Ensure File Integrity with Network Upgrades

A network technician is coordinating the upgrade of the company's WAP firmware with all the remote locations.

The company has occasionally experienced errors when transferring large files to some of the remote offices.

Which of the following should be used to ensure files arrive without modifications?

A.

File hash

B.

Encryption

C.

FCS

D.

Compression.

A.

The correct answer to this question is A. File hash.

When transferring large files over a network, errors can occur due to various reasons such as network congestion, interference, or packet loss. These errors can result in file corruption or modifications, which can be detrimental to the data integrity and security.

To ensure that the files arrive without any modifications, it is essential to use a mechanism that can verify the integrity of the data during the transfer. One such mechanism is file hashing.

File hashing involves generating a unique digital fingerprint of the file using a mathematical algorithm such as MD5, SHA-1, or SHA-256. This fingerprint is a fixed-length string of characters that represents the contents of the file. Even a minor change in the file will result in a different hash value.

When transferring a file, the sender calculates the hash value of the file and sends it along with the file to the receiver. The receiver, in turn, calculates the hash value of the received file and compares it with the hash value sent by the sender. If the two hash values match, it indicates that the file has not been modified during the transfer.

File hashing is a widely used mechanism for verifying the integrity of files during transfer, especially in situations where data integrity and security are critical. It is faster and more efficient than other methods such as encryption or compression, which may add overhead and slow down the transfer.

In conclusion, file hashing is the best option to ensure files arrive without modifications when transferring large files over a network.