Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
Two switches should form an LACP EtherChannel. One side is configured passive, and the other side is also passive. What is the most likely 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 EtherChannel is unlikely to form because neither side initiates LACP negotiation.
This is correct because passive/passive normally does not start the LACP exchange.
B
Distractor review
The EtherChannel always forms because passive mode is stronger than active mode.
This is wrong because passive mode does not actively initiate the bundle.
C
Distractor review
The link becomes a routed port automatically.
This is wrong because LACP mode does not convert the interface into a routed port.
D
Distractor review
Both switches delete the port-channel configuration.
This is wrong because passive mode does not automatically remove the configuration.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common exam trap is assuming that two switches both set to passive mode will automatically form an EtherChannel because they are both ready to negotiate. However, passive mode only listens and never initiates LACP negotiation. Without an active mode on at least one side, no LACP packets are exchanged, so the EtherChannel does not form. This trap can mislead candidates into selecting answers that suggest passive/passive configurations work, ignoring the fundamental requirement for active initiation. Recognizing that passive/passive is a silent state that waits indefinitely for negotiation prevents this mistake.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) is a standardized protocol defined by IEEE 802.3ad that allows multiple physical Ethernet links to be bundled into a single logical link called an EtherChannel. This bundling increases bandwidth and provides link redundancy. LACP uses two modes: active and passive. Active mode actively sends LACP negotiation packets to establish the channel, while passive mode listens for these packets but does not initiate negotiation itself. For an EtherChannel to form using LACP, at least one side must be in active mode to start the negotiation process. If both switches are configured as passive, neither side sends LACP packets, resulting in no negotiation and no EtherChannel formation. This behavior is by design to prevent unintended link aggregation and ensure that both ends agree on the channel parameters before bundling links. In Cisco environments, this means that configuring both ends as passive is a common misconfiguration that leads to EtherChannel failure. The practical impact is that the physical links remain independent and do not provide aggregated bandwidth or redundancy benefits. Understanding this behavior helps network engineers avoid downtime and performance issues caused by EtherChannel misconfiguration.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) uses active and passive modes to negotiate EtherChannel formation between switches.
- An EtherChannel forms only when at least one side is configured in active mode to initiate LACP negotiation.
- Passive mode waits for the other side to start LACP negotiation and does not actively send LACP packets.
- If both switches are set to passive mode, no LACP negotiation packets are sent, preventing EtherChannel formation.
- Cisco switches require compatible LACP modes (active/active or active/passive) for successful EtherChannel bundling.
- LACP helps aggregate multiple physical links into a single logical link to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy.
- EtherChannel ports maintain their Layer 2 configuration and do not convert to routed ports automatically.
- Misconfiguration of LACP modes is a common cause of EtherChannel failure and must be verified during troubleshooting.
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
A non-root switch has two uplinks toward the root bridge. One path has a lower total STP cost than the other. What role will the lower-cost uplink have?
Question 5
A router interface applies this ACL inbound: 10 deny tcp any any eq 80 20 permit ip any any A user reports that web browsing to a server by IP address fails, but ping works. Which statement best explains the behavior?
Question 6
A router learns route 198.51.100.0/24 from OSPF with AD 110 and also has a static route to the same prefix configured with AD 150. Which route is installed?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 200-301 question test?
Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP) uses active and passive modes to negotiate EtherChannel formation between switches.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The EtherChannel is unlikely to form because neither side initiates LACP negotiation. — If both sides are passive, the EtherChannel is unlikely to form because passive mode waits for the other side to initiate LACP negotiation. In plain language, both switches are listening, but neither is actively starting the conversation. Because neither side takes the active role, the bundle normally stays down or unformed unless one side is changed to active. This is a classic LACP negotiation question. It reinforces the difference between valid pairings such as active/active or active/passive and the passive/passive pairing that usually fails to initiate negotiation.
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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