Which protocol provides an alternative to the STP, which provides a way to control network loops, handle link failures, and improve convergence time and can coexist with STP?
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A. B. C. D. E.E.
References:
The protocol that provides an alternative to STP, which can control network loops, handle link failures, and improve convergence time while coexisting with STP is called Resilient Ethernet Protocol (REP).
REP is a Cisco proprietary protocol that provides an alternative to the IEEE 802.1D Spanning Tree Protocol (STP). It is designed to provide sub-second convergence and deterministic behavior in a Layer 2 switched network.
REP operates by creating a logical loop-free topology for a switched network, where all switches act as equals, and the links between them are active. It uses a control message, called REP Announcements, to exchange information about the state of the links between switches.
REP creates a backup path for every active link in the network, which is automatically enabled when the active link fails. This reduces the impact of link failures on the network and provides sub-second convergence time. REP can coexist with STP, allowing network operators to deploy it incrementally in their networks without disrupting the existing STP topology.
The other options in the question are:
A. IEEE 802.1ah - Provider Backbone Bridging with Ethernet VPN (PBB-E VPN) is a protocol that provides Layer 2 virtualization in a service provider network. It uses the MAC-in-MAC encapsulation to provide multipoint connectivity between Customer Edge (CE) devices. It does not provide an alternative to STP.
B. Flex Links - A feature that provides redundancy for network links by creating a backup interface that is automatically enabled when the primary interface fails. It does not provide an alternative to STP.
C. E-TREE - Ethernet Tree (E-Tree) is a point-to-multipoint service in a provider network that provides multipoint connectivity with a root node and leaf nodes. It does not provide an alternative to STP.
D. PBB-E VPN - Provider Backbone Bridging with Ethernet VPN (PBB-E VPN) is a protocol that provides Layer 2 virtualization in a service provider network. It uses the MAC-in-MAC encapsulation to provide multipoint connectivity between Customer Edge (CE) devices. It does not provide an alternative to STP.
Therefore, the correct answer to the question is E. REP.