CompTIA Network+ Practice Test

Which term describes the practice of prioritizing certain applications over others in network traffic?

1. Load balancing

2. Traffic shaping

3. Packet filtering

4. Network segmentation

The correct answer is: Traffic shaping

Traffic shaping is the practice that involves managing and prioritizing network traffic to ensure that certain applications or types of traffic receive the bandwidth and resources they require while others are regulated or limited to maintain overall network performance. This approach is crucial in environments where bandwidth is shared among many users and applications, allowing for improved performance of critical applications, such as voice over IP (VoIP) or video conferencing. By implementing traffic shaping, a network administrator can smooth out the flow of data, minimize latency, and reduce packet loss, creating an efficient data transfer environment. This capability is particularly beneficial in mitigating congestion and ensuring that time-sensitive data, which can degrade in quality under heavy traffic, is preserved. In contrast, load balancing refers to distributing workloads across multiple systems or resources to optimize resource use, while packet filtering involves examining packets and blocking or allowing them based on predetermined security rules. Network segmentation divides the network into smaller segments to enhance performance and security. Each of these practices serves different purposes in network management, emphasizing why traffic shaping specifically focuses on prioritization within network traffic.