What is the purpose of Link Aggregation (LACP) in a network?

• A. Combines multiple physical links into a single logical link to increase bandwidth and provide redundancy
• B. Pairs two devices to create a firewall cluster
• C. Encrypts traffic across multiple paths
• D. Reduces throughput when links are added

Answer: (A)

Link Aggregation is about combining multiple physical Ethernet links into one logical connection. This creates a port channel whose total bandwidth is the sum of the member links, and it also provides redundancy so traffic can continue if one link fails. LACP handles the negotiation between switches to form this grouped link and uses a hashing method to decide which physical path to use for each frame, balancing load across the links. This isn’t about firewall clustering, encrypting data across paths, or slowing things down; those ideas don’t describe what LACP does. For best results, both ends of the connection must support and be configured for LACP.