Which network action occurs within the data plane?

D

The data plane is responsible for forwarding packets between devices within a network. It is also known as the forwarding plane or the user plane.

Out of the given options, the network action that occurs within the data plane is: D. compare the destination IP address to the IP routing table.

When a packet is received by a network device, the device needs to determine where to forward the packet to reach its destination. This process involves comparing the destination IP address of the packet to the IP routing table on the device. The IP routing table contains information about the network topology and the next hop for forwarding the packet towards the destination.

Once the device identifies the next hop, it forwards the packet to the appropriate outgoing interface. This forwarding process happens in the data plane.

Option A (reply to an incoming ICMP echo request) belongs to the control plane. ICMP echo requests are used for network troubleshooting and are processed by the device's management plane.

Option B (make a configuration change from an incoming NETCONF RPC) belongs to the management plane. NETCONF is a network management protocol that allows devices to be configured and managed remotely.

Option C (run routing protocols such as OSPF, EIGRP, RIP, BGP) also belongs to the control plane. Routing protocols are used to exchange routing information between network devices and determine the best path for forwarding packets. This process happens in the control plane.