Segregating a Small Network Segment with a Star Topology

A developer has asked a network engineer for a small network segment of five computers connected via a Layer 1 device, configured in a star topology, and segregated from the corporate network.

Which of the following would BEST fulfill the developer's request?

A.

Connect the five PCs to a hub that is not connected to the corporate network.

B.

Connect the five PCs to a switching router and assign the PCs to a separate VLAN.

C.

Connect the five PCs to a hardware firewall that is connected to the router.

D.

Connect the five PCs to a switch and configure the ports with implicit deny ACLs for outbound traffic.

A.

The BEST option to fulfill the developer's request for a small network segment of five computers connected via a Layer 1 device, configured in a star topology, and segregated from the corporate network would be to connect the five PCs to a hub that is not connected to the corporate network.

Explanation:

Option A is the best choice because it meets all the requirements specified in the question.

A hub is a Layer 1 device that simply forwards all data it receives to all connected devices. In a star topology, all devices are connected to a central hub, making it easy to add or remove devices. Segregating the network from the corporate network can help prevent unauthorized access and potential security threats.

Option B, connecting the PCs to a switching router and assigning them to a separate VLAN, is a good choice, but it is not the BEST option. VLANs can be used to segregate network traffic and provide some level of security, but they require more configuration and may be overkill for such a small network segment.

Option C, connecting the PCs to a hardware firewall that is connected to the router, is a good choice for security, but it may be overkill for such a small network segment. Additionally, hardware firewalls can be expensive and require more configuration.

Option D, connecting the PCs to a switch and configuring the ports with implicit deny ACLs for outbound traffic, is not the best option because it would prevent outbound traffic from the network segment, which could cause issues for the developer. Implicit deny ACLs are typically used to restrict incoming traffic, not outbound traffic.

In summary, the BEST option to fulfill the developer's request would be to connect the five PCs to a hub that is not connected to the corporate network.