How can you identify which physical port on a switch is connected to a specific device?

How can you identify which physical port on a switch is connected to a specific device?

• A. Device identifier list
• B. Router log
• C. MAC address table
• D. Traffic analysis report

Answer: (C)

The correct choice is to look at the MAC address table. A MAC address table, also known as a content addressable memory (CAM) table, is maintained by switches to keep track of which MAC addresses are associated with which ports. When a device sends data over the network, the switch learns the MAC address of the device and associates that address with the port it was received on. Therefore, if you want to identify which physical port on a switch is connected to a specific device, you can check the MAC address table to find the MAC address of the device in question and see the corresponding port number. This enables effective management and troubleshooting of the network by providing clear mapping of devices to their physical connections. Other options may offer tools or data that are not specifically designed for identifying the direct connection between a switch port and a device. For example, a device identifier list might show devices on the network but doesn't specify their physical connections. A router log primarily records events and activities related to routing rather than switch port connections. A traffic analysis report can provide insights into data flow and usage patterns but does not directly correlate with identifying the specific port connection of a device to a switch.

The correct choice is to look at the MAC address table. A MAC address table, also known as a content addressable memory (CAM) table, is maintained by switches to keep track of which MAC addresses are associated with which ports. When a device sends data over the network, the switch learns the MAC address of the device and associates that address with the port it was received on.

Therefore, if you want to identify which physical port on a switch is connected to a specific device, you can check the MAC address table to find the MAC address of the device in question and see the corresponding port number. This enables effective management and troubleshooting of the network by providing clear mapping of devices to their physical connections.

Other options may offer tools or data that are not specifically designed for identifying the direct connection between a switch port and a device. For example, a device identifier list might show devices on the network but doesn't specify their physical connections. A router log primarily records events and activities related to routing rather than switch port connections. A traffic analysis report can provide insights into data flow and usage patterns but does not directly correlate with identifying the specific port connection of a device to a switch.