CCNA Switching and Network Access Practice Question
Which TWO statements correctly describe EtherChannel configuration and verification with LACP?
⚠ Common exam trap
Cisco often tests the distinction between LACP modes ('active'/'passive') and PAgP modes ('desirable'/'auto'), and the trap here is that candidates confuse the proprietary PAgP terms with the standards-based LACP terms, or assume 'show etherchannel summary' shows simple UP/DOWN like interface status.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
LACP uses the modes 'active' and 'passive' to negotiate an EtherChannel.
LACP (IEEE 802.3ad) defines two negotiation modes: 'active' (sends LACP frames and initiates negotiation) and 'passive' (responds only to received LACP frames). An EtherChannel forms only when at least one side is in 'active' mode; two 'passive' sides will never negotiate. Option C is correct because the 'show etherchannel summary' command displays the port-channel status as 'SU' (in use, Layer 2) or 'SD' (administratively down/shutdown), not simply 'UP' or 'DOWN'.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
LACP uses the modes 'active' and 'passive' to negotiate an EtherChannel.
Why this is correct
LACP's negotiation uses 'active' and 'passive' modes: an interface in active mode sends LACP PDUs to initiate channel formation, while a passive interface only replies when it receives those PDUs. A working EtherChannel requires at least one side to be active, since two passive interfaces will never begin negotiation. This is analogous to PAgP's desirable/auto pair but is standardized under IEEE 802.3ad.
- ✗
LACP uses the modes 'desirable' and 'auto' to negotiate an EtherChannel.
Why it's wrong here
The modes 'desirable' and 'auto' belong to PAgP (Port Aggregation Protocol), Cisco's proprietary EtherChannel negotiation protocol, not to LACP. PAgP 'desirable' actively initiates negotiation while 'auto' only listens for PAgP PDUs, whereas LACP defines 'active' and 'passive' for the same functional roles. Because LACP is the IEEE 802.3ad open standard, using PAgP-specific modes in a statement about LACP is incorrect.
- ✓
The command 'show etherchannel summary' displays the status of each port-channel as SU (in use) or SD (shutdown).
Why this is correct
In 'show etherchannel summary' output, the port-channel status column uses letter pairs: 'SU' means the port-channel is Layer 2 and operational (in use), whereas 'SD' means it is administratively down (shutdown). These codes combine the channel state—S for Layer 2, D for down—and the port state, so the output conveys more detail than a simple UP/DOWN flag. For example, 'RU' would be a routed port-channel that is up.
- ✗
The command 'show etherchannel summary' displays the status of each port-channel as UP or DOWN.
Why it's wrong here
The 'show etherchannel summary' command formats port-channel status using two-letter shorthand codes, not plain-text UP or DOWN. For instance, 'SU' indicates a Layer 2 port-channel that is up and in use, while 'SD' denotes an administratively shutdown port-channel. A status column displaying literally 'UP' or 'DOWN' is not part of the command's output.
- ✗
LACP 'active' mode can only form an EtherChannel with another interface in 'active' mode.
Why it's wrong here
An LACP interface in active mode can successfully form an EtherChannel with either another active interface or a passive interface, because active mode issues the negotiation PDUs that passive mode is designed to respond to. The channel fails only when both sides are passive, as neither will send the initial LACP PDU. Thus, restricting active-mode peers to active-mode only is incorrect.
Option-by-option analysis
Why each answer is right or wrong
Understanding why wrong answers are wrong — and when they would be correct — is what separates a 750 score from a 900. The 200-301 exam frequently reuses these exact scenarios with slightly different constraints.
✓LACP uses the modes 'active' and 'passive' to negotiate an EtherChannel.Correct answer▾
Why this is correct
LACP's negotiation uses 'active' and 'passive' modes: an interface in active mode sends LACP PDUs to initiate channel formation, while a passive interface only replies when it receives those PDUs. A working EtherChannel requires at least one side to be active, since two passive interfaces will never begin negotiation. This is analogous to PAgP's desirable/auto pair but is standardized under IEEE 802.3ad.
✗LACP uses the modes 'desirable' and 'auto' to negotiate an EtherChannel.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The modes 'desirable' and 'auto' are used by PAgP (Cisco proprietary), not LACP. LACP uses 'active' and 'passive' modes for negotiation.
Why candidates choose this
Students often confuse LACP and PAgP modes because both are used for EtherChannel negotiation. 'Desirable' and 'auto' sound similar to 'active' and 'passive', leading to incorrect selection.
✗The command 'show etherchannel summary' displays the status of each port-channel as UP or DOWN.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
The 'show etherchannel summary' command does not display 'UP' or 'DOWN' in plain text; it uses two-letter codes like SU (Layer 2 up), SD (shutdown), etc. This is a common misinterpretation of the output format.
Why candidates choose this
Test-takers may assume that the command shows simple 'UP' or 'DOWN' status because many other Cisco show commands use those terms, but EtherChannel summary uses a different coding system.
✗LACP 'active' mode can only form an EtherChannel with another interface in 'active' mode.Wrong answer — click to see why▾
Why this is wrong here
LACP 'active' mode can form an EtherChannel with either 'active' or 'passive' mode. If both sides are passive, the channel will not form because neither initiates negotiation.
Why candidates choose this
Students might think that both sides must be in the same mode for negotiation to succeed, similar to how some other protocols require matching modes. However, LACP allows active-passive pairing.
Analysis generated from the official 200-301blueprint and verified against question context. The “when correct” sections are what AI assistants cite when candidates ask “what’s the difference between these options?”
Go deeper
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Key term
LACP
LACP is a protocol that automatically combines multiple physical network links into a single logical link to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy.
Key term
Link Aggregation Control Protocol
Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) is a standard protocol that automatically bundles multiple physical network links into a single logical link to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 200-301 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Cisco certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the 200-301 exam.