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

A network engineer is configuring an access layer switch for a new office floor. The switch needs to support Voice over IP (VoIP) phones, which are daisy-chained behind desktop computers. To ensure optimal voice quality, the VoIP phones must receive an IP address from a specific VLAN (VLAN 10 for voice) and prioritize their traffic. The desktop computers connected to the phones should receive an IP address from a different VLAN (VLAN 20 for data). Which feature allows the switch to automatically assign the phone to the voice VLAN and the PC to the data VLAN on a single port?

  1. AVLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP)
  2. BPort Security
  3. CVoice VLAN
  4. DDynamic ARP Inspection (DAI)
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C. Voice VLAN

The Voice VLAN feature on Cisco switches allows a single switch port to carry traffic for both a VoIP phone and a data device (like a PC) connected in series. The switch automatically identifies the VoIP phone (often via its OUI or CDP/LLDP) and places its traffic into a dedicated voice VLAN, while the data traffic from the PC remains in the native (data) VLAN. This simplifies deployment and ensures QoS for voice.

Why the other options are wrong

  • A. VLAN Trunking Protocol (VTP) is used to propagate VLAN configurations across switches but does not dynamically assign devices to specific VLANs on access ports.
  • B. Port Security restricts MAC addresses on a port but does not differentiate between voice and data traffic or assign VLANs dynamically based on device type.
  • D. Dynamic ARP Inspection (DAI) is a security feature that validates ARP packets and prevents ARP spoofing, not for assigning VLANs to devices.

Voice VLAN

A Cisco Catalyst switch feature that allows a single access port to carry traffic for both a voice device (VoIP phone) and a data device (PC) by placing them into separate VLANs.

  • Uses CDP or LLDP to detect VoIP phones.
  • Assigns phone to a dedicated voice VLAN.
  • PC traffic remains in the native data VLAN.
  • Ensures QoS for voice traffic.

Memory trick: VLANs: Organizing devices for network efficiency.

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