Question 1mediummulti select
Full question →mediummulti selectObjective-mapped
Which two features commonly strengthen access-switch security for user-facing ports? (Choose two.)
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
Port security
Correct. It helps control which MAC addresses may appear on a port.
B
Best answer
BPDU Guard
Correct. It protects PortFast edge ports from unexpected switch connections.
C
Distractor review
Administrative distance
Administrative distance is a routing preference, not an access-switch security feature.
D
Distractor review
Route summarization
Route summarization is unrelated to access-port hardening.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
A common exam trap is selecting administrative distance or route summarization as security features for user-facing access ports. Administrative distance is a routing protocol metric used to select the best path and has no role in access-switch port security. Similarly, route summarization is a routing optimization technique that reduces routing table size but does not affect port security. Candidates may confuse these routing concepts with security features due to their importance in network design, but they do not strengthen access-switch security for user-facing ports. Recognizing this distinction is critical to avoid losing points on this question.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
Access-switch security focuses on protecting user-facing ports from unauthorized or malicious devices connecting to the network. Port security is a key feature that allows the switch to limit the number of MAC addresses learned on a port, effectively controlling which devices can send traffic through that port. This prevents MAC flooding attacks and unauthorized device access by restricting port access to known MAC addresses. BPDU Guard is another critical security feature for access ports configured with PortFast. It protects the network by shutting down a port if Bridge Protocol Data Units (BPDUs) are received on that port, which indicates an unexpected switch connection. This prevents potential Layer 2 loops caused by unauthorized switches connecting to edge ports. A common exam trap is confusing administrative distance and route summarization with access-port security features. Administrative distance is a routing protocol preference metric and does not apply to port security. Route summarization optimizes routing tables but does not enhance access port security. Understanding these distinctions helps avoid selecting incorrect options that are unrelated to switch port security hardening.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Port security limits the number of MAC addresses learned on a switch port to prevent unauthorized device access and MAC flooding attacks.
- BPDU Guard disables a PortFast-enabled access port if it receives Bridge Protocol Data Units, preventing potential Layer 2 switching loops.
- Access-switch security features focus on controlling device access and preventing network topology changes caused by unauthorized switches.
- Administrative distance is a routing protocol metric and does not influence access-switch port security configurations.
- Route summarization reduces routing table size but does not provide any security benefits for user-facing switch ports.
- Port security helps enforce network access policies by allowing only known MAC addresses to communicate through a port.
- BPDU Guard protects the network edge by shutting down ports that receive unexpected BPDUs, indicating possible misconfigurations or attacks.
- Understanding the difference between routing features and port security features is essential to correctly secure access switch ports.
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?
Port security limits the number of MAC addresses learned on a switch port to prevent unauthorized device access and MAC flooding attacks.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Port security — Port security can limit learned MAC addresses, and BPDU Guard can shut down an edge port that unexpectedly receives BPDUs.
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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