Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

How frequently does GLBP send its hello messages?

1. Every 1 second

2. Every 2 seconds

3. Every 3 seconds

4. Every 5 seconds

The correct answer is: Every 3 seconds

GLBP, or Gateway Load Balancing Protocol, is a Cisco proprietary protocol that enables the efficient distribution of traffic across multiple routers acting as a gateway to a local area network (LAN). One of the key elements of GLBP is its use of hello messages to maintain neighbor relationships and ensure that all participating routers are functioning correctly. The correct frequency for GLBP hello messages is every 3 seconds. These hello messages serve important purposes: they allow routers to discover each other and monitor their availability. If a router fails to receive hello messages from a neighbor within a certain timeframe, it can assume that the neighbor is down, which allows for quick failover and increased network reliability. Understanding the timing for these hello messages is essential for network designers and administrators, as it affects how quickly the protocol can respond to changes in the network topology, such as the addition or removal of routers. In contrast, the other options (1, 2, and 5 seconds) do not align with the standard configuration of GLBP, making the 3-second interval the correct answer.