Implementing and Operating Cisco Enterprise Network Core Technologies (ENCOR) v1.2InfrastructureMedium

A network engineer is troubleshooting a recently deployed application that uses UDP for real-time video streaming. Users are reporting occasional video stuttering and pixelation, indicating potential packet loss or out-of-order delivery. The engineer suspects that the network's QoS policy might not be correctly prioritizing this traffic. Which QoS mechanism is specifically designed to ensure that critical traffic, like real-time video, receives preferential treatment and is transmitted before other less critical traffic?

  1. AWeighted Fair Queuing (WFQ)
  2. BTraffic Policing
  3. CLow Latency Queuing (LLQ)
  4. DTraffic Shaping
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C. Low Latency Queuing (LLQ)

Low Latency Queuing (LLQ) combines the benefits of Class-Based Weighted Fair Queuing (CBWFQ) with strict priority queuing for specific traffic classes. This ensures that delay-sensitive traffic, such as real-time video and voice, is dequeued and transmitted first, minimizing latency and jitter.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. Weighted Fair Queuing (WFQ) provides fair bandwidth allocation but does not offer strict priority for critical traffic, meaning real-time video could still experience delays.
  • B. Traffic Policing drops or re-marks packets that exceed a configured rate, which can contribute to packet loss and is not about preferential treatment.
  • D. Traffic Shaping buffers excess traffic, delaying it rather than prioritizing its immediate transmission.

Low Latency Queuing (LLQ)

A QoS queuing mechanism that provides strict priority to delay-sensitive traffic within an output queue, ensuring it is transmitted before other traffic.

  • Combines CBWFQ with strict priority queue.
  • Ideal for voice and video (real-time applications).
  • Minimizes latency and jitter for prioritized traffic.
  • Guarantees bandwidth and low delay for critical applications.

Memory trick: Queues: Prioritizing packets for smooth sailing.

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