A network engineer is auditing Layer 2 switch operations to ensure proper frame encapsulation, VLAN trunking, CAM table management, and port access controls across campus switches. Match each switching concept on the left with its corresponding operational behavior on the right.
- IEEE 802.1Q TaggingAppends a 4-byte field containing a Tag Protocol Identifier and VLAN ID between the Source MAC address and EtherType field of an Ethernet frame.
- Native VLAN ProcessingAssigns incoming untagged frames on an 802.1Q trunk interface to a specific pre-configured internal broadcast domain without modifying frame headers.
- MAC Address Table AgingClears dynamic Content Addressable Memory (CAM) entries after a defined period of port inactivity to ensure accurate frame forwarding following topology changes.
- Sticky Port SecurityAutomatically saves dynamically learned MAC addresses on a switch interface into the active running configuration to survive port state resets.
Answer
IEEE 802.1Q Tagging matches insertion of a 4-byte header containing a TPID and VLAN ID; Native VLAN Processing matches assigning untagged trunk frames to a default internal broadcast domain without adding tags; MAC Address Table Aging matches clearing dynamic CAM entries following inactivity; Sticky Port Security matches converting dynamically learned MAC addresses into running configuration entries.
Each concept correctly maps to its foundational Layer 2 operational role: IEEE 802.1Q handles 4-byte header insertion, Native VLAN handles untagged trunk traffic mapping, MAC table aging handles CAM cache flushing upon inactivity, and sticky port security writes dynamic MAC addresses to the running configuration.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Layer 2 Switching Mechanisms and VLAN Trunking Operations