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SSCP Practice Question: A medium-sized company with 200 employees has a…
A medium-sized company with 200 employees has a single office with a flat network topology. Recently, the IT team noticed that network performance has degraded significantly during peak hours. A network analysis reveals excessive broadcast traffic and a high number of ARP requests. Additionally, the security team is concerned about the lack of segmentation, as a workstation infected with malware was able to spread rapidly to other systems. The company uses a single /24 subnet (192.168.1.0/24) and all devices are connected to a layer 2 switch. The IT manager wants to improve both performance and security without purchasing new hardware. The existing switch is a managed layer 2 switch that supports VLANs, but the router is a basic home-grade device that does not support VLAN routing. The company's internet connection is provided by a cable modem. What is the BEST course of action to address both performance and security concerns?
⚠ Common exam trap
ISC2 often tests the misconception that a layer 3 switch is required for inter-VLAN routing, but in this scenario, a router-on-a-stick with a capable router is the correct solution given the constraint of no new hardware purchases.
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
✓
Implement VLANs to separate departments and use a router-on-a-stick configuration with a capable router.
Implementing VLANs segments the flat network into smaller broadcast domains, reducing ARP and broadcast traffic, which improves performance. A router-on-a-stick configuration using a capable router that supports VLAN routing (802.1Q trunking) allows inter-VLAN communication without requiring a new switch, addressing both performance and security concerns without purchasing new hardware.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Divide the network into multiple subnets and connect each to a separate port on the cable modem.
Why it's wrong here
Cable modems typically provide only one public IP; not feasible.
- ✗
Upgrade the router to a business-grade model that supports VLAN routing and keep the network flat.
Why it's wrong here
A flat network still has no segmentation, so malware can spread easily.
- ✓
Implement VLANs to separate departments and use a router-on-a-stick configuration with a capable router.
Why this is correct
VLANs reduce broadcast traffic and contain threats; router-on-a-stick enables inter-VLAN routing.
- ✗
Replace the switch with a layer 3 switch to route between VLANs without a router.
Why it's wrong here
The prompt says no new hardware, but replacing the switch is new hardware.
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This SSCP practice question is part of Courseiva's free ISC2 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 SSCP exam.