Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA) Practice Exam

Where should a standard access list be placed in a network?

1. Closest to the source

2. Closest to the control center

3. Closest to the destination

4. In the cloud

The correct answer is: Closest to the destination

A standard access list is best placed closest to the destination because this positioning allows for more efficient filtering of traffic before it reaches its final destination. When access lists are applied near the destination, they can specifically control which traffic is allowed or denied at the endpoint, ensuring that only authorized traffic reaches sensitive resources or systems. This setup minimizes unnecessary traffic on the network by filtering out unauthorized access attempts as close to the target as possible. Placing the access list closest to the source can lead to inefficiencies, as it may restrict traffic before it gets to other points in the network, potentially causing legitimate traffic to be blocked unnecessarily. Similarly, positioning it near the control center does not facilitate the desired flow or restriction of traffic at the endpoint where actions are required. The choice of placement in the cloud is not applicable in this context since access lists are typically applied specifically on routers or firewalls within a local control network environment rather than on cloud infrastructure management layers.