Cisco Cyber Security Practice Exam

What method should be employed to enhance network security and performance by dividing a network into smaller segments?

1. Firewall segmentation

2. VLAN configuration

3. Network address translation

4. Load balancing

The correct answer is: VLAN configuration

Employing VLAN configuration is a highly effective method for enhancing both network security and performance by dividing a network into smaller segments. VLANs, or Virtual Local Area Networks, allow network administrators to create logically separated networks within a physical network infrastructure. This segmentation helps isolate different types of traffic, which can significantly improve network performance and security. By grouping devices that share similar communication needs or are part of the same functional group, VLANs can reduce unnecessary broadcast traffic, thereby optimizing the bandwidth usage and improving overall network speed. Furthermore, VLANs enhance security by limiting the scope of broadcast traffic, which means that sensitive data can be better contained within certain segments of the network. For instance, devices on one VLAN cannot communicate directly with devices on another VLAN without proper routing and access controls, mitigating the risk of unauthorized access or data breaches. In contrast, while firewall segmentation can control traffic and enhance security, it doesn't inherently divide the network into smaller segments like VLANs do. Network address translation (NAT) primarily focuses on translating private IP addresses to a public IP address for internet access, rather than segmenting a network. Load balancing is related to distributing network traffic across multiple servers or resources to ensure responsiveness and availability, but it does not involve dividing the network into segments for