Question 1hardmultiple choice
Full question →hardmultiple choiceObjective-mapped
A technician is troubleshooting a workstation that experiences slow file transfers and occasional timeouts on the local network. The workstation is connected to a managed switch via a Cat5e cable. The technician checks the switch port configuration and finds it is set to 'auto-negotiate'. The workstation's network adapter properties show it is manually configured to '100 Mbps Full Duplex'. Other workstations on the same switch do not experience these issues. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the problem?
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
Distractor review
The Cat5e cable is damaged or too long.
A damaged or excessively long cable could cause errors and slowdowns, but the specific symptom of a duplex mismatch (due to manual configuration) is a more direct cause. Other workstations work fine on the same switch, suggesting the cable is not likely the issue.
B
Best answer
The switch port is negotiating to half-duplex because the workstation is manually set to full duplex.
When one side is manually set to a specific duplex (100 Full), the auto-negotiating side may detect the link but fail to negotiate duplex properly and default to half-duplex. This results in a duplex mismatch that causes collisions, CRC errors, and poor performance. Changing the workstation NIC to auto-negotiate would resolve the issue.
C
Distractor review
The switch port is faulty and needs to be replaced.
A faulty switch port would likely affect all traffic on that port equally, but the symptom is specific to this workstation's configuration. Other devices work fine on the same switch, so the port is likely functional.
D
Distractor review
The workstation's NIC driver is outdated or corrupt.
While outdated drivers can cause performance issues, the fact that the NIC is manually set to a specific speed/duplex and the switch is on auto makes a duplex mismatch the most likely cause. Updating the driver alone may not fix the mismatch unless the configuration is also changed.
Common exam trap
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
Many certification questions include familiar terms but test a specific constraint. Read the exact wording before choosing an answer that is generally true but wrong for this case.
Technical deep dive
How to think about this question
This question should be treated as a scenario, not a definition check. Identify the problem, the constraint and the best action. Then compare each option against those facts.
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.
- Use explanations to understand the rule behind the answer.
TExam Day Tips
- Underline the problem statement mentally.
- 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 user reports intermittent network connectivity on a desktop computer. The technician observes that the Ethernet link light on the NIC turns off for a few seconds and then turns back on. The cable passes a wiremap test, the switch port is verified good with another device, and the NIC driver is updated. The issue occurs more frequently when the computer's case fan runs at high speed. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause?
Question 2
A workstation is unable to connect to the internet. The technician runs the 'ipconfig' command and sees the IPv4 address is 169.254.15.200 with a subnet mask of 255.255.0.0. The workstation can ping other devices on the local subnet but cannot ping the default gateway or any external addresses. Which TWO actions should the technician take to resolve this issue? (Select two.)
Question 3
A workstation is connected to a managed switch. It obtains a valid IP address (192.168.10.50) from the DHCP server, but it cannot ping the default gateway (192.168.10.1). The link light on both the workstation NIC and the switch port are solid green. Other workstations on the same switch CAN ping the default gateway successfully. The technician accesses the switch management interface and finds that the workstation's port is configured as an access port on VLAN 10. The default gateway is located on VLAN 20. An inter-VLAN router is configured but not explicitly allowing VLAN 10 access to VLAN 20. Which of the following is the MOST likely cause of the problem?
Question 4
A company develops a web application that relies on a custom library available only for a specific Linux distribution. They want to deploy the application in the cloud with minimal administrative overhead, but they need full control over the software stack, including the ability to install the custom library and configure the web server. Which cloud service model BEST meets these requirements?
Question 5
A company has a legacy virtual machine running on a deprecated hypervisor (Hyper-V). They want to migrate this VM to a new hypervisor (VMware vSphere) hosted in a private cloud while preserving the VM's configuration, installed applications, and data. The migration must be performed with minimal downtime. Which of the following methods is MOST appropriate?
Question 6
A company hosts a critical database on a virtual machine in a public cloud. The database requires persistent storage that must be retained even if the VM is terminated. The storage must also be accessible from multiple VMs simultaneously for a future high-availability configuration. Which type of cloud storage BEST meets these requirements?
FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this 220-1101 question test?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: The switch port is negotiating to half-duplex because the workstation is manually set to full duplex. — The issue is a speed/duplex mismatch. When one device is forced to 100 Mbps Full Duplex and the other is set to auto-negotiate, the auto side will commonly fall back to half-duplex (because the forced side does not advertise its duplex capability). This mismatch causes collisions, retransmissions, and degraded performance. The cable, switch port, and NIC driver are not the primary cause because the symptoms align with a duplex mismatch that only affects this workstation due to its manual setting.
What should I do if I get this 220-1101 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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