Prevent Duplicate Broadcast Messages on a Switch | N10-007 CompTIA Network+ Exam

A switch has detected duplicate broadcast messages sourced from a second port.

The broadcasts continue to be transmitted and duplicated until the amount of traffic causes severe performance issues.

Which of the following should be configured to prevent this behavior?

A.

BPDU guard

B.

DHCP snooping

C.

ARP protection

D.

Spanning tree.

D.

The correct answer is D. Spanning tree.

Explanation:

The problem described in the question is caused by a loop in the network. When a broadcast message is sent, it is forwarded to all ports on the switch, including the one it was received on. If the switch has two or more paths to the same destination, the broadcast message will be sent back and forth between the paths, creating a loop.

When this happens, the switch will detect multiple copies of the same broadcast message coming from different ports. This is known as a broadcast storm. The storm will continue until the switch becomes overloaded with traffic, causing severe performance issues.

Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) is a networking protocol that prevents loops in the network. STP works by electing a root bridge and calculating the shortest path from each switch to the root. It then disables all other paths, effectively creating a single path between any two points in the network.

By disabling redundant paths, STP prevents broadcast storms and improves network performance. When a loop is detected, STP will automatically disable the affected port until the loop is removed.

Therefore, configuring Spanning Tree Protocol (STP) can prevent the behavior described in the question.