Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

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Study for the Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) exam with our comprehensive quiz featuring multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations. Prepare effectively and enhance your understanding of networking concepts!

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What component is essential for root bridge selection in STP?

The Bridge ID
The Port ID
The MAC Address
The Configuration Parameters

The correct answer is: The Bridge ID

The Bridge ID is the critical component for root bridge selection in Spanning Tree Protocol (STP). The Bridge ID consists of two parts: the Bridge Priority and the MAC Address of the switch. When STP is initiated, each switch in the network participates in the selection process to determine which switch will serve as the root bridge. During this process, switches compare their Bridge IDs. The switch with the lowest Bridge ID becomes the root bridge. The Bridge Priority, a configurable value, provides administrators the ability to influence this selection by assigning a lower priority to a specific switch. If two switches have the same Bridge Priority, the MAC Address will break the tie, as it is universally unique to each switch. In summary, the bridge ID's role in identifying and selecting the root bridge is fundamental to the functioning of STP, ensuring a loop-free topology in the network.