link failures that could cause bridging loops. Identifying the ports before applying configurations ensures proper placement of each protection mechanism.