This 200-901 practice question tests your understanding of network fundamentals. Read the scenario carefully and evaluate each option against the stated constraints before committing to an answer. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
Which TWO of the following are valid reasons to use a trunk link between two switches? (Select exactly two.)
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
To interconnect switches in a multi-VLAN environment.
Option D is correct because trunk links are specifically designed to interconnect switches in a multi-VLAN environment, allowing the switches to exchange frames tagged with VLAN information using the 802.1Q protocol. Without a trunk, each VLAN would require a separate physical link between switches, which is inefficient and does not scale.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
✗
To connect a switch to a router using a single link for one VLAN.
To increase bandwidth between switches by combining multiple links.
Why it's wrong here
That is Link Aggregation (EtherChannel), not trunking.
✗
To reduce latency by using 802.1Q encapsulation.
Why it's wrong here
Trunking does not inherently reduce latency.
✓
To interconnect switches in a multi-VLAN environment.
Why this is correct
Trunks are standard for switch-to-switch connections carrying multiple VLANs.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
✓
To allow traffic from multiple VLANs to traverse a single link.
Why this is correct
Trunking enables multiple VLANs over one link.
Related concept
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Cisco often tests the distinction between trunking (VLAN tagging) and link aggregation (EtherChannel), so candidates mistakenly select 'increase bandwidth' as a trunk benefit when it is actually a feature of EtherChannel.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Trunk links use 802.1Q tagging to insert a VLAN ID (12-bit field) into the Ethernet frame, allowing up to 4094 VLANs to traverse a single link. In a real-world scenario, a trunk between a distribution switch and a core switch carries traffic for multiple VLANs, and misconfiguration (e.g., native VLAN mismatch) can cause layer 2 loops or black-holing of traffic, a common issue in STP (Spanning Tree Protocol) topologies.
KKey Concepts to Remember
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
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.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A help-desk technician troubleshoots why a newly connected PC cannot reach shared printers on the same floor. The cable is good, the switch port is active, but the PC is in VLAN 20 and the printers are in VLAN 10. The uplink trunk only allows VLAN 10. A trunk being up does not mean every VLAN crosses it.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
Network Fundamentals — This question tests Network Fundamentals — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: To interconnect switches in a multi-VLAN environment. — Option D is correct because trunk links are specifically designed to interconnect switches in a multi-VLAN environment, allowing the switches to exchange frames tagged with VLAN information using the 802.1Q protocol. Without a trunk, each VLAN would require a separate physical link between switches, which is inefficient and does not scale.
What should I do if I get this 200-901 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Question Discussion
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