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220-1201 Practice Question: Deploying 10 Gigabit Ethernet in a data center…
A company is deploying 10 Gigabit Ethernet in a data center and needs cabling that supports this speed over a distance of 50 meters. Which cable type should be selected?
⚠ Common exam trap
CompTIA often tests the misconception that Cat6 is sufficient for 10GBASE-T at any distance, but the trap is that Cat6 only supports 10 Gbps up to 55 meters under strict conditions, while Cat6a is the guaranteed standard for 100 meters.
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
✓
Cat6a
Cat6a (Augmented Category 6) cabling is the correct choice because it supports 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GBASE-T) over distances up to 100 meters, easily covering the required 50 meters. Cat6a uses thicker insulation and tighter twists to reduce alien crosstalk, which is critical for maintaining signal integrity at 10 Gbps over longer runs.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Cat5e
Why it's wrong here
Category 5e (Cat5e) cabling is designed to support Gigabit Ethernet (1 Gbps) over distances up to 100 meters. While it offers improved crosstalk performance over standard Cat5, it lacks the necessary bandwidth and shielding characteristics to reliably transmit 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 Gbps) signals. Deploying Cat5e for 10 Gbps would result in significant data loss, retransmissions, and an unstable network connection, making it entirely unsuitable for this requirement.
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Cat6
Why it's wrong here
Category 6 (Cat6) cabling can support 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 Gbps), but only for limited distances, typically up to 55 meters depending on the specific environment and alien crosstalk mitigation. While a 50-meter run falls just within this theoretical limit, Cat6 is more susceptible to alien crosstalk at higher frequencies and longer distances when compared to augmented categories. For critical data center deployments, relying on Cat6 for 10 Gbps at this distance introduces potential performance degradation and reliability concerns, making it a less robust choice.
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Cat6a
Why this is correct
Category 6a (Cat6a), or Augmented Category 6, is specifically engineered to support 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 Gbps) over its full specified distance of 100 meters. This enhanced performance is achieved through improved shielding and tighter twists, which significantly reduce alien crosstalk and improve signal-to-noise ratio at higher frequencies. For a 50-meter run in a data center, Cat6a provides ample headroom, ensuring reliable, high-performance connectivity and future-proofing the infrastructure for demanding applications.
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Cat3
Why it's wrong here
Category 3 (Cat3) cabling is an outdated standard primarily designed for voice communications and very early Ethernet deployments, specifically 10BASE-T (10 Mbps). It features a much lower bandwidth capacity and significantly less twist per inch compared to modern Ethernet cables, making it entirely incapable of supporting the high-frequency signals required for 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10 Gbps). Attempting to use Cat3 for such a high-speed application would result in complete link failure and no data transmission whatsoever.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This 220-1201 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA 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 220-1201 exam.