CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

What could cause a port to become suspended in an EtherChannel?

1. Configuration mismatch

2. Faulty hardware

3. High traffic volume

4. Unplugged cables

The correct answer is: Configuration mismatch

A port can become suspended in an EtherChannel due to a configuration mismatch. EtherChannel is a technology used to combine multiple physical links between network devices into a single logical link to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy. For EtherChannel to work, all the individual ports that are being aggregated must have identical settings, including MTU size, speed, duplex mode, and other configurations. If there is any discrepancy in these settings between the ports, the switch will detect the mismatch and may suspend the problematic port to prevent issues, such as traffic misrouting or operational anomalies, in the aggregated link. In the context of the other options, while faulty hardware could lead to connectivity issues, it typically would not specifically cause a port to enter a suspended state in the way that a configuration mismatch does. High traffic volume may lead to performance issues or congestion but wouldn’t directly cause a port to suspend. Likewise, unplugged cables would result in a link failure or loss of connectivity rather than a suspended state due to a configuration issue. Hence, a configuration mismatch is the key factor that directly leads to a port being suspended in an EtherChannel scenario.