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Difficulty: MediumNetwork Hardware Devices

A network administrator is setting up infrastructure for a new office department. The network requires connecting twenty workstations across two separate logical IP subnets. The administrator wants a single network hardware device that can provide microsegmentation with dedicated collision domains for each port while also performing inter-subnet routing based on IP packet headers. Which of the following network hardware devices should the administrator deploy?

  1. Layer 3 switchAnswer
  2. B
    Unmanaged Layer 2 switch
  3. C
    DHCP server
  4. D
    APIPA network gateway

Answer

The Layer 3 switch is the appropriate device because it provides port switching while routing traffic between distinct IP subnets.
A Layer 3 switch operates at both the Data Link layer (Layer 2) and Network layer (Layer 3) of the OSI model. It creates separate collision domains for each connected port while performing hardware-based IP routing between configured subnets, fulfilling both requirements in a single device.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the physical layer and collision domain requirements
Connecting multiple workstations with dedicated collision domains per port requires a switch rather than a legacy hub.
Switches dedicate bandwidth per port and maintain separate collision domains.
2
Analyze the network layer and routing requirements
Passing traffic between two separate logical IP subnets requires Layer 3 packet processing (IP address routing).
Layer 2 devices only read MAC addresses and cannot cross IP subnet boundaries.
3
Select the single hardware device combining both functions
Deploying a Layer 3 switch satisfies both high-density port switching and inter-subnet routing in a single appliance.
A Layer 3 switch incorporates routing logic alongside hardware-based switching ASICs.

Key Concept

Layer 3 Switch Capabilities and Inter-Subnet Routing
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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Topics

Network Hardware Devices

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